Hear How Lupita Nyong'o Only Considered Herself Black When She Came To America

Here is Lupita speaking about her albinism documentary and when she learned to consider herself black:

"For my undergrad, I studied film studies and African studies as well. And I wanted to make a documentary because I had never tried to do a thing like that at school. And the subject that I chose was albinism in Kenya because I knew a person with albinism and I didn’t know anything about her experience. And I found myself feeling shame for not understanding someone that I considered to be my friend. And albinism in particular was an interesting subject because they’re the one group of people that unify all races. Having come to the United States was the first time that I really had to consider myself as being black and to learn what my race meant. Because race is such an important part of understanding American society."

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In My Genes - Trailer - TWN



Uploaded on May 3, 2011
Directed by Lupita Nyong'o

What is it like to be 'white' in a 'black' society? IN MY GENES shares the lives of 8 people with albinism in Kenya. It reveals the uplifting life story of Agnes, a woman with albinism of few means who heads a household of 7 children, her 17-year-old daughter expecting another. During the course of the documentary, Agnes discovers she has skin cancer and finds out the real reason why she lost both of her eyes. Yet Agnes keeps going, trusting in the work of her hands and the strength of her God. The threads of the woolen baskets she weaves blindly hold her family together as she tells us her story.

Interviews with seven other individuals inter-cut Agnes' narrative to share their unique experiences of living with albinism. They ponder on questions about the effects of their condition on aspects of their childhood, adolescence, sexuality, race, and dreams.

IN MY GENES presents an intimate introduction to albinism, and asks us to consider how it feels to be a member of one of the most hyper-visible and yet invisible groups of people in a predominantly black society. It is a film on disability, minority discrimination, identity, issues of representation, confidence and perception of the other.

Video linked here
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