Green Flake was an enslaved pioneer and Latter-day Saint who courageously prepared the way for the Saints to enter the Salt Lake Valley. Itβs time for his story to be told and his legacy to be honored.
You can help create a monument for Green Flake and all of the previously unrecognized African American Saints who made foundational contributions to the early Church.
Proceeds from the free Green Flake Monument Benefit Concert and the Virtual Watch Parties will go toward the making of this groundbreaking film and the building of this historical monument.
May 15, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. MST
Featuring The Bonner Family, The Piano Guys, Casey Elliott, Alex BoyΓ©, Aailyah Rose, Michael McLean, Bri Ray, Dallyn Bayles, Ashley Hess, Abraham Thomas, Amy Lynn Whitcomb, Jen Blosil, Prince Ivan, Joseph Moore, Bri Stauss, The Tonga Sisters, Garon Brett
His Name Is Green Flake
Film and Virtual Watch Parties
June 8th and 9thβSpecial celebration of the anniversary of the 1978 Revelation on the Priesthood
Every Friday and Saturday in June and July starting June 11th
Host Q&A at 6:30 p.m. MDT, film screening at 7 p.m. MDT
Learn more here
Help fund the building of the Green Flake Monument!
Join your favorite host for a pre-show Q&A followed by a virtual screening ofΒ His Name Is Green Flake. Proceeds from the virtual screenings will go toward the making of the film and the building of the historic monument.
Virtual screening packagesΒ start at just $43 (in honor of the Priesthood revelation 43 years ago) for your entire family and include options to add a DVD, Blu-Ray, digital soundtrack, access to a Q&A with the celebrity host, and more!
ClickΒ hereΒ to get your tickets and learn more about the different virtual screening dates and hosts.
Dates:
June 8th
June 9th
June 11th
June 12th
June 18th
June 19th
June 25th
June 26th
Learn more about this project, benefit concert, and virtual watch parties atΒ greenflakemovie.com.
I I landed five of five taken over I’m heading to salt lake. It’s now by twenty eight amid salt lake until just take me anywhere around the middle of the place at a number, and it’s on like just let me out by twenty eight. He lets me out. I just start walking in its pouring rain, is pouring rain and so and does
nobody album, like bob gosh? Nobody on the street with his point range like to go huddle under this tree. It’s five thirty, five, thirty one and then at five thirty, two a car pulls up and a man gets out and he’s about fifty yards away. Underneath the big tree do the same thing as meat waiting for the rain to stop and isn’t rigid. There’s nobody either way you look down to left
nobody to the right. There’s. Nobody in only use the one. So I go up to him.
I go up to him and I’m liking, I’m I’m here for you
anything! Okay,
I’m sorry
like I I just I just flew in. I just flew in, and I just got a to here. I’m here view I don’t want things and I don’t know what to say: either: domecq: okay, okay,
it’s just awkward which just telling them well, my name’s valley bought our animals. I guess we’re just talking about you yesterday.
No I’m sorry what
outside one,
I’m grateful to be able to share this episode of the cultural hall with you from one of my favorite people, junior bonner, he and I got together on a nice early morning, and we decided that we would talk all about green flake. Now. Maybe you’ve seen some ads on social media for green flake, the movie- or maybe you know just a little bit about that part in our church
as history about who green flake even was. But I would be willing to bet that several of you were like green flake. Is that a place? Is that a person who? What are we talking about here? And there is so vital that you listen to this episode of the cultural hall? I’m inspired by the faith of junior bonner, I’m inside
hired by the talent of junior bonner and also inspired by the goat, get a bonus of junior bonner. So I’m excited to share this episode with you. If you want to be able to make a donation to the monuments that you’ll hear us speak up, you can find all that information in the show notes and if you’re hearing and learning about other great price
objects within the church that we should know about, please send us an email contact at the cultural hall, dot com. We would love to talk with those people behind those projects find out more about those people, whether they be books or movies, or songs or monuments. Whatever the thing is: contact at the cultural hall, dot com, here’s this episode
of the cultural hall,
it’s time for another episode of the cultural hall, and I’m excited to be able to share this episode. It is a guest returned. You might remember jr bonner from episode three hundred and twelve of the cultural hall. So if you’re wondering like why, we don’t talk really any
thing about him. In particular, it’s because we did all that go back and listen to episode three twelve available. Wherever you get the cultural hall, you can hear all about him. The fact that he is a grammy award winner, that’s right among many other things, but that’s not what we’re talking about today, we’re talking about a long time, a project
coming into fruition,
a an honor, a tribute. A gentleman named green flake
junior welcome into the cultural hall. Thank you. So much in that introduction, I’m taking you on the road with me about your height man, whatever it I need it yeah
now I remember when we spoke back couple hundred episodes ago when you were into the cultural hall- and you said you have got to work on this thing. I’m learning about this, this guy, finding out more you, you became super passionate about it. I I want to start this conversation out by finding out how you first learned about
green flake, who green flake is and will, and why you’re so passionate about sharing his story and stories. Like is yes so the b one celebration that my family paula performed at in that two thousand and eighteen so I mean it was awesome event, and during that event, that was when I learned a little bit more about black
history earlier black history of the church, and it was things I did now and I was like things like like what like what just depth on that there were priesthood holders for nineteen. Seventy eight. I didn’t know that I was never. I was never taught that mean and to be frank, I was taught differently than that. I was taught differently than that,
and so this was cut up. Contrary to what I was told and but up, and so as I was learning and here in these names, alleged, able and then jane manning james and then green flake.
