In The Aunties, filmmakers Charlene Griffith-Oro and Janine Kayembe Oro take us on a spiritual, historical, and cultural journey rooted in land, love, and legacy. The short film, now streaming via AfroPop on Black Public Media, centers two Black queer elders, Aunt Donna and Aunt Paulette, who are farmers on ancestral land in Caroline County, Maryland. The land was once tied to Harriet Tubman’s own family.
P.O.C. sat down with the directors to talk about what it means to tell this story. A story not about resistance in the streets, but about radical presence, healing, and choosing to grow where you’ve been called.
“This isn’t just farming. It’s a form of activism,” said Janine. “Black land loss is real. And these aunties are flipping the script.”
What makes this film special is its multi-layered impact: LGBTQIA+ representation, Black history, spiritual stewardship, and food justice are all grounded in the powerful work of two women planting legacy into the soil.
The aunties don’t want fans. They want connection. The farm is open, but only by invitation. This is more than a film. It’s a movement.
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