BlerdNation is a docuseries about revolution. Revolution not by brute or political force, but by Black nerds–innovating, evolving, and redefining geek culture for all. As Black Americans, the role of the outcast is nothing new. We have sought acceptance in this country, for civil equality and equity, yet we still live ostracized, pigeon-hold, and persecuted when stepping “outside” of typified cultural frames. Despite the social codes of access, we have claimed our right to engage in places and spaces traditionally uninviting. To let our geek-flag fly and show Blackness is truly multifaceted and boundless.

In BlerdNation, we will meet entrepreneurs, social media influencers, artists, teachers, and students–everyday people who have found identity in spaces designed without their visibility in mind. As fans, they rebuke the “color-blind” traditions of nerdom–constituting their right to fandom through the expression and creation of their own spaces of affirmation and authorship.

In this series, we will engage five different mediums within the spectrum of nerdom: anime, comics, fanfiction, gaming/roleplaying, and cosplay. Following characters who will share their backstory as fans, as well as their insight into the transformative power of Black nerd culture, we will journey from the personal to the intersectional nodes of fandom.

Directors | Eboni Johnson and Michael Betts
Producer | Barry Thornburg