I guess I was embarrassed that I didn’t know that, because cause hearing up like in a church and people, ask me stuff, I don’t know, I don’t have the questions to answer them and I felt like I should know. I I need to know these things so that that’s what catapulted me into just diving into learn more was that be one celebration and I just stab amy theory. It was who I reached out to and
she was so kind with their time. She’s a historian and she focuses on early black culture in the in the lcs charging them goodness. She she gave me so many hours in so many resources, books, journals and and led me to also paul reeve. Who did the same, and you know at quickly. I found that it was green flake that resin
needed with my spirit to read about what. What do you think it is in particular about green flake and and further I mean you mention him and a group of other early saints, but but who is he and what is it that draws you to him in particular? Yes, so at the time- and I decided it was going to be green flake, it wasn’t the things I read gazette you can you can hardly find anything on
im, but green flake
as a overtime after I decided it was him I say, decided it really enjoyed it. It was all spiritual thing. Man like that, I just felt so directed to him. I felt his presence like oh my gosh. This is man who was the smack anyway, so he’s as I learned more. Ah, he was a nineteen year old, enslaved pioneer so distant. This teenager, who was larger than life
literally even bigger than all the other men, and he was sent by his slave masters, james mattis medicine like their family and to go to nobu help of the that dub early mormons get into nobu and then make that trek west and as a teen he was sent and-
and he was a teenager when he arrived. So what was so interesting about him was while dating that pioneered the lot, while laying down a landing at vanguard group, the early the advanced group to lay down the land so that the thousands could follow. Matt streck, brigham young became ill at winter quarters and sent the group on a handful of back vanguard
gabon, and he was in that group and drove the first wagon into utah territory, which is pretty significant, but I want to pick up a piece that people may they may have heard you in that way at oh and then just sort of moved along an enslaved latter day saint. I think that a lotta people will go oh no way, no way. Okay. Now we knew about the priesthood thing,
but we weren’t aware that there were individuals. First of all, I think that slaves, I think, to some people when they hear about slaves in the state of utah. They go didn’t know, but then in fact, that he was enslaved and a latter day, saint and came to utah is significant at that’s. I mean that’s the biggest hurdles to get over. It does make someone
cause, it gets upset so many times. I forget that yeah al ds, members were enslaving, other audience, members, that’s what’s so crazy, you know and green flake. I was one of those and as they came over to utah, if you can imagine whatever turmoil, you thought twenty twenty was in your ward, a big contentious
at you know the different ways of looking at life. Imagine going into utah and you come from the north and then you’re, someone who comes miss out, sold everything except your slave labor brought it to utah, and now you have this toward full of enslaving earth and quakers, who are basically in the same elders, court, the ahead
and and then shortly after you know, utah became commission for slavery, utah territory, and so it continued for it for a decade until eighteen sixty two. So I want to try and put myself into your mind: you’ve just celebrated with the church of jesus christ of latter day saints this massive celebration, this huge you know
all the church gathered together. We clapped indoors, which we never do to your family and other f a. I remember it, I am actually the feeling of it I’m getting goosebumps as were chatting because I just remember being so significant and so impactful, and that’s for me right out. That’s for me, white guy in the church. I can’t imagine the impact
seen world around as we as we’re able to celebrate all members of the church, but so you get this. You get the sort of itch and you’re like okay, I wanna find out more and then you get down the track a little bit more and you’re like okay, this green flake guide the spirits trying to me and and and and perhaps and I’d I’d believe in this whole heartedly spirit.
It of him being drawn to you right, like he’s up there in like hey someone someone’s got to share my story and junior you’re, the guy and you’re like wow, don’t know, maybe I should yeah well okay and then the responsibility of a of sharing the story. Now you are a songwriter, a grammy award. If I’m not mistaken,
song writer
and a song, a song would be easy, less likely it. Let’s do the quintessential green flake song, but but that wasn’t that wasn’t what you decided to do you know what’s funny. Is I’ve never decided to make a movie until it was like into the script? Was written and such pure point? Yes, music. That’s my background. I right
music and grammy award, winning, which is awesome, and I work with pop artists get them prepared for like shows and tours you know, katy perry, ariana grande they can like bale people you’re on radiant rain.
As I was reading this history, I realized that I needed to find a way to release my emotions. I began writing songs, so I wrote the soundtrack for the script says up to reading. I wrote like to your point music and then the songs turn into seems like it. It ino you think of your favorite song lot of time
as britain’s got to go with it. So I would see this whole scene and said that I would write out the scene that the song went and then the scene go into another piece of history and just so by the end I had a lab report by the end of a month later I had in ah two hundred pages of something on my gosh. I think this is a movie. I think this is
it up, and so that’s literally how that happened because it was june was the b one celebration realized are doing. History work at reagan august by september had a script wow. You know it’s not supposed to go that quick jr.
I had no idea. Thank goodness. I had no idea, but you know. What, though, is ritchie? You man,
I I you know we were drawn to each other. So early autumn is like you were there when nobody else was there. You know when it was just an idea, and there was a connection in on I, and I I you know as light hearted as we were, we were like two high school kids, just kind of like misbehaving in the back, but theater at all sure, but the heck,
but it I gotta, tell you your support.
