Eden Strachan ’21 is on a mission to help the next generation of storytellers. She wants to see points of view included that historically have been omitted from our country’s collective consciousness. And, she has a plan.
Strachan is the founder of Black Girls Don’t Get Love, a coming-of-age brand dedicated to using media to change the way Black women and girls are perceived in society by offering educational workshops in filmmaking, screenwriting, and podcasting to school districts around the country. The curriculum teaches the art of the medium and then goes a step further to teach the business of content and media creation. Strachan wants artists to tell their stories in ways that are sustainable and supportive. It’s social justice at work.
While earning a double major in journalism and documentary studies and production, Strachan took a course, Black Feminist Theory, and was exposed to the works of writer and civil rights activist Audre Lorde and her famous quote, “Your silence will not protect you.” When she heard those words, Strachan said, they became her call to action.
Strachan noticed that authentic coming-of-age stories of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) girls—ones that are tender and real—weren’t being portrayed. As she reflected on her own experience, she realized this lack of representation created a sense of otherness, affecting her ideas of beauty, belonging, and self-esteem. So she aimed to change the narrative.
