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Transcript: Zuri
A child says, WHEE!
[Upbeat music plays, giggling, pop]
T.V.O. Kids and Apartment Eleven Productions, Original.
[Upbeat music plays]
A narrator says, SAY HELLO TO ZURI.
Zuri stands on a bed and smiles as she waves flags. Her black hair is tightly braided, and she wears a dark brown, long-sleeved sweater. In a room with bookcases, she imitates a man wearing a black hat, blue shirt, and eyeglasses who lifts his arms and flexes his biceps. In a living room, dozens of people sit in a semi-circle and watch Zuri.
[Upbeat music plays]
The narrator says, SHE'S A CANADIAN ARTIST WITH CARIBBEAN HERITAGE WITH AN EAR FOR RHYME. SHE'S GOT TALENT AT THE TIP OF HER FINGERS, AND A BIG FAMILY WHO KEEPS TRADITIONS ALIVE. WAIT 'TIL YOU SEE WHO HAS A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR HER. ARE YOU READY? LET'S GO!
Sunny, an animated sun, waves. Photographs of children appear on a colourful brick wall. Text above Sunny reads, “T.V.O. Kids presents.”
Title: Sunny's Quest.
[Upbeat theme song plays, slide whistle, needle scratching on record]
In the living room, Zuri sits on a large sofa.
[Upbeat music plays, chiming]
Zuri says, HELLO, THERE. MY NAME IS ZURI, WHICH MEANS "BEAUTIFUL" IN SWAHILI. I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD. WELCOME TO MY HOME. I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET MY MOM, MY DAD, AND MY ADORABLE LITTLE SISTER.
Zuri’s mom, dad, and little sister sit with her on the sofa. Her mom wears a grey beret over her dark brown hair. She wears a black sweater and black leather pants. Her dad wears a black shirt and black jeans. His black hair and beard are short. Zuri’s toddler sister wears her dark brown hair in pigtails. She sits on her dad’s knee.
Zuri says, BOTH MY PARENTS COME FROM CANADA, BUT THEIR FAMILIES ARE FROM PLACES THAT ARE A LITTLE WARMER.
MY MOM'S PEOPLE ORIGINATED IN GUYANA AND JAMAICA, BUT MY DAD'S FAMILY HAS ITS ROOTS IN SAINT VINCENT.
Video footage shows a beach and a long pier in Guyana. Sunny puts on sunglasses. A photograph shows a beach with white sand in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
[Slide whistle]
Zuri waves flags on her bed.
Zuri says, THIS MAKES ME A PROUD JAMAICAN-GUYANESE-VINCENTIAN CANADIAN.
Zuri throws a globe beach ball. She points to Pickering on the map of Canada. The locations of Pickering in Ontario, Guyana in South America, and Jamaica and Saint Vincent in the Caribbean appear on an animated map. Video footage shows the volcano in the water beneath Jamaica.
[Slide whistles, chiming]
Zuri says, I LIVE HERE IN PICKERING, ONTARIO, WHICH IS NEAR TORONTO. GUYANA IS ALL THE WAY NORTH OF THE CONTINENT SOUTH AMERICA. JAMAICA ACTUALLY SITS ON AN UNDERWATER MOUNTAIN. LAST, BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, SAINT VINCENT IS THE LARGEST ISLAND IN THE GRENADINES.
The Guyanese flag flutters beside Zuri. It features a red triangle with a yellow arrowhead pointing to the right. A black around the red triangle and a white border around the yellow triangle separate them from the green of the rest of the flag. Animated people appear over the flag, as Zuri describes it.
[Whooshing, upbeat music plays, chiming]
Zuri says, CHECK OUT MY GUYANESE FLAG. IT'S GREEN, YELLOW, WHITE, RED, AND BLACK. PEOPLE SOMETIMES CALL IT "THE GOLDEN ARROWHEAD" TO SYMBOLIZE TWO THINGS, FOR THE INDIGENOUS HERITAGE, AND THE BRIGHT FUTURE PEOPLE AIM FOR.