Um was so valuable to me when I felt blind and did know which direction to go. You were so supportive and an, and you gave me advice and made me believe I could do it and I don’t think you a group that was your intent. The figured is being used just can tell you that some cute, a very sweet of you to say. I appreciate that um and and when he says we
were like two teenagers in the back of a theater just melvin up that literally happened. We were in the back of a painter melvin of richard hibbard, paid attention to someone else, but you know being able to hear that the the passion, the excitement that you have about something like this I mean it’s contagious and anyone who has
as an opportunity to either follow you on line just be able to hear this interview, you’re doing other interviews as well. I mean they can hear real, quick that it’s not like. You know, it’s not junior bonner, that you know that the music guy who’s fought in a venturing into movies and we’re gonna see how that is a very well could be that it isn’t that the-
and I think your sincerity comes across as so I it’s it’s interesting. I’ve had the opportunity to see the film green flag, which junior sent me a link so that I could see it. I made the foolish mistake of watching it while I was on the treadmill so right in my final mile, I’m crying my eyes out
stumbling feet across the you know the belt and I’m just like he could have given me a warning. I probably should have seen this coming, but just so so beautifully done, knowing that the music was done first and I’m not, I don’t wanna spoil anything within it, but I do wanna talk about it, knowing that the music was done first.
It is an interesting revelation to me because I just was like this music is so perfect and so beautiful and enemy mile from from being able to see a very at and know that various cast members within it are singing and I’m just like yeah, you know who’s gonna up,
there’s alex boye, very yes, russia. You know, oh, I know who’s going to be singing this one and just to feel it so naturally, sometimes music and kind of counterbalance it takes me out of it. Sometimes it just doesn’t do anything for me, but feeling the music and then being able to see the things depicted was was pretty massive. Oh man, I’m ups,
so happy. You felt that way. It was it. I I believed that the music was going to be and is going to be a big part of the film to where you know, even though we’re dealing with period piece drama in history, when you think that you think, okay, that’s for old folks went up, but it’s latin, and I wanted to make sure that musically
that there was a bridge for the younger generation feel like this was relevant to them. So, even though we’re talking about something that happened hundred fifty years ago, that as they listened experienced it that it felt like melodies and music that they’re familiar with- and so it was definitely a venture into the unknown, with bridging the gap of those too, but it’s
I think it happened. I would agree what I love about this is that you’d you do. The b will be one celebration you’re right for a month. The movie script is ready, essentially by september you’re, four months out from when you started learning about all this and then you’re like alright who’s doing the movie are, with the movie who’s gonna who’s, gonna who’s gonna drink this day.
Am I directed this thing? Who’s going to film the thing: do you want to like walk me through that we’ve got the project written and now we’re looking to move forward with that like because that’s not an easy part of this at all. Now. Okay, let me take something that I hadn’t told people actually so when, when I was going to do this, film had a friend who who lived out in the republic
of georgia and he’s a client that I work with a stinger and he does very well for himself out there. He was like. I went out there and he’s like please come to my country fill. My thing is like it sounds russian yeah, but they’re not rushing ill kill you. He says his rash is back but lazy. Come use, my equipment, my men, my place, you should in my mouth
there will be beautiful mike okay, okay, so then I thought. Okay, I can do this because he has all the things. Okay, I can make movies and I start calling people it alex boy. Yea word of rust had read the script case, elliott read the script style and read the script, and they would. The responses were like we love, it were in raleigh and my great and so as like. What
going to shooting the republic of georgia, where the shooting the caucus mountains can be awesome. Block three weeks before were about to start shooting. This is a november we’re gonna be shooting in december, I’m about to book everybody flights and the guy’s like hey op, just want to call you deal you solve this problem is frozen is frozen, but how can that that might
diesel problem? But even though you can still comment this admixture, they have really warm glow of my ah man,
but I might add up he let you may want some protection tent and, like I don’t know what you’re talking about and saw them thinking.
I bring everybody up there who can afford to to freeze to death and be okay with it. How can that? What going gonna lift with the help- and I’m like I can do this, and so now or in november, the negative november, and I I canceled the trip, so I still have all the cast worked and everything. But now I have no clue. I have no location, I I don’t. I don’t know I don’t. I don’t know what I’m
and a dupe and I hit up a friend of mine, jessie renee, who’s, a producer out in utah, and now it’s like dude. I I don’t have a script. I mean I don’t have a crew,
but I knew one and then he was like okay, I’m in and funny enough
just a guy. I met on the plane, a diamond on the plane and, as I was talking to him about where I was gonna, be shooting in the republic of georgia. He was like man, you just you did nod kind of us a great place like I’m not going to ogden what I’m going to the republic of georgia anyway, when that peltier. I called this guy and he took me to this place in oregon, and it’s this reserved, lamb
and preserved boy has been there since eighteen, forty, seven titan arum shooting in a place where brigham young walked across the hills of this park, that most people don’t even know about, and it had original cabins and open everything’s. I walked the land and it had every scene. I saw the whole movie in this place and so long story short, that’s how it all too
weather and three weeks later after talking to jesse and getting the location, we were shooting. What do you think it is about green flake or about this era in time or about your particular project that made everyone say yeah, you bet I’m on a man so instantly. Not everyone does that. Certainly there are other considerations. Sometimes people in oak
the hold back a little bit. You’ve never really done something like this before. Is it the subject matter that made people come in? Is it your relationships and connections with people some of both or why? Ah, you know what it’s it’s, not my relationships with people. I didn’t know people cause I’m out late and I don’t really come to utah men, so I was getting
