What Exactly Is Passing?

 

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Passing is a satirical look at the lives of two white sisters raised by a black family trying to make it in a racially polarized world of stereotypes and misunderstandings.

Uh-Oh Oreo.

That’s what they used to call them. Because instead of two chocolate cookies sandwiching a piece of sweet white cream, the Uh-Oh Oreo was a golden, vanilla cookie sandwiching a chocolate cream. And that’s what the kids used to call Kelandra (Kelly) and Martinique (Unique) growing up – the two black girls who weren’t black.

The comic stars a diverse cast, including Kelly and Unique’s “black BFF” Deidre, a young woman raised by black nationalists who is “over” being black and prefers the company of anyone but her own, but makes a pass for her confusing, long-time friends.

In PASSING, the two sisters explore their identities while pursuing careers, changing careers, falling in love, breaking hearts and have their hearts broken all across the confused racial divide. The comic will chronicle Kelly’s effort to embrace her “whiteness,” while Martinique’s doubles-down on living as a black woman, pursuing a career in Hip Hop while selling hair weave on the side.

Setting

Harlem, NY is where gentrification has gone to thrive in the historically black neighborhood. In the home of black art, culture and the Apollo theater, now you can find hot clubs, trendy restaurants, scensters, bohemians, hipsters, blisters, buppies and prep school kids.  Among the African immigrant children who run and play in the streets are white urbanites pushing expensive strollers. Harlem has become an escape for people who want to live in NYC, but not pay Manhattan prices.