The flag of Jamaica appears beside Zuri. The Jamaican flag flutters. It features a yellow ‘X,’ dividing it into four triangles. The top and bottom triangles are green, and the two side triangles are black.
[Popping]
Zuri says, THIS IS MY JAMAICAN FLAG. IT'S GREEN, BLACK, AND GOLD. BLACK IS FOR THE STRENGTH AND CREATIVITY OF THE PEOPLE. GOLD IS FOR THE SUNLIGHT AND RICHES OF THE COUNTRY. GREEN FOR THE FARMED LANDS, AS WELL AS HOPE.
The Saint Vincent flag flutters beside Zuri. It features three vertical lines: blue on the left, yellow in the middle, and green on the right. The yellow section in the middle has three green diamonds.
[Whooshing, upbeat music plays quietly, popping]
Zuri says, AND LAST, THE SAINT VINCENT FLAG IS BLUE, YELLOW, AND GREEN. GREEN IS FOR THE GREENERIES AND FERTILE LANDS. AND BLUE IS FOR THE SKY AS WELL AS THE CARIBBEAN SEA. YELLOW IS FOR SUNLIGHT AGAIN, BUT ALSO FOR SANDY BEACHES. AND THE THREE DIAMONDS SHAPED LIKE A "V" ARE FOR SAINT VINCENT AND ALSO FOR THE DIVERSITY OF THE ISLAND.
Zuri stands in her room. She holds a pair of heart-shaped earrings in a box. An animated stamp reads, “Made in Guyana.”
[Stamping]
She says, WELCOME TO MY ROOM. I LOVE SPENDING TIME HERE. HERE IS SOME GUYANA GOLD THAT MY GRANDPA GAVE TO ME. GUYANA'S ACTUALLY KNOWN FOR ITS GOLD.
Zuri gestures at three paintings on top of a dresser. She picks up a painting of the blue, purple, and green Northern Lights.
Zuri says, ONE THING THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO ME IS ART. I'M AN ARTIST. THIS IS A PAINTING I DID OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT IT IS HOW VIBRANT THE COLOURS ARE.
I ALSO LOVE DANCE AND POETRY, AND I'VE RECEIVED THESE CERTIFICATES. I GOT THE EMPATHY AWARD FOR SHOWING CARE. I GOT THE SPOTLIGHT DANCER AWARD FOR HAVING FUN AND TRYING MY BEST IN DANCE CLASS.
Sunlight reflects off the windows of a two-storey black building. Text on a window reads, “Where Art Makes Culture.”
[Upbeat music plays]
Zuri says, WELCOME TO THE NIA CENTRE. THIS IS AN AMAZING COMMUNITY PLACE FOR TORONTO ARTISTS. THEY HELP BLACK YOUTH GET IN TOUCH WITH THE ARTISTS THEY ARE. IT'S A CREATIVE PLACE TO EXPLORE AND LEARN NEW SKILLS. I'M SO EXCITED.
Apanaki Temitayo, an artist, art facilitator, and mental health advocate, smiles and waves. Her curly red hair is short, and she wears a brown, red, and white sweater and black-framed eyeglasses.
Zuri narrates, MEET APANAKI TEMITAYO. APANAKI WORKS WITH FABRICS TO MAKE ART PIECES CALLED QUILTS, AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS. IN HER ART, SHE SHOWS CONNECTION TO HER TRINIDADIAN HERITAGE AND SPIRITUALITY.
Zuri glues fabric onto a white square. Apanaki cuts a shape out of a square of fabric. She helps Zuri sew with thick pink thread.
Apanaki says, ART CAN TELL US A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES.
Zuri narrates, QUILTS ARE SIGNIFICANT TO BLACK HISTORY. THEY USED TO BE HUNG OUTSIDE SO THAT RUNAWAY ENSLAVED PEOPLE WOULD FIND THEIR WAY TO FREEDOM.
Zuri holds up the white fabric square with a colourful design in the middle. Sunny gives a thumbs-up.
[Slide whistle]
Zuri says, LOOK AT WHAT WE MADE. THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN. ONE DAY, I HOPE I CAN MAKE SUCH INSPIRING WORK LIKE HERS.