numbers from people emails from people and I was just cold calling and I honestly there’s something living in this movie. If you ask me, as a movie watcher my it’s not perfect,
but why is it? Why do I feel that I feel like this disc? I can point out, flaws this. This could invent, but there’s something in the film, and I think it was the same way in the script that there’s something that connects with the spirit and maybe it’s because it’s these stories that have never been told before and it it feels like. Oh you know in us- and I say
us makes- I don’t know who’s listening, but those who are searching for truth for their remember the church or not
those who like what truth when you read it or feel it. There is a human connection today and of these truths to be brought to the surface. There’s a lot of people who wanted to be a part of telling it because it’s told in a way that is loving and inclusive. It’s it’s it’s a different feeling that no, I won’t take a break real, quick, yeah
nr. When we come back, I went to pick up the film process where it gets us to where we are today. I’ve got some other things. I want to bring up, I’m not telling you what they are, but I will tell everyone else who they’re gonna wanna keep listening to the cultural hall
a busy full summer from best dj in utah, go to best dj utah duck on why that is me richie, and I would love to be able to play music at your upcoming wedding or maybe you’re having a company party or maybe you’re thinking already for the holiday party. Whatever it is. That’s on your schedule. You should get the number one
one highest rated dj for the state of utah. Now I know you’re thinking I don’t even live in utah, which you would you ever do an event in washington state. Oh I’ve already done that before. Would you ever do an event in california in there too about louisiana? Ah, texas, yes, point is so you know you, you throw shackles my way all come to wherever you’re at
even combined it and make it an episode of the cultural hall. Mind blown if you are in need of a dj at all or someone in your family get married would like to be able to talk to me. I would love to be able to talk to them. It’s best dj in utah, dotcom, hey! This is dan. The laptop man from pc laptops. Are you experiencing panic, attacks, nausea or diarrhea? Is your comp
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I was curious when I saw this the other day and I think that it’s worth bringing up
and and I’ll just launch right into it. I watched on your social media the other day about how you shared a story of a white gentleman who spoke to you and said junior. Why should I care about this, and I was? I was struck, first of all that someone would say that and then, second of all by you’re sort of
response. So can you kind of walk me through that and then in the air why? This is so crucial that everyone knows about this? Yes, yes, yes, so I had a private screening with some important folks and
prior to seeing the film there was as questions so what? Where how the monument to watch, how you gonna get the money, whilst film gonna play a part in that explaining get out there and people when people get their ticket to see that film? That is the donation towards the money. So we shouldn’t the same. So we should stop row quick, as we have mentioned the monument up to this point
point
let let’s go to the monument and then come back to my question. Yes, so basically the way we’re doing this film is drea. All the product is going towards building a monument to honor the enslaved and free black pioneers, because there there isn’t one to do that and so bad that I didn’t decide that until after the film was finished and we’re winning all these awards
words. Oh my oh, my gosh. What the best film and this best film and ley london about to be rich living like this is great, and then I wanted to celebrate and take a picture with cast and crew by the monuments that aren’t. You know that odd that are honoring. These enslaved pioneers. I just assumed that it was there and when I saw that there wasn’t one that
that’s when I realized why I was making this film is, for that you know, and so it all it all made sense to me. It all became clear and housing in the meeting. I’m explaining this to them of the importance of this monument, because the leadership that are in the same church that green flake was a part of the leadership today
they speak so outwardly and forward thinking on being inclusive and that we are a worldwide church and I said- and I don’t want those worlds towards the fall short because there’s no visual representation, honoring all of us, and so
after explaining that the question came to me. I hear your answer,
but it sounds like that’s a good reason for black people, but why do white people chair or even want this monument? And it was quiet- and I guess I assume some of the logo- a job come on now. You know, but it was quiet like. Oh, this is a real question. He wants an answer to I so well. I appreciate the difficult question and
I said I’m going to answer the first half of your question now and we’re not gonna speak any more. We’re gonna watch the bill because I didn’t the questions that were coming in work. They didn’t feel of the spirit and I feel like we needed to see the film and then speak, and so I said I’ll answer. Half now, half later, here’s the first time, the first hawkins.
You know
thirty years from now- and I hunted say when you’re dead hit up but
misfit thirty acres about these old get thirty years about.
You know the the younger generation, my age and younger than me. They’re gonna, be this stick president’s mission, presidents, the brethren and it’s becoming slim pickens, because as they learn about some of this history to google and arguments with friends at school they’re leaving because there’s nowhere to find the truth. Why? In the world,
this is the true church. Are they looking outside at our church to find truth about our own history? That should never be the case and they’re leaving. I said it’s not black boxes. People like me, as I got I’m in I’m in california, three steaks into one that was me and then then I moved, and then it was two steaks into one
all the black vote state it’s white people who are looking for more truth, constantly constantly seeking. True, that’s like a part of their nature. As far as I’m concerned- and I said so- this is important to your people. Did we watch the film the film ends? Are people are emotional and feel connected to it, and I said, and here’s the us
other part to the answer to your question of why this is important to white people said joseph of egypt is not white. The jews of israel are not white shad like me check in a bend ago, daniel in the lion’s den said, they’re, not even american, but they all serve part of their lives and slate, and we wouldn’t dream of tea
taken their enslavement away from their story. We draw strength from that. It builds our faith in christ, knowing their full story, and here we have a man green flake, who was just like them, enslaved for a portion of his life, and he was right here. He drones. Rag is lacking right through this building at I think that people are gonna be,
