The Journey to Becoming A Product of ME

by Samantha Denäe

Everyday when we wake up there is always news about the murder of someone in our community and in this country. The number of black-on-black crimes in the United States is ASTONISHING and everyday it seems to be getting worse, but what do we do as a people to try and fix the issue at hand? It seems like no one cares that there is a war going on in our own backyard, but there is one man who is trying to make a change.

Jeral Clyde Jr, who is a writer, director, and CEO of 3umph (Triumph) Studios, has begun a movement to try and restore integrity within our community as well as educate our youth on how to be a better them. A Product of Me is not only a movement but also the title of his current documentary (out for purchase) as well as his upcoming film. In addition to acknowledging the movement Jeral can always be seen in an A Product of ME t-shirt.

“A Product of ME: The Movie” (APOM), starring Teddy Gathmann & Dontrell Jones, is about the interracial friendship between Levi (Caucasian) and Clyde (African American), who are from a poverty, drug, and crime stricken environment. We see the journey between the two friends as they prepare for life after high school. Both characters encounter adversaries that test their friendship, their strength, and the power to go on. We see how they are individually affected as they make the choice to either become a product of their environment or a product of themselves.

To offer further details about this movement and how it all began, after a tragic personal event Jeral knew that it was time to make a change in his life. Although he came from an environment filled with drugs and violence he decided he could be more than a product of his environment. He wanted to be a product of himself.

He began this movement with the “A Product of ME: The Documentary” where he interviewed five individuals from a city councilman to a drug dealer and they explained how they are products of their environments and themselves, negatively and positively.

Jeral is making strides to create a buzz around this movement so that he can teach people especially youth that just because you come from a certain environment you do not have to conform and can push to be better and obtain all goals and dreams.

A change must be made in our community if we want to save it and so Jeral is asking for support.

The “A Product of ME” Movie Premiere is THIS Friday, August 15 at 11pm at Landmark Theaters in Midtown (Atlanta, GA). Come find out how we can save ourselves from the destruction that’s happening to us!

 Click here to watch the APOM Movie Trailer

Follow Jeral Clyde Jr on Instagram @jcthedirector as well as APOM @aproductofme

Follow me on Instagram @samanthasanders08