Zuri walks toward the room with bookcases. Inside, the man wearing the hat and blue shirt sits at a table. Zuri sits on a chair beside the man.
Zuri narrates, A PICTURE'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, BUT DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN PAINT PICTURES WITH WORDS TOO? IT'S CALLED POETRY.
Ian Teteku, a poet, makes a peace sign.
Zuri says, TODAY, IAN WILL TEACH ME ABOUT SPOKEN WORD, WHICH IS A FORM OF POETRY. HE USES HIS VOICE TO INSPIRE MESSAGES OF PEACE, ACTION, AND COMMUNITY. SPOKEN WORD IS USED TO COMMUNICATE AN IDEA, MESSAGE, OR FEELING.
Sunny pumps a fist. Ian and Zuri work together at the table.
[Slide whistle, background chatter]
Zuri narrates, IAN WILL TEACH ME HOW TO PERFORM A POEM I WROTE FOR YOU.
They stand and flex their arms.
Ian says, NICE, AND THEN HOW 'BOUT...AND THEN WE CAN GO MAY--
They sit together, and Ian points at Zuri’s poem on paper.
Ian says, "LIKE EXCITEMENT IT SOUNDS—
Zuri reads, “THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME UNIQUELY ME, MEANING BEAUTIFUL IN SWAHILI, MY NAME IS ZURI."
She lifts her arms and smiles.
Ian sings, LET'S GO!
[Snapping fingers]
Zuri says, THAT'S HOW YOU SHOW LOVE TO A POEM.
[Snapping fingers]
Zuri says, I THINK I HAVE THE PERFECT AUDIENCE WAITING FOR ME AT HOME.
In the living room, dozens of people watch Zuri perform her poem. Animated figures appear when she mentions her mom, dad, and sister.
Zuri says, MY NAME IS ZURI, AND I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD. I LIVE IN PICKERING, ONTARIO, WITH MY MOM, DAD, AND LITTLE SISTER. I TRY MY BEST IN ALL THAT I DO, AND I'M ON THIS QUEST TO SHARE WITH YOU THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME UNIQUELY ME, MEANING BEAUTIFUL IN SWAHILI, MY NAME IS ZURI.
[Applause, cheering, popping]
A white cake with pink trim sits on top of a pedestal. A small sign on the cake reads, “Zuri, 8.”
[Upbeat music plays]
Zuri says, YOU'RE IN LUCK. MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY CARIBBEAN STYLE. WE'VE GOT DECORATION, AND I'M WEARING MY BOW FROM THE AFRO-CARIBBEAN FEST.
Zuri poses, wearing the colourful bow in her hair. She serves herself food at a buffet table.
[Background chatter]
Zuri says, NOW, THIS IS MY FAVOURITE FOOD IN THE WORLD, OXTAIL WITH RICE AND PEAS. OH, LOOK. THERE'S ALSO DUMPLING. YUM.
Zuri smiles and gives a thumbs-up. Her little sister sits in a high chair and eats.
Zuri says, AND IT'S NEVER A CARIBBEAN PARTY WITHOUT SOME GOOD MUSIC.
In the living room, Zurie dances with some of her guests. Sunny appears and dances with them.
[Slide whistle, upbeat music plays]
Zuri says, PHEW! I MIGHT SIT DOWN FOR A SECOND AND CATCH MY BREATH.
An animated blue present box wiggles. The present opens, and Sunny rises and blows into a party horn. Yellow text reads, “Sunny’s Surprise!”
[Upbeat music plays, party horn toots]
In the living room, Zuri sits on the floor with her mom, dad, and little sister. Family members and friends sit on the sofa behind them.
Zuri’s mom says, ZURI, WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR ALWAYS DEMONSTRATING EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.
Her father says, AND WE'RE SO PROUD THAT YOU NEVER GIVE UP.
Her little sister says, ZURI, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU.
Zuri’s dad holds a tablet.
He says, WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SAY SOMETHIN' TO YOU.
On the tablet screen, Randell Adjei, an author, inspirational speaker, and arts educator, appears. He wears a wide-brimmed hat and a green shirt with red, white, and blue patterns. Books fill bookcases behind him.
