Sybil D. Jatta

 Director, Producer, Writer Songstress, Actress, Playwright, Songwriter, Educator 

BADWest Member

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” …my favorite scripture. 

My background is in Musical Theater.  As a writer and Executive Producer of my one woman show entitled “Billie Holiday Front and Center”, received stellar reviews and a nomination from the NAACP Theater Image Awards, it was during this season that I traveled to Africa the Motherland.  During my visit, my soul was “awakened” and I was led to write a musical entitled “AKWAABA: The Awakening”.  We performed to a sold-out performance at the Barbara Morrison Theater in 2016. It was during the question-and-answer segment that the audience demanded that this play be conformed into a documentary film for the world to see and know the truth about Africa and African Americans.  Well, of course I had absolutely “no” knowledge of documentary film making. It was after I made the first horrible draft of the film that Ayuko Babu, CEO of the Pan African Film Festival, encouraged me to join BADWest to get some support and guidance.  It was during the monthly meetings with experts, other film makers that I gained the knowledge and “tough” love that I needed to complete our project AKWAABA: The Awakening.  We are now an award-winning documentary film!  We have been accepted into numerous festivals with upcoming showings in Cleveland and Dubai later this year 2021!