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For Immediate Release
Michelle Taylor (301) 580-4277
Paul Grant (240) 418-2330
info@tangyssong.com
Award-winning BET HIV/AIDS Documentary “Tangy’s
Song!” Now Available on DVD
DVD Release of Gospel Singer’s Inspiring Life Story Supports the
National Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS
 MARCH 7, 2007 — Tangy’s Song!, winner of the
2004 ‘Black AIDS Short-Subject Film Competition’ (BASS/RIU), has
been released on DVD in support of The Black Church Week of Prayer for the
Healing of AIDS, March 4 -10. The film is a product of the competition that
was sponsored by “Rap-It-Up” a longstanding
partnership between the Kaiser Family Foundation and Black Entertainment Television
to reach young African Americans with information about HIV/ AIDS. The Black
AIDS Institute was also a partner in the development of this competition.
The compelling documentary chronicles the inspiring true story of gospel
singer and motivational speaker Tangy Major. The film is a triumphant story
of faith, hope and love that viewers will never forget. However, for filmmakers
Michelle Taylor and Paul Grant, it’s “the little story that could.”
“
When I first approached Tangy to share her story, I had no idea the magnitude
and impact the film would have among women and within the faith community,” says writer and producer Michelle
Taylor. “I believe it is Tangy’s resiliency and strength, along with her powerful message of hope that resonates with so many
viewers. The positive feedback we’ve received is overwhelming.”
Co-producer and writer Paul Grant adds, “Seeing this film become a
powerful educational tool used by faith- and community-based organizations
has been a very enriching experience for me. Tangy Major is the most inspiring
person that I’ve ever met. Our hope is that her story will continue
to help
dismantle the fear, stigma, and denial that exist among African Americans.”
In the late 1980s, Tangy unknowingly contracted HIV from her boyfriend, became
pregnant, and transmitted the virus to her baby. Seven months after giving birth, she buried her son. Seven years
later, she buried the man who became her husband. Today, she is happily married and has given birth to a daughter, Kayla,
now 3 years old. Both Tangy’s husband and her daughter are HIV-negative. Guided by her unwavering faith, she remains
committed to sharing her story—as well as soul-stirring hymns—to help others become more aware of the consequences
of high risk behavior.
Tangy’s story has touched the hearts of many, since the film’s
first national broadcast on BET in 2004 in observance of World AIDS Day. In
2005, Tangy’s Song! earned a Telly Award and a nomination
for Cable Positive’s prestigious Pop Award for Best Documentary Film.
The documentary was also lauded at several conferences and film festivals,
including the NYC HIV/AIDS Film Festival, the HIV Leadership Prevention Summit,
and the
National African-American Conference on HIV/AIDS.
As a result of the film’s success, Tangy has received numerous invitations
to share her story at colleges, universities, community organizations, and
churches nationwide. In May of 2006, she was featured among Essence magazine’s “Bold& Beautiful – 25
of the World’s Most Inspiring Black Women.” Most
recently, Johns Hopkins University has engaged her as an HIV/AIDS consultant
to educate others about HIV/AIDS around the country.
In addition to the film, the DVD also contains the following bonus features:
20-minutes of outtakes from Tangy’s riveting on-camera interview; an
on-screen discussion guide to prompt post-screening conversations for use during
home, classroom, church, and community screenings; and a list of HIV/AIDS
resources
that viewers can use to obtain additional information about the disease.
In addition to home viewing and public screenings, the DVD is also available
for community and faith-based organizations to purchase and distribute as part of their HIV/AIDS educational initiatives. For more information about the film, visit: www.tangyssong.com
About The Balm In Gilead
The Balm In Gilead is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization
whose mission is to improve the health status of people of the
African Diaspora by building the capacity of faith communities
to address life-threatening diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. For
18 years, The Balm In Gilead has mobilized The Black Church Week
of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, which engages Black churches
to become centers for education, compassion and care in the fight
against HIV/AIDS.
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