but to connect to him the same way. We do the people we read about in the scriptures and then he nodded his head. His head, as if you have any other races questions now by you, have to be hooked. Shots ahead. Please take note out, and obviously it was. It was a great question. It was it was a good question and he was doing his job finding it to see if I had all the answers to
young’s well at an end. To that point, I think that there has to be a space where people who don’t know can ask questions like, even if, as you say, like there’s a racist element, maybe to that question. But if people are going to learn, we have to be able to create conversations where people can add,
ask a question, and maybe it it genuinely. Is with the purest intent? I just need to know that I’ve don’t seem to care about this, help me care about it, and then it can be a nurturing conversation and a dialogue between two people of different. You know life views and being able to understand thing to be able to have
have that conversation, because I’m sure what you wouldn’t want on the other side of it is. If he’d had this asked the question and just walked away, not caring about it at all. Instead, it was an opportunity for for everyone to kind of be enlightened by that point of view and question, and I’m so happy asked the question at honestly. I see
shouldn’t joke about race lightly, but he he is a beautiful man. We ended up having incredible conversations as it went on. We were the last ones around him and I it was awesome. He gave me more resources than anybody in the room in the end. So
as much as it’s like, what did he say? How could he you know? He asked a question that if he hadn’t asked it- and I didn’t think of those reasons beforehand until the asked the question and I’m so grateful that he asked it- and you know I I wish I would have said at the time- and you know that
why do why people care, because they always have that’s? That’s a part of white people’s history, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years fighting in wars in defending people. Don’t look like my people were emancipated because white people, hundreds of thousands of them, gave up their lives. For my great grandfather,
oh to be emancipated, that’s the history of white people, the holocaust! What a travesty! You have white people flying in from all over the world to fight against that hate men. So as much as we should remember and talk about the the growth in the pain and suffering that we indoors people and humanity, we also
to acknowledge the good because it’s the good they got us to where we are today, and I hadn’t thought about that during the meeting wish, I would have to remind them of who he was and who white people have always been, but um yeah. That’s the other half of the of the answer,
and I love that too, because who hasn’t been in that situation, where you give an answer that feel pretty good about and then your mind and your soul just lingers on it. You wake up in the middle of the night you’re like you know what I should have said. My magma him out d months down the road you’re like oh and I could have yeah absolutely. I have some justa just pick up kind of technical questions than I do
well too much about the film. But I am curious. You mentioned early on in this conversation that there’s not a lot that is known about green flake and and one and one, and hopefully this isn’t a spoiler one of their poignant. Things for me within the film is what sounds like an old audio recording of
green flake. So I guess my first question would be: is that in fact green flake and then I have other questions if it is or if it isn’t know- and I wish it was- you know what I wish it was like a soap, but what I ate, what I ate a big part of my writing process was listening to these. They call them slave recordings, but it wasn’t laid
people who, ah you know, they sent
the ad ad and ignored the name of his interviewers work, but across the world to try to interview people who were enslaved.
So I used what I thought that interview would be like to help set the stage for the time, and so no it’s not his voice. I wish it was yeah, it’s been it’s beautifully done and I was like man. This is I. Why have I never heard this before, and you know it is a citizen? Is this? What’s up in the granite vault, we have more stuff like this,
it’s as bring it out and play. I also have want to let people know that, although this is a very like heartfelt and serious film, there are some great moments that I found to be very, very funny
it within the film super enjoyable as far as as a not only a story, but as you talk about the music piece of it as well. The other thing that I was curious about is the
those folks that interact with green flake, I’m thinking of folks like bishop cooley, and some of these other ones are those in fact. Real stories is this. Is this founded in things that you are able to dig up historically or this is a lie? I think that this might have been how some of this while went yeah,
so
the proximity of the characters aren’t all historically accurate, knowing like okay, so bay were here in this cabin at this time. Having this conversation that we don’t know, but bishop willing to your point,
he was a bishop for twenty seven years and he was known to be an advocate for equality and and just doing the right thing, and this is with not just whipped with black folks. It was women. It was with the poor. He was just an advocate constantly and during that same time period that he was bishop. There was
a negro council, black council. They would get together monthly to talk about the well being of the enslaved free bike, meares, a black pioneers in the area and historically there has always been white counterparts, the underground railroad. There’s there’s always been the assistance of our white brothers and sisters during those times during those secret meetings,
and so I would imagine, if anyone’s a part of this meeting, to help push forward the equality of the enslaved and black people, and during that time it will be bishop. And so we got to see the relationship that may have taken place and we also get to see because of who he was. It starts in the home as how I see it, we see how it
can trickle down for generations and and we we learn about his lineage and what it means to our culture and the church, and I I think I said coolly and it is woolly right yeah. You have a woolly. Why I but he’s cool but he’s cool girls, oh cool,
I yeah how you say: coolly as they will,
so I have to keep resetting this because, like I just can’t imagine watching your response as you do this be one then you’ll learn of green flag and then is part of that. You learn about the negro council that meets once a month, all of which we aren’t talking about from the pulpit in the sunday school in you know even books that the
church puts out. When we talk about historical like to me, there would be at least on some level this question not of like a faith crisis, but you know when we come to find out something about the church that maybe we didn’t know, and we just get real real frustrated real bothered like what I
I couldn’t handle this. I would have loved to know this. Why aren’t we talking about this yeah? You know what’s funny why it’s actually not funny it’s more interesting is what I found is: there’s not these secrets are being held from us.
