14 Mar Donté Clark’s ‘Blú Honey’ Blends Poetry and Film to Tell a North Richmond Story

Poet Donté Clark stands amid the abandoned Las Deltas housing project in North Richmond where he shot the classroom scene for his short film “Blú Honey.” (Denis Perez-Bravo / The CC Pulse)

Interview, Malcolm Marshall 

Editor’s note: Spoken word artist Donté Clark’s latest project is “Blú Honey,” a 19-minute short film about self-discovery and a young Black man growing up in North Richmond. Blending poetry, community voices and visual storytelling, the film explores identity, resilience and life in “Narf,” as locals call it. The film premiered Feb. 26 at the El Cerrito High School Theatre. Clark recently spoke with The Pulse about the project and the inspiration behind it. 

Contra Costa Pulse: What motivated you to create “Blú Honey,” and how does this project connect to your spoken word work and community activism?  

Donté Clark: The idea for Blú Honey stemmed from a fellowship I received in 2022 through BAYCAT for TV/ film script development. Over the course of a couple moments in spring, I was brainstorming titles for my then-TV show idea, and I wanted something that represents the Black experience in Richmond — the hardships as well as the ingenuity and immeasurable talent that exist. I landed on “Blú Honey.” 

Blue for the experience of Black people, Black males specifically, and honey for the goals, dreams, aspirations and our pursuit towards rest and abundance peace. Fast forward, I wanted to continue to develop the concept once the fellowship with BAYCAT had ended, so I applied for another grant through Yerba Buena facilitated through creative corps (Richmond Arts Council and BE Imaginative) in 2023. I altered the idea to fit into a short film and poetic experience, and we have finally reached the next phase. 

I feel “Blú Honey” embodies the essence of the origins of my work in spoken word poetry and how I experience the world around me. The film shows the complexities of boyhood in “Narf” Richmond and how hardships can turn the sweetness of life bitter. I infuse poetry throughout the film and it’s almost biographical. Not only showing the environment through symbolism but recalling it through vivid wordplay. Much to chew on for the viewer. Plenty of teaching moments for educators.  

Contra Costa Pulse: The title “Blú Honey” is evocative. What does it signify in the context of the film, and how did you arrive at that name? 

Donté Clark: Blue represents the struggles. The nights of using the stove for extra heat or carrying “17 caskets on your back,” the weight of grief and death all around you. The honey represents culture. The ways in which we resist the systems that are designed to oppress us. Our poetry, our music, our heads held high. God’s presence over our lives that sustains us. His anointing oil, our honey. 

How did I arrive at that name? It was heavenly sent. 

Contra Costa Pulse: Can you walk us through your creative process for this film from idea to finished product? What were some key decisions you made along the way?  

Donté Clark: My creative process is a journey of discovery. Peeking through the scars and seeing what’s there. First, I started with poetic lines that I have in my catalog. “Sweet Songs” is a haiku poem that I came up with while driving: “Life sings me sweet songs, if live to dance but I’m afraid of my feet.” I thought what if while you hear a voice saying this off screen, and you see a Black man running through the woods and he falls down [while] something eerie seems to be lurking close by. 

From there, I just keep imagining. Using poems that felt like they told a story, and I piece together connections, then place a visual representation on script for filming. A lot of brainstorming, but the writing only took a day to assemble. Once I began filming, the script took a turn. Some people drop out, some scenes get cut, and you have to work on the fly. So a TV idea about how to maintain healthy living in a food desert and poor environment turned into a poetic journaling of scrap pieces assembled after the editing. I feel like the cut of “Blú Honey” that we have opens the door for me to dive deeper into my original idea and explore even more creatively than I originally thought to.  

One key decision I made was to step up and assert myself in every aspect of filmmaking. Not only writing and directing the vision but protecting the integrity while editing. Sometimes, not every [collaborator] sees your vision or is as invested to see it through as you are, so knowing when to step back and allow creativity to flow and step up when the vision calls for it. I wanted to film the school scene in a traditional classroom, but when access was denied, I decided to film in “Narf” Richmond’s housing projects. I felt that was more compelling and poetic and allowed for more creativity and nuance to live within the piece. I’m proud of that decision.  

Contra Costa Pulse: How does the film reflect your personal experiences, especially as someone rooted in North Richmond?  

Donté Clark: “Blú Honey” is basically my upbringing. A little boy keeping all of these experiences inside of my heart and finding solace in poetry. Going to school, not being heard or understood, processing the pain of a killed loved one or wanting to cry but can’t. Every line or scene in the film is based on my life, and I imagine others from my community can certainly relate.  

Contra Costa Pulse: What response or reaction are you hoping to inspire in audiences, both locally and beyond?  

Donté Clark: Any response is cool for me. I really wanted to overcome a fear of rejection or wondering “Am I really good as they say I am?” Being afraid to make mistakes publicly. The fear of not being good enough.   

Once I decided that I’m writing and doing my art for my own experience and I only get better the more I work, any response is a good response. Because I speak honestly, from experience and observation. I’m very thoughtful of my art, so I can almost predict what the reactions will be, so I’m not looking for anything in particular. Because as long as you engage with the art, it lets me know that there’s one thing there worth noticing.  

Contra Costa Pulse: Spoken word and film are different mediums. What do you learn about storytelling through that’s different from your poetry? 

Donté Clark: I feel that spoken word and film are one and the same. Both when done with care, are best received from the perspective of “show me, don’t tell me.” Spoken work is a visual language. As is filmmaking. Spoken work is observational, and when done with this intention, a poem is a movie, a scene, or the backbone to any good story or dialogue in any script. So I plan to be more intentional about infusing filmmaking through the lens of poetry.  

A screening of “Blú Honey” is planned at Richmond High School in April. For updates, follow Donté Clark on Instagram at @donblak. For screenings or bookings, contact him at donteclark@ymail.com.