TD Jakes' 'Woman Loosed' Film to Address Missing Black Persons Crisis
African-Americans Are 13 Percent of US Population Yet 85 Percent of All Minorities Missing
Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, is trying to raise awareness about the alarming number of missing black Americans with his new movie, "Woman Thou Art Loosed!: On the 7th Day."
According to 2011 statistics provided by the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. (BAM FI), which Jakes is working with, 85 percent out of all minorities missing in the U.S. are African-American. That is a glaring number, taking into account that black people make up approximately only 13 percent of the total U.S. population.
BAM FI describes itself as a nonprofit with a mission to bring awareness to missing persons of color, provide vital resources and tools to missing person's families and friends and to educate the minority community on personal safety.
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One reason suggested for the great number of unsolved missing black persons cases is that the media does not focus on them very much. According to the Electronic Urban Report, such stories account for only 23 percent of all news reports.
This lack of exposure is a problem Jakes explores in his upcoming "Woman Thou Art Loosed!: On the 7th Day" film (directed by award-winning filmmaker Neema Barnette), which he produced and distributed through Codeblack Entertainment, and is scheduled for a theatrical release on April 13.
The plot of the movie revolves around an African-American couple whose daughter is abducted. Over the course of seven days, they begin to uncover secrets about their past that threaten to rip their marriage and lives apart.
"African-Americans are unlikely to receive a national alert or to be featured in the media when their loved ones go missing," Bishop Jakes explained in a press release. "In an effort to bring awareness and help turn the tide on these daunting statistics, Codeblack Entertainment and The Potter's House are helping to bring this issue to the forefront."
"It is so important to educate our community on this issue, especially since an overwhelming number of missing persons in the United States are of color," added Derrica Wilson, co-founder of BAM FI. "We are so pleased that The Potter's House along with Bishop T.D. Jakes and Codeblack Entertainment will use their platform to help find our missing men, women and children."
The title of the movie shares its name with one of Bishop Jakes' most popular books, Woman Thou Art Loosed!, published in 1993. The book addresses struggles many women find themselves in, such as traumas, tragedies, and disappointments, and tries to offer a spiritual solution.
Watch a trailer for "Woman Thou Art Loosed!: On the 7th Day" below:
