History continues to weigh heavily on many aspects of our current society. We live in a time where different groups seem increasingly at odds with each other. Personally, I am the daughter of a black father from Suriname and a white mother from the Netherlands. I lived in Zwolle until I was 12, then completed high school in Paramaribo, only to return to the Netherlands at 18. Due to my bi-cultural background, I didn't see color, but color saw me. This often felt unjust and unfair; I wanted to be seen for who I was and what I stood for.

Lately, I've been confronted with how to navigate the current polarization. I believe that connection is needed to counteract the division between groups. With this documentary about Cynthia McLeod - a role model, writer, and historian - I aim to showcase how she consistently bridges the gap between Suriname and the Netherlands with her knowledge, candid personality, and great sense of humor. It's a connection that has existed for a long time.

Cynthia's favorite saying, "You must first know your history to love it," is an important guideline for this film. There is still so much ignorance, with history often being told in a concise, dry, and factual manner. With this film, I hope to not only convey Cynthia's knowledge but also evoke a sense of connection, emotion, and love for Suriname. The goal is to create understanding on both sides of the ocean. We can't dwell in the past, yet many people inherit the traumatic experiences of their great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents, often silently passed down. Everyday structural inequality and racism still exist. The past determines how we perceive each other today.

One of the stories Cynthia extensively researched over seven years, and wrote an impressive novel about, is the story of Elisabeth Samson. Cynthia's book, "De Vrije Negerin, gevangene van kleur" ("The Free Negress, Prisoner of Color"), tells the story of how Elisabeth Samson (1715) became the first freeborn black woman during the peak of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and a highly successful businesswoman who fought for the right, as a black woman, to marry a white man.

Cynthia, like me, emphasizes connection, while also being a role model. She refuses to be limited by her age, background, color, or gender in pursuing what she finds important. For example, when she noticed there were no books from a black perspective, let alone about women, she wondered if she could change that, and what did she do? Cynthia wrote those books herself. In turn, I create this film. Because how many documentaries are there about black women who can be role models?

And that's precisely why I find it beautiful, important, and interesting to showcase Cynthia's voice. Through the eyes of Cynthia, Elisabeth, and myself as the creator, I aim to show where we as a society come from and how we can find each other.