Well, it’s just stories that have overtime, dissipated and then you know during the early during the night you know nineteen early nineteen hundreds to the mid nineteen hundreds, that’s when a lot of history was kind of reshaped. You know to
to build up one culture, you know, and so that’s the history that we’ve been learning, and so you have these quote. Unquote old folks who have no idea old folks in positions where you think why didn’t you tell us who have no idea about these things? You wouldn’t believe how many people
end, but I admit that you would think would know they had no idea, and so this is something for all of us to learn from it. This is not something that’s like. Why are you keeping while yeah? It’s not bad? This is bringing to light history that we just stop talking about it during green flakes lifetime, he was brought to speak it
pioneer day, weekends where that was like. That was big celebration. You know you had church leadership speaking if he was speaking alongside apostles, green flake, a formerly enslaved pioneer, but over time that changed and
we’re going to change it back in. Oh, so it’s just history that hasn’t been talked about, that people are ready to talk about, and I think that when you talk about racing, you think about race people putting their chosen first about what’s good, what’s the temperature, like you know it, you know it. It’s it’s a scary thing, and so somehow
this movie has found a way to bridge that and has made it so welcoming and it and it’s not me it’s honestly, it’s the lord. It’s like it’s so beyond me. It’s an app like I am this. This writer of this creative mind is directed know the day before broke. Let me save it the day before
the off or about to start filming. I I I guess I had been producing the whole time. I didn’t realize it. That’s gathering folks at you know and there’s the location, here’s them addicted contract for this hotel rooms equipped and the day before about to start shooting it hit me as I’m laying in bed midnight after be up at six. Am I am the director just
it’s just dawned on me that day before so here I am on you tube
when they say action when to say cut
up back at true story. It out sought it out. So you have to believe that the lord had his head and this it though, but this was important and necessary and all the pieces of the puzzle came together because it is not my creative genius that did when you watch it know that the lord is guiding
the film and guiding what you feel and your spirit, because I was learning on set as we went out to talk about the actor that plays green flake. Yes, let’s, let’s talk about him who is who is that guy at that’s my little brother, my my little big brother now gonna say there is. There is not a single thing that has little about
that guy I try yeah. I was like because I’d seen you know, the various sort of marketing pieces are ever and I’m like bet, that’s a large gentleman and then you sort of see irving and you’re like oh, no, no, I, that is, that is a very large and, like I don’t know if I could chisel a gentleman more sculpted than that guy in we get the opportunity this.
I come guys and I’m like. I hope that at the end like I can also buy into his diet and exercise routine as part of this or back as I’m aboard yeah, I mean it lessen the he is he’s a phenomenal human being a house I’ll use butter and ah he’s an actor as well, but it wasn’t what he was
going into. Ah, he did a couple things here. A couple plays here and there, as I was, writing the script. The character green flake does remind me so much of him. I beat my brother up every day,
forty k every day. You know, and he is the most loving person, but he is the most fearless he would come at me know, he’s gonna get a licking everyday and, as I’m writing green flake, knowing what he endured as an enslaved person from the south. So you can a
imagine what his life was. Your house was a big part of me being able to understand his character of relentlessness, of love and of enduring faith. He he happens to be all those things, and so on top of that, I’m like listen, I don’t have a budget and I need- and I did I need to ask this act. It slide
down the side of his mouth and it’ll I’ll go out on this ice that just froze the day before that scene with the ice, and you guys will see it hope. You’ll see it it’s great at green flake movie dot com they can get their ticket now been in with that comp. But there’s a scene and the day before the day before we’re about to start building spoke to were supposed to go across this lake, but the lake froze
over, and so, unlike me, your house, it looks kind of frozen.
Who would you I mean what will give you a stick to hold onto, but would you go out in the eye? He was just game for thinks, you’re going to see that scene and find out whether or not he’s going to go in the lake or not, but there just things that make a film so much better, because I can ask my little brother: do some crazy things. You know it. It’s cool, just
no, the family relation of you and he being brothers, but also, like, I think, kind of on that on that deeper in in em,
more spiritual kind of aspect of everything that that that spiritual brother right, the piano being able to share this the stories of of brothers and sisters do in that it that I knew going into it that that was your brother who played that and- and I just wondered you know if, if that’s something that kind of as at it as it’s removed
in your mind, the literal family relation, but the connection of you to green flake as brothers. That way, if I’m making any sort of snow in all you make complete sense and out there’s some extreme connection. It was like it was like a triangle connection, so I had my brother who’s. My brother, then I have green flake, who is my brother and crew
christ. We share the same fate of this restored gospel and then we have my ancestry, whose enslaved, and so here we have our family there. My sister carolyn biddy mason and you know, and my brother playing green flake and holding back tears do that because it’s so close to home for us so close to home with our family, with our belief,
beeps and and with green flakes, our cultural history x out. It was us. This whole thing was a spiritual experience and I’ll share something with you that I haven’t shared this whole thing to anyone.
So just to give you a glimpse of how this is far beyond me is may may seventh, at five thirty, two after doing the screening, I’m walking the streets of salt lake and I run into elder as band and I’m like, oh, but that’s how the ras man it’s like. I talk with him, talk with them about green
flake and and what I’m doing and whatever else, and he tells me what steps I should take moving forward, because there’s so many different levels and in ways you can’t just say: hey this one, I’m doing, can you do it yeah great others? It doesn’t work quite that wasted. Then, one week later, seven days later, I’m back out there and at five thirty, two
again, I’m driving by in salt lake going to a hotel. Oh my gosh that looks like out there gone and I pull over and elder barn is walking by minami. Can I walk with you
and a sure- and I tell him who I am and then he responds world were very well aware. This is wonderful, was is beautiful? What you’re doing we love it? We love it and he gave me some advice and told me about some things that they’re so it it said now. This was too it’s obvious that was last
on friday, and so thursday is just a few days ago that, while I’m not sure when this is gonna be coming out but thursday, the twentieth I was like gosh, I need to go to salt lake city. I need to be there for this third week. I just wanted you to be there by thirty two. You need to be there at it and I prayed about it, and I felt like whether someone exposed to
maiden- and I was like lord- I get stuck. I have to do it because I’ll go saturday, a click. Can I go saturday and my response to my prayers. Sure,
okay and I like, but that’s fine right, everything, everything’s gonna be fine.