[Chiming, upbeat music plays]
Randell says, HI, ZURI. MY NAME IS RANDELL ADJEI.
I AM ONTARIO'S FIRST POET LAUREATE. I'M AN AUTHOR. I'M A SPEAKER. AND SOMEONE WHO REALLY BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF WORDS.
WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD, I USED TO WALK AROUND MY HOUSE THINKING THAT I WAS TALKING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
Video footage shows Randell behind a microphone on a stage.
In the video, Randell says, I HAD THIS VISION IN MY MIND AT THAT AGE, AND I KNEW THAT THIS IS WAS SOMETHING I REALLY WANTED TO DO. I FOUND MY PURPOSE. I FOUND SOMETHING I REALLY LOVED TO DO, AND ALL OF US ARE BORN WITH A PURPOSE. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US COME ON THIS EARTH WITH A PURPOSE, AND YOU, ZURI, ALSO HAVE A PURPOSE. YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PURPOSE IS.
YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT, AND YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT AND USE WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. TAKE CARE. BE WELL. BYE.
The video ends. Sunny puts on a crown.
[Slide whistle]
Zuri says, THANK YOU, RANDELL. THAT WAS SO INSPIRING.
In her living room, Zuri talks to a camera as people dance behind her.
Zuri says, WHAT A DAY THAT WAS.
WE LEARNED SOME ART. WE DID SOME POETRY. AND NOW WE'RE PARTYING.
Flashbacks show Zuri with Apanaki and Ian.
Sunny waves.
[Cheering, slide whistle]
Zuri says, LOOKS LIKE I HAVE TO GO. BYE!
Zuri turns and runs to her party.
[Upbeat music plays]
End credits. Producer Sabine Daniel. Writer and Director Florence M. Rosalie. Narrator Sagine Sémajuste. Original Music: Eric Lemoyne. Special thanks to Zuri and her family and friends, the City of Pickering, the Nia Centre, Apanaki Temitayo, Ian Keteku, Randell Adjei. Co-Executive Producer Mindy Laxer. Executive Producer Jonathan Finkelstein.
An Apartment Eleven Production. Produced in association with T.V.O. Kids.
A child says, WHEE!
Logo: T.V.O. Kids.
[Giggling, popping]
Logo: Apartment Eleven Productions.
[Squeaking, chiming]
[Upbeat music plays, giggling, pop]
T.V.O. Kids and Apartment Eleven Productions, Original.
[Upbeat music plays]
A narrator says, SAY HELLO TO ZURI.
Zuri stands on a bed and smiles as she waves flags. Her black hair is tightly braided, and she wears a dark brown, long-sleeved sweater. In a room with bookcases, she imitates a man wearing a black hat, blue shirt, and eyeglasses who lifts his arms and flexes his biceps. In a living room, dozens of people sit in a semi-circle and watch Zuri.
[Upbeat music plays]
The narrator says, SHE'S A CANADIAN ARTIST WITH CARIBBEAN HERITAGE WITH AN EAR FOR RHYME. SHE'S GOT TALENT AT THE TIP OF HER FINGERS, AND A BIG FAMILY WHO KEEPS TRADITIONS ALIVE. WAIT 'TIL YOU SEE WHO HAS A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR HER. ARE YOU READY? LET'S GO!
Sunny, an animated sun, waves. Photographs of children appear on a colourful brick wall. Text above Sunny reads, “T.V.O. Kids presents.”
Title: Sunny's Quest.
[Upbeat theme song plays, slide whistle, needle scratching on record]
In the living room, Zuri sits on a large sofa.
[Upbeat music plays, chiming]
Zuri says, HELLO, THERE. MY NAME IS ZURI, WHICH MEANS "BEAUTIFUL" IN SWAHILI. I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD. WELCOME TO MY HOME. I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET MY MOM, MY DAD, AND MY ADORABLE LITTLE SISTER.
