In a bold effort to create more meaningful connections within the Black community, Bria Black is on a matchmaking mission: Operation Black Love. The initiative was born out of Bria’s personal experiences and the frustrations she witnessed among her friends.
“It is hard to find Black love. It's harder to find love Black love in Minnesota. I just want Black women to have the opportunity to experience love with Black men if they want to,” said Bria. “When I'm out, I always see Black guys at the bar by themselves or in pairs, and I see groups of Black women at brunches – but I rarely see Black men and women on dates.”
What started as an off-the-cuff Instagram rant last year about the difficulties Black women experience in dating evolved into a mini-social experiment. Bria set up a blind date between a couple of friends and documented the experience on her YouTube channel – the original Operation Black Love.
Now, the project is expanding, along with Bria’s media making skills. She is currently enrolled in a 15 week production program at St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN). “At the end of this, I will have a completed documentary. At the beginning, I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do? What do I already have? And I was like, ‘Well… maybe I could do something about Operation Black Love?’”
That decision was solidified in February when the latest season of Love is Blind dropped on Netflix. The season features a predominantly white cast from Minneapolis and the surrounding metro. “It was a reminder that in Minnesota specifically, that Black people just barely have a fighting chance at love with another Black person,” said Bria.
A passionate advocate for Black love
A married woman for eight years, Bria reflects on the value of Black love and marriage. “I think there is so much value in marriage, especially marriage between Black people. It has helped me in so many ways, and I think that it is critical to preserving the culture of Blackness. When my grandmother passed away, I became even more reflective on family and legacy. Marriage is so important, and I want to see couples thrive.”
Operation Black Love – the documentary – is set to debut in early May. Meanwhile, Bria has plans to share a behind-the-scenes look at her matchmaking process, featuring interviews and insights from participants. Stay tuned!
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