It sure like okay, so are augusten. Friday comes mrs now, the twenty first and I’m doing what we’re doing lunch for my kids. When else this feeling never left them exposed to be there at at. I need to be there, and so I call my weapon like babe you, you gonna be home, because I need to go to salt lake. I can you come home
like annoy you, ask me gonna, do it anyway,
I’m here I am like your ear. I come home come home, I gotta go salt lake, and so she comes home. I rested the airport. I barely make my plane because it was delayed. I would have missed it. The plane was delayed. I make the flight I land at five o five I taken over and I’m heading to salt lake. It’s now by twenty eight I’m in salt lake, and I told take me any
where it rounded the middle of the place out on out and on like just let me out swiped twenty eight. So he lets me out. I just start walking in its pouring rain, is pouring rain and so and there’s nobody out and like oh, my gosh. Nobody on the street to this point rains I just go huddle under this tree. It’s five thirty, five, thirty one and then at five thirty, two a car pulls up and a man gets out
and he’s about fifty yards away. Underneath the big tree doing the same thing as meat waiting for the rain to stop it. Doesnt rigid there’s nobody either way. You look down to letters, nobody to the right, there’s nobody and I’m like he’s the one. So I go up to him.
I go up to him and I’m like. Ah I I’m here for you
and is it ok, I’m sorry but like I I just I just flew in, I just flew in, and ah I just wanted you to be here, and I am here for you. I don’t notice things like buy, don’t know what to say the comic okay, okay,
this just awkward were just like looking like well, my name’s valley, junior bonner and ah music. Yes, we’re just talking about you yesterday.
Oh I’m, sorry what
I’m sorry, who are you on the presiding bishop of the whole church and the presiding bishop, rick they’re, the ones who decide what building they look over all the buildings properties, monuments that the church looks over, and so we talk about twenty minutes and it was an awesome conversation, a divine conversation that needed to happen
to move things to the next step. Adam ritchie. This is so beyond me and so bigger than a film and unjust. Again, I’m coming back to you richly you in the beginning. What was an idea? You were so so crucial in me feeling like I could do this. You have no idea. I wanted. Thank you ma’am.
I I I I I don’t know what to say only to say that
I cherish been able to to have even the smallest part of the journey and being able to visit with you in and and again just been able to hear the passion and feel it, and I got chills again as you’re telling that story in an hour.
I have to ask you about your wife, the sainted angel, that is your wife,
because I just what I like to regroup some pieces here of all this: hey babe gotta go to salt lake, leaving need you to come home so that so that’s just okay! You know! Maybe you get an itch. You need to come here feeling called prompted by god to give year, but like let’s pick up some other pieces from this whole thing, you also made a film. It was a lot of time. A lot of dedication-
and maybe there is some element on both areas- is a
in both your asses mind where you’re like yeah paychecks, gonna roll in on this. Maybe she thought that as well. She’s, like yeah, he’s put all this time in all this energy. But then it’s all gonna come back. It’s all gonna come back you’re like hey babe. I’m gonna go and donate that, though we gonna have statue to the imf way, pioneers and she’s like okay, an end and just continually
be supportive to you. I have to know how what is what is that like? Knowing that you have that individual in your corner? It is anne, marie name, she man, she is so supportive and her support is the longest leash you can imagine. I have so much room to do what I do, which is
just operate by the spirit she allows that sort you know and she’s very different mesquite is. She helps me realize, like that, the twenty four hours in a day seven days and there’s like just structure it all, and so, but she is my partner. My counterpart and and so incredibly supportive and I and I know that if she wasn’t okay with it, if she said no, I
I wouldn’t do it, and so I so I’m so grateful for now. I want to take another break when we come back. I want to make sure that everyone is clear as to how they can see the film any other things that that come to mind, and they will ask you again those three questions. We ask everyone who steps in the cold draw will do that. Coming back in the third block.
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block, the cultural hall. If you ever have a guest suggestion, someone that you’re, you know maybe you’re seeing him on social media, you met them. You know underneath a tree in downtown salt lake city, anything that might be a great story to share here in the cold raw we’d love to hear about it, contacted the cultural hall. Dot com is in fact the email address to send that along in a way that we might be able to get in
touch with that person or if that person is, you would love to hear from you as well contact at the cultural hall dotcom. So the movie is called green flake. How can people see it if we’re listening to it and we don’t live in the the zion corridor or you know utah or whatever, whatever? That is? How can we be able to see it? Yes,
so we made it to where it is virtual. It’s not in theaters, it’s only virtual and a you got a green click movie dot com and that’s where you can choose the night. You wanna see it so it’s gonna, be it premieres on the eighth and that’s the forty third anniversary of the priests, the priesthood ban being lifted, and so are eighth and nine income and from then on it’s
every weekend, friday and saturday. That’s the eighth and ninth of june twenty twenty one and then every friday and saturday. You said after that. Yes, for eight weekends, I was gonna, go all the way till july twenty july, twenty fourth, and so you can choose which state you want to watch the movie and soak you, you purchase. Ah, a link, that’s for your household and that mm
money just know that that’s going towards building a monument. Still, you really you’re be watching the film as a donation. The reason why we did this ways, because we for two reasons one when I did a screening in the theater it was it was awesome, but it’s also emotional and people questions like, oh, my goodness. So what about this? And- and I realize I cannot send people to
the theatre drop this bomb of history- information that they never heard of and then send them home. It just felt wrong, then, so we made it to where anybody anywhere can see the film and we’re going to be hosting each each screening. So basically, there’s going to be different influencers and me are going to be there before the film and after the bell tolls, any questions that you have
if you wanna jump on and you wanna follow up with things I’ll, be there to answer those questions so that we’re all together making this a united healing experiences with earnest industry and leaflike movie dot com esta and will there will be a link for that in the show notes for this episode, so people can check it out. I think that’s very giving of you to to host these things and have the opportunity to create that
dialogue around it. You know other times other safe places that people can say yeah. I got a question and and be able to get to know you know more about what they think about her, giving you the insight into the minds of those that would watch the film. That’s that’s tremendously, powerful in a completely different way than the film is itself being able to screen it
within our homes and with our families. I think it is also a great gift to be able to create that culture within our homes and have the conversation in a way where we can digest it right. If we’ve got little kids, that might be hard, but it’s important that they they see and hear these stories, but taken them all out to the theater and then some of us we got twenty
kids taken twenty kids, a veto that be are. We get a link where it has yet a half that are able to see it in our own home
at it’s tremendously giving- and I imagine also too, because you can’t control this- we could get together with other members of our ward or or friend groups and be able to screen it that way and be able to to share that experience yeah. You definitely can, and so we just ask for those who are like me- and I want to do this- for my youth group or for the whole building society, that each
family that does donate or buy their own link yeah know so they can still be able to have it for their home to watch it. So that way
the donations are still coming into towards the monument. But, yes, we encourage people getting together and we just want as many people as we can to know about this, to learn about this sub that you’re not hearing it, as here say that you’re able to see the movie get the history and a discussion with us. So when we talk about the monument I went nuts and bolts of that, where is that gonna be how much money are you trying to raise?
