The University of Indianapolis Campus Program Board invited documentary filmmaker Denise Evans to campus on Sept. 9. Evans is the CEO and creator of J’Hue Productions and came to UIndy to talk to students about current “hook up” culture.
Evans started the company eight years ago and focuses on documentaries. Students who attended the event were shown a 40-minute segment of her film “Spitting Game.” The film explores issues ranging from the risks of random hook ups to intervening when a fellow student is in need.
After the film, Evans asked the students to participate in an activity. They each were given a note card with a situation on it and they had to tell how they would react in the situation. Students each gave their reaction to their respective card, and also told how they would react differently to other students’ cards.
After this activity, Richards called on volunteers to get up in front of the audience and reenact one of the situations live, while she gave commentary.
Sophomore Zakaii Alzaki answers a question with a simple answer of “Freeze” at the Spitting Game event help Sept.9. This was one of several exercises the students did at the event. Photo by Laken Setweiler.
Evans had another short documentary with her production company before being approached by a psychologist about doing the film “Spitting Game.” They worked side-by-side on the project to create the film, which was Evans’ first full-feature documentary.
“I think it’s a little bit ‘trendy’ to say hook up culture, and I’m not sure that term is going to last,” Evans said. “I feel like there’s a whole dynamic that has shifted, and the pendulum has gone way. And I think it [the pendulum] is going to swing back, and there is going to be a middle ground somewhere. I don’t think it’s a sustainable culture.”
Beyond lecturing, Evans also does training and workshops on this topic at colleges.
She also puts together educational units, has taught therapists and faculty and has been a member of health and wellness panels.
CPB social issues and community service chair Gabriella Ratliff helped plan the event last semester and believed that it would be great to have students, especially incoming freshmen, made aware of the reality and risks of the hook-up culture.
“I believe more students should hear this message because the college ‘hook up’ culture is not really talked about,” Ratliff said.
She also expressed the need for more events and programs of the sort.
“It gives students the opportunity to ask those uneasy questions and receive guidance on how to deal with certain situations they may face from professionals like Denise,” Ratliff said.
According to Ratliff, almost 80 students attended the event and she believes they were able to take something meaningful from the discussion.
The next CPB event will Zumba on Oct. 1.
