Shola Lynch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shola Lynch
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 March 20, 1969) is an American filmmaker and artist. She is known for making documentary films. Her movies often focus on important African-American women and their role in history. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Oscar awards.

Early Life and Learning

Shola Lynch was born in Buffalo, New York. She grew up in New York City. Her parents are Hollis and Sharon Lynch. She has a younger sister named Nnenna. Shola is of mixed race. Her father is from Trinidad & Tobago. Her mother is Canadian.

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

Becoming a Track Star

In sixth grade, Shola started running track and field. She was very good at 800-meter and 1500-meter races. By age 13, she was breaking national records for her age group. She won races in 800-, 1500-, and 1600-meter distances.

Later, she moved from New York to Texas. Her dream was to race in the Olympics. She kept winning events until 1992. However, she could not go to the 2000 Olympic Games. This was because of a back injury.

Shola's Education Journey

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

After UT, she studied at the University of California-Riverside. There, she earned a graduate degree. Her master's project was an exhibit. It looked at how black people were shown in media. This helped highlight stereotypes throughout history. Shola also earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Filmmaking Career

After finishing her studies, Shola moved back to New York. She wanted to start an art career. But it was hard to find money for artists at that time.

Instead, she got a job at Ken Burns' production company. Ken Burns is a famous documentary filmmaker. Shola worked with him for five years. She helped with documentaries like his series Jazz (2000).

Making Documentaries

Shola' used her film skills and history knowledge. She researched and produced other documentaries. One was 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). This film focused on race issues in the United States.

Her interest in history and race led her to make her own film. It was called Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed. Shola heard about Shirley Chisholm on the radio. This reminded her of Shirley from her childhood. Shirley Chisholm was a very inspiring person. Shola wanted to make a film to inspire new young people.

Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed was Shola's first film as a director. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It also won several awards, including the George Foster Peabody Award.

Highlighting Important Women

Her second film was Free Angela and All Political Prisoners. It came out in 2012. This film told the story of Angela Davis. Angela Davis was an activist and professor in the 1970s. The film received an honorable mention at the Tribeca Film Festival. It also won Best Theatrical Documentary at the 2014 NAACP Image Awards.

In 2016, Shola Lynch became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Since 2013, Shola has worked at the New York Public Library. She is a curator at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. She manages moving images and recorded sounds there.

Shola Lynch's Films

Personal Life

Shola Lynch lives in Harlem in New York City. She lives with her husband and their two children.