IN 2016 I CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE FROM OUT MAGAZINE TITLED “THE MEN WHO WANT AIDS—AND HOW IT IMPROVED THEIR LIVES” WHICH EQUALLY FASCINATED AND SADDENED ME AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER TWO YEARS OF RESEARCH, FROM GOING TO SQUAT HOUSES, INTERVIEWING HOMELESS QUEER KIDS, SPEAKING WITH PEOPLE AT HOMELESS SHELTERS, AND LOOKING INTO STATISTICS, I DOVE INTO THE SCRIPT. AS I WROTE, I QUICKLY REALIZED THE SCRIPT HAD BECOME AN HOMAGE TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO HAD DIED OF AIDS, MY FRIENDS THAT I HAVE LOST TO DRUG ADDICTION, AND TO THE ONES I LOVED THAT HELPED ME FIND MY FOOTING WHEN I, TOO, WAS HOMELESS LIVING IN MY CAR.

WHEN I BEGAN WRITING FOR BABY GIRL, I KNEW MY CISGENDER VOICE COULD NEVER DO HER JUSTICE. INTERNALLY SHE WAS BASED ON A COMPOSITE OF SEVERAL TRANS FRIENDS OF MINE, BUT I COULD NEVER ACCURATELY WRITE HER STORY, BECAUSE IT’S NOT MY PLACE TO TELL IT. EMMY, WHO I HAVE KNOWN FOR 20 YEARS,  WAS QUICK TO STEP IN TO GIVE BABY GIRL, DESIREE, AND THE MYRIAD OF TRANS WOMEN IN THE FILM A CLEAR AND DISTINCT VOICE THAT REPRESENTS THE REAL EXPERIENCE OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN.

THE FINAL PRODUCT IS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF RESEARCH, COLLABORATION, DEDICATION, LOVE, AND MOSTLY SPEAKING OUR TRUTHS. THIS IS FOR ALL THE BABY GIRLS WHO ARE NOW BEYOND THE RAINBOW. MAY HER LEGACY AND LIFE ON THE SCREEN BE THE TRUE CHANGE WE NEED TO SEE IN THE WORLD. THIS IS FOR ALL OF YOU.

BRANDON DEYETTE, SCREENWRITER/PRODUCER