Boxes & Elephants began as a 3-minute short film I shot during my first film class at NYU. Inspired by Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” I was captivated by the portrayal of abortion without directly mentioning the pregnancy or abortion itself.

My initial 3-minute film did not meet my expectations. Years later, I decided to revisit the story with no time constraints. I chose to narrate from the Woman’s perspective, using my mother as a reference. Personally, I experienced being the sole Black individual in an office environment. This led me to reflect on how my mother managed similar situations during the 60s and 70s. As a Black woman working in a predominantly white male field (computer science), she faced unique challenges before HR regulations were established. My mother, both attractive and intelligent, worked for Sperry Univac in the late 60s developing computer programs for military missile guidance systems and later for the Computer Science Corporation in the 70s.

Although I am not fully aware of what my mother encountered during her career, I can envision the potential experiences she faced as a woman of color in a white male-dominated field during the 60s. Using this as inspiration, I rewrote my narrative about a young Black woman confronting societal expectations after discovering she is pregnant. The story highlights two perspectives: the woman’s decision influenced by society’s vision of a young Black woman, and the man’s view shaped by his family’s history.