Melissa Lowery  

Melissa Lowery was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in West Linn Oregon from the time she was 3 years old. She is a Wife and Mother of two daughters, Jayla 16 and Che 14. Melissa graduated from Pacific University in the fall of 2009 with a BA in media, minor in Sociology. After graduation, she worked on several independent film projects, commercials and webseries around the Portland area. Black Girl In Suburbia is her first feature documentary, based off of her own experiences growing up as one of few African Americans in a predominately white suburb. Melissa has screened Black Girl In Suburbia around the country and has facilitated hundreds of discussions and led workshops around race and identity. She continues these discussions and equity work currently as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Jesuit High School Portland. (07/19)

Available Title(s):


Black Girl in Suburbia


A film by Melissa Lowery, 2016, 54 min, Color

For many Black girls raised in the suburbs, the experiences of going to school, playing on the playground, and living day-to-day life can be uniquely alienating. BLACK GIRL IN SUBURBIA looks at the suburbs of America from the perspective of women of color. Filmmaker Melissa Lowery shares her own childhood memories of navigating racial expectations…

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