For Ahkeem

Released in 2017, For Ahkeem is a critically acclaimed documentary film that follows the life of Daje Shelton, a 17-year-old Black girl from North St. Louis, Missouri. Directed by Jeremy S. Levine and Landon Van Soest, this heartrending film presents a deeply personal view of life in a rough neighborhood fraught with systemic injustice and offers an intimate depiction of daily struggles and triumphs.

"For Ahkeem" opens with Daje in a courtroom, expelled from her local high school for accumulated disciplinary infractions and issued a court mandate ordering her to attend the alternative Innovative Concept Academy. This school, remarkably, is situated inside the St. Louis juvenile justice system, providing a last chance to troubled youths to turn their lives around before plunging into the adult criminal justice system.

As Daje embarks on her new educational journey, the audience gets a raw and revealing look at her life. She battles through academic difficulties and relationship struggles, often accompanied by her friend and confidante, Antonio Shumpert. Together they navigate the tumultuous and often perilous landscape of their environment, facing not only the challenges typical of adolescence but also a myriad of external systemic pressures.

In the middle of all this, Daje faces an unexpected teenage pregnancy, and with it, the impending responsibilities of motherhood. The film traces Daje's heart-wrenching journey to raise a child in an unforgiving society. The birth of her son, Ahkeem, presents Daje with new challenges and she gradually evolves from a vulnerable teenager into a young mother committed to providing a safe and better future for her child.

Blending intimate personal narratives with the larger social portrait of the marginalized communities in Northern St. Louis, the film poignantly utilizes Daje's story to reflect on the complex issues of juvenile justice, systemic racism, and education inequity. For Ahkeem paints a captivating picture, combining gritty quotidien realities with an ever-present undercurrent of hope.

One of the most potent elements of the documentary is its relentless truthfulness. The filmmakers’ authentic, fly-on-the-wall approach offers an honest look at the difficulties faced by Daje and her community. It's both an intimate coming-of-age tale and a sociopolitical commentary, intertwining personal narratives and wider systemic issues.

Creating a counterpoint to the personal drama, the film is interspersed with snippets of news reports and vox-pop interviews on the streets, charting the underlying turbulence of the 2014 Ferguson riots following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, by a white police officer. As Daje's personal world evolves, we parallelly witness the broader societal unrest escalating around her.

Levine and Van Soest have crafted an intimate and powerful portrait of life and survival on the city's north side, interlacing it with glimpses of collective resistance and hope for change. The cinematography effortlessly reflects the harsh reality of the neighborhood, its economic deprivation, and the crushing limitations imposed by societal biases. The filmmakers sensitively yet unflinchingly highlight the urgent problems of racial disparities, societal neglect, and systemic oppression.

For Ahkeem is an exemplary piece of cinema verité that firsthand documents an unfortunate reality for many teenagers in America today. It’s a social realistic film of stark importance, that puts a human face on the intersecting issues of race, poverty, and education in inner-city America. It does not attempt to offer solutions to these multifaceted challenges, but it gives people like Daje a platform to share their stories—an essential step toward bringing awareness and change to an oppressive system.

Boosted by a standout, deeply affecting performance by Daje Shelton that is heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure, For Ahkeem is a commendable narrative of resilience and determination against all odds. It’s a poignant tribute to the strength of women like Daje and a stark indictment of the systemic inequalities they’re forced to grapple with every day.

The strength of For Ahkeem is its commitment to represent reality without polish or prejudice. It showcases Shelton's journey not as a neatly packaged inspirational cinema, but as a genuine and complex reflection of life’s ups and downs, providing audiences a sincere narrative of a brave young woman battling adversity with courage.

Throughout its run, the movie underscores that Daje's story, though unique in its personal specifics, is regrettably not uncommon. This film is a sobering reminder that there are countless other young, disadvantaged individuals who must navigate similar circumstances daily. Their stories matter, and through the lens of Daje Shelton, For Ahkeem succeeds in amplifying these often-muted voices.