Zuri’s mom, dad, and little sister sit with her on the sofa. Her mom wears a grey beret over her dark brown hair. She wears a black sweater and black leather pants. Her dad wears a black shirt and black jeans. His black hair and beard are short. Zuri’s toddler sister wears her dark brown hair in pigtails. She sits on her dad’s knee.
Zuri says, BOTH MY PARENTS COME FROM CANADA, BUT THEIR FAMILIES ARE FROM PLACES THAT ARE A LITTLE WARMER.
MY MOM'S PEOPLE ORIGINATED IN GUYANA AND JAMAICA, BUT MY DAD'S FAMILY HAS ITS ROOTS IN SAINT VINCENT.
Video footage shows a beach and a long pier in Guyana. Sunny puts on sunglasses. A photograph shows a beach with white sand in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
[Slide whistle]
Zuri waves flags on her bed.
Zuri says, THIS MAKES ME A PROUD JAMAICAN-GUYANESE-VINCENTIAN CANADIAN.
Zuri throws a globe beach ball. She points to Pickering on the map of Canada. The locations of Pickering in Ontario, Guyana in South America, and Jamaica and Saint Vincent in the Caribbean appear on an animated map. Video footage shows the volcano in the water beneath Jamaica.
[Slide whistles, chiming]
Zuri says, I LIVE HERE IN PICKERING, ONTARIO, WHICH IS NEAR TORONTO. GUYANA IS ALL THE WAY NORTH OF THE CONTINENT SOUTH AMERICA. JAMAICA ACTUALLY SITS ON AN UNDERWATER MOUNTAIN. LAST, BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, SAINT VINCENT IS THE LARGEST ISLAND IN THE GRENADINES.
The Guyanese flag flutters beside Zuri. It features a red triangle with a yellow arrowhead pointing to the right. A black around the red triangle and a white border around the yellow triangle separate them from the green of the rest of the flag. Animated people appear over the flag, as Zuri describes it.
[Whooshing, upbeat music plays, chiming]
Zuri says, CHECK OUT MY GUYANESE FLAG. IT'S GREEN, YELLOW, WHITE, RED, AND BLACK. PEOPLE SOMETIMES CALL IT "THE GOLDEN ARROWHEAD" TO SYMBOLIZE TWO THINGS, FOR THE INDIGENOUS HERITAGE, AND THE BRIGHT FUTURE PEOPLE AIM FOR.
The flag of Jamaica appears beside Zuri. The Jamaican flag flutters. It features a yellow ‘X,’ dividing it into four triangles. The top and bottom triangles are green, and the two side triangles are black.
[Popping]
Zuri says, THIS IS MY JAMAICAN FLAG. IT'S GREEN, BLACK, AND GOLD. BLACK IS FOR THE STRENGTH AND CREATIVITY OF THE PEOPLE. GOLD IS FOR THE SUNLIGHT AND RICHES OF THE COUNTRY. GREEN FOR THE FARMED LANDS, AS WELL AS HOPE.
The Saint Vincent flag flutters beside Zuri. It features three vertical lines: blue on the left, yellow in the middle, and green on the right. The yellow section in the middle has three green diamonds.
[Whooshing, upbeat music plays quietly, popping]
Zuri says, AND LAST, THE SAINT VINCENT FLAG IS BLUE, YELLOW, AND GREEN. GREEN IS FOR THE GREENERIES AND FERTILE LANDS. AND BLUE IS FOR THE SKY AS WELL AS THE CARIBBEAN SEA. YELLOW IS FOR SUNLIGHT AGAIN, BUT ALSO FOR SANDY BEACHES. AND THE THREE DIAMONDS SHAPED LIKE A "V" ARE FOR SAINT VINCENT AND ALSO FOR THE DIVERSITY OF THE ISLAND.
Zuri stands in her room. She holds a pair of heart-shaped earrings in a box. An animated stamp reads, “Made in Guyana.”
[Stamping]
She says, WELCOME TO MY ROOM. I LOVE SPENDING TIME HERE. HERE IS SOME GUYANA GOLD THAT MY GRANDPA GAVE TO ME. GUYANA'S ACTUALLY KNOWN FOR ITS GOLD.
Zuri gestures at three paintings on top of a dresser. She picks up a painting of the blue, purple, and green Northern Lights.
