Months into the pandemic and days into the social unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd, I had an encounter with a black bird. Like most mornings, since we’d been locked down, I stepped outside to have a cup of coffee. My usual solace was interrupted by squawking from a black bird in the tree. She was frantic and relentless - “What’s going on Sis?” In that interspecies connection, the black bird echoed the feelings of despair, hopelessness, and frustration that had weighed on me...weighed on us so heavily for the past few weeks.

Mornings With My Good Sis, Black Bird is a short animation produced by WILD CHILD NYC and animated by Mike McCraw. This reimagining of the energetic exchange between writer and producer Elle Clay and the black bird features an original song written and performed by Rahrah Gabor with production from Hasan Insane. The song recapitulates 2020’s barrage of blows on black people, from the pandemic and police brutality to the senseless murders of women.