'Our Blues Make Us Gold': New documentary showcases Aggie pride
Jan 21, 2025
(WGHP) -- Not every story is big enough for the big screen. The story of the Aggies certainly is. Just ask any alumnus or alumna of North Carolina A&T State University.
A documentary now available for streaming tells that story with incredible quality. Brandon Deese and his wife Ashley Shante Deese are accomplished filmmakers but not NC A&T grads. In fact, neither of them went to an HBCU, so making this film was their chance to have the HBCU experience.
The film covers all of NC A&T, including the tough moments, but what shines through is the breadth of NC A&T's accomplishments and excellence. Recently, the Deeses previewed the film for two NC A&T seniors.
“I really liked it because I think it really does show an example of what Aggie pride is,” NC A&T senior Armani Ross said. “For me, I was really nervous coming into A&T ... Reflecting off who I am now, I will say this school has ... built up a confidence that I didn’t see within myself.”
Armani, who is from the Atlanta area, would like to go into the film business, and this gave her an up-close look at how top-quality films are made. Fellow Aggie senior Kristian Bailey got more than just an up-close look. His work is a small part of the overall film package.
The Deeses saw a poster he made for NC A&T’s homecoming.
“From that, I got a message from Brandon ... He mentioned to me about the documentary. It was crazy to me,” Kristian said. “It was just good to see that he noticed my work and wanted to work with me.”
Kristian designed a poster for the doc, which is "Our Blues Make Us Gold."
After the screening, the seniors had a moment with the filmmakers to get some advice.
“We’re entering into a new climate and a new administration is coming in,” Brandon said. “And we want you all to continue to do what you’re doing, speaking truth to power, being unapologetically you."
The screening was a long-distance one since, almost a year ago, Brandon and Ashley moved to Tanzania on the east coast of Africa.
“We wanted to expose our children to a different way of life,” Ashley said. “Things are family-oriented here. Wanted them to know another language as well,”
It was a move they’d been thinking about for a while.
“There were all these signs. Things like I take my son to the doctor's office, and the doctor would be like, 'I'm from Tanzania.' Or I'd meet someone in a cafe, and they'd be like, 'I just came back from Tanzania.' So there were all these like little clues and like bread crumbs that ... brought us here.”
See some moments from the documentary in this edition of The Buckley Report.