Who is going to be depicted in the monument yeah? So great questions? I haven’t really broken his down. Yet ah, but here’s the truth.
It’s gonna be two monuments, and so I say monument, but there will be two wanted this the place heritage park, because
it has to be their young enough. Sulphur, green late to be a part of that vanguard, group in and and driving in that first wagon, and that will be the that would be the first that they have there and a meeting with I met with them and they’re excited to to it and received that monument at the park. And then the other will be on temple square, and I say that will be
because I miss on the way not to talk it will be, and so not because everything signed sealed and delivered. But I just know that, as as these stories reach, where they need to reach and awareness goes where it needs to go, that there’s no better place for it to be where people are coming to see and learn about our church that we can have a place that we ex
knowledge and honour all those who came before so both places and the money to be raised. It’s pretty penny yeah. It’s a pretty penny, so we’re looking at around eight hundred fifty thousand for both the monuments and so between the ticket sandy donations. We believe that we can achieve back so ah, hopefully, those who get
tickets and if you feel so prompted and are able that you also can donate and would you also can do- is buy a ticket for you and I’m an underserved family. So parameters can be families that can afford it, and so you can choose to buy one buy a ticket for you at a ticket for an underserved family. Those be district is: is there a way to just do
eight if we don’t need to mess with the the buying, the the lincoln? All that just a way we can just sheer donation if we want to do more than the movie ticket would cost absolutely absolutely you can on on the website green and be dot com. You can click, you can decide to buy a ticket, you can decide to just donate and you can just look at the tabs and see what options you have
and then there’s also the benefit concert and that I know that’s not something that we talked about. Ah, but we had a benefit concert where it was twenty different artist in in in in utah. You know dalen bayless, the the bottom family alex boye, a casey elliot actually has mike mclane, that’s like so many artists performed. We learn about
early black pioneers, that’s gonna, be on the website as well, where you can watch that benefit concert to kind of get the gist and back in behind the scenes, footage from the film. You can also see it on the green flake movie facebook page. Will there be an opportunity for soundtracks both of the benefit concert and or of the movie? Yes, so you got a win on the website.
You can also buy a package where you screen the film and also get the soundtrack or by the filming, get the dvd. So these were pre orders that you can all have access to on the website. Green fleet will be dotcom.
Just a couple more questions. What’s a dvd, I haven’t seen a dvd in the history of just giving your time at heart of his an accident. Society alex us not it’s just it’s so different when I think about the different things we made through this aside tangent, but I’m just like meh people are like. I will send you the book and I’m like what am I going to do the book I can read them act
every november vote. Adena, it’s like just sort of upside funny are a junior. We ask everyone who steps of the cultural hall three questions. I will ask those of you right now. The the first question is is: do you have a calling and if so, what is it? Oh, I do have a calling I’m in on the second counselor in the bishop
break for the cyprus ward of the fog. Ten stake california boom. If you could pick a calling for yourself either one that exists or make one up, what would you pick? I would be the second counselor in the bishoprics that cyprus, what a fantastic idea. Honestly, I just love my call. I love it. The bishop rickey so focused on you right out because that’s my church, I just
I absolutely love it, and so I I never feel like. I don’t know what to do. There’s always so much to do, and I love it. The last question I know you’ve answered it before, but maybe it’s different maybe earn in a different place. The question remains: what is your favorite part of your faith? Oh, I guess that edits,
I’m not going anywhere.
So I I guess I liked that it’s not me going or staying is not negotiable for me.
Ah,
my fate is in christ and nothing can change that. No matter what policy or history that I learn about, nothing can change that because it’s christchurch he came, he suffered, he died. He taught us and I agree to be him and support him
and and be a disciple of him and so um. I love that, no matter what happens, I don’t have to risk my my attendance in church well junior, if there’s anything that we can do this project continues to roll out. I hope that you’ll reach out and we can have you back in. We may have to get that that large and
stature younger gentleman, that is your brother, who is green flake to come in and give us that perspective of of what he felt like being able to embody literal, the m
those of the past and be able to speak about that. But in the meantime we hope that this episode has nourish and strengthen your body that, if you’re not healthy enough to listen this week, that you’ll be healthy enough to listen next week and then, when the time comes, you’ll be able to travel home in safety in the meantime, will be saving a seat for you on the back row of the cultural hall, amy
asking you to be that
we gonna go overboard.
Wow.
Guest Author
dyejo
