Shola Lynch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shola Lynch
Lynch in 2013
Born	Shola Lynch (1969-03-20) March 20, 1969 (age 56) Buffalo, New York, United States
Alma mater	University of Texas at Austin; University of California-Riverside; Columbia University
Occupation	Director, producer, curator
Known for	Documentary films
Notable work	Free Angela and All Political Prisoners; Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed (2004)

Shola Lynch, born on March 20, 1969, is an American filmmaker, artist, and even a former child actress! She is famous for making documentaries, especially Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed (2004) and Free Angela and All Political Prisoners (2012). These films tell important stories about African American women and their role in history and politics. Shola Lynch is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is the group that gives out the Oscars!

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in New York

Shola Lynch was born in Buffalo, New York, and grew up in New York City. She is the oldest daughter of Hollis and Sharon Lynch. She also has a younger sister named Nnenna. Shola's father is from Trinidad and Tobago, and her mother is Canadian.

When she was just two years old, Shola started acting on the famous PBS children's TV show, Sesame Street. She continued to appear on the show until she was six.

Becoming a Track Star

In sixth grade, Shola started running and training as a track-and-field athlete. She was especially good at 800-meter and 1500-meter races. By the time she was 13, she was breaking national records for her age group in these races.

Later, she moved from New York to Texas. Her dream was to compete in track at the Olympic Games. She continued to win races until 1992. However, she could not go to the 2000 Olympic Games because of a back injury.

College and Beyond

Shola Lynch went to Hunter College High School. Then, she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (UT). She was even the captain of UT's track team for two years!

After that, she earned a graduate degree from the University of California-Riverside. She studied Public Resource Management and American history. For her master's project, she created an exhibit called "How Far Have We Come?". This exhibit looked at how black people were shown in different types of media throughout history. Shola also earned another master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Filmmaking Career

Starting in Film Production

After finishing her studies, Shola Lynch moved back to New York. She wanted to start a career in art. However, it was hard to find money for artists at that time. So, she got a job at Ken Burns' production company instead. Ken Burns is a very famous documentary filmmaker. Shola worked with him for five years on many documentaries, including his series Jazz (2000).

Her skills in filmmaking and her knowledge of history helped her a lot. She researched and produced other documentaries, like HBO Sports' Do You Believe in Miracles? The Story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team (2001). She also worked on Matters of Race: EveryOther (2003), which looked at issues of race in the United States.

Directing Important Documentaries

Shola's interest in history and race led her to write, direct, and produce her first independent film. This film was called Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed. Shola heard about Shirley Chisholm on the radio. This reminded her of Shirley Chisholm from her own childhood. Shirley Chisholm was a very inspiring figure to Shola when she was young.

Shola tried many times to contact Shirley Chisholm to get permission to make the film. She wanted to inspire a new generation of young people. Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed was Shola Lynch's first film as a director. It was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and won several awards, including the George Foster Peabody Award.

Her second film as a director was Free Angela and All Political Prisoners. This film tells the story of Angela Davis. Angela Davis was a professor and social activist whose voice helped the feminist movement in the 1970s. The film was shown at the 21st Pan African Film & Arts Festival and released to the public on April 5, 2013. Famous actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were executive producers for the film. Free Angela and All Political Prisoners received an honorable mention at the Tribeca Film Festival. It also won Best Theatrical Documentary at the 2014 NAACP Image Awards.

Current Work and Future Projects

Since 2013, Shola Lynch has worked at the New York Public Library. She is a curator at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. She manages the Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division there.

In 2015, Shola received a grant to help with her next film. This film is currently called The Outlaw. In 2016, Shola Lynch became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Personal Life

Shola Lynch lives in Harlem with her husband and their two children.

Filmography

Here are some of the films Shola Lynch has worked on:

Other Roles:

• Associate Producer:

* Frank Lloyd Wright (1998) * Jazz (2001)

• Director of Research:

* Do You Believe in Miracles? The Story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team (2001)

• Co-producer:

* Matters of Race: EveryOther (2003)