Zuri says, ONE THING THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO ME IS ART. I'M AN ARTIST. THIS IS A PAINTING I DID OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT IT IS HOW VIBRANT THE COLOURS ARE.
I ALSO LOVE DANCE AND POETRY, AND I'VE RECEIVED THESE CERTIFICATES. I GOT THE EMPATHY AWARD FOR SHOWING CARE. I GOT THE SPOTLIGHT DANCER AWARD FOR HAVING FUN AND TRYING MY BEST IN DANCE CLASS.
Sunlight reflects off the windows of a two-storey black building. Text on a window reads, “Where Art Makes Culture.”
[Upbeat music plays]
Zuri says, WELCOME TO THE NIA CENTRE. THIS IS AN AMAZING COMMUNITY PLACE FOR TORONTO ARTISTS. THEY HELP BLACK YOUTH GET IN TOUCH WITH THE ARTISTS THEY ARE. IT'S A CREATIVE PLACE TO EXPLORE AND LEARN NEW SKILLS. I'M SO EXCITED.
Apanaki Temitayo, an artist, art facilitator, and mental health advocate, smiles and waves. Her curly red hair is short, and she wears a brown, red, and white sweater and black-framed eyeglasses.
Zuri narrates, MEET APANAKI TEMITAYO. APANAKI WORKS WITH FABRICS TO MAKE ART PIECES CALLED QUILTS, AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS. IN HER ART, SHE SHOWS CONNECTION TO HER TRINIDADIAN HERITAGE AND SPIRITUALITY.
Zuri glues fabric onto a white square. Apanaki cuts a shape out of a square of fabric. She helps Zuri sew with thick pink thread.
Apanaki says, ART CAN TELL US A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES.
Zuri narrates, QUILTS ARE SIGNIFICANT TO BLACK HISTORY. THEY USED TO BE HUNG OUTSIDE SO THAT RUNAWAY ENSLAVED PEOPLE WOULD FIND THEIR WAY TO FREEDOM.
Zuri holds up the white fabric square with a colourful design in the middle. Sunny gives a thumbs-up.
[Slide whistle]
Zuri says, LOOK AT WHAT WE MADE. THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN. ONE DAY, I HOPE I CAN MAKE SUCH INSPIRING WORK LIKE HERS.
Zuri walks toward the room with bookcases. Inside, the man wearing the hat and blue shirt sits at a table. Zuri sits on a chair beside the man.
Zuri narrates, A PICTURE'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, BUT DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN PAINT PICTURES WITH WORDS TOO? IT'S CALLED POETRY.
Ian Teteku, a poet, makes a peace sign.
Zuri says, TODAY, IAN WILL TEACH ME ABOUT SPOKEN WORD, WHICH IS A FORM OF POETRY. HE USES HIS VOICE TO INSPIRE MESSAGES OF PEACE, ACTION, AND COMMUNITY. SPOKEN WORD IS USED TO COMMUNICATE AN IDEA, MESSAGE, OR FEELING.
Sunny pumps a fist. Ian and Zuri work together at the table.
[Slide whistle, background chatter]
Zuri narrates, IAN WILL TEACH ME HOW TO PERFORM A POEM I WROTE FOR YOU.
They stand and flex their arms.
Ian says, NICE, AND THEN HOW 'BOUT...AND THEN WE CAN GO MAY--
They sit together, and Ian points at Zuri’s poem on paper.
Ian says, "LIKE EXCITEMENT IT SOUNDS—
Zuri reads, “THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME UNIQUELY ME, MEANING BEAUTIFUL IN SWAHILI, MY NAME IS ZURI."
She lifts her arms and smiles.
Ian sings, LET'S GO!
[Snapping fingers]
Zuri says, THAT'S HOW YOU SHOW LOVE TO A POEM.
[Snapping fingers]
Zuri says, I THINK I HAVE THE PERFECT AUDIENCE WAITING FOR ME AT HOME.
In the living room, dozens of people watch Zuri perform her poem. Animated figures appear when she mentions her mom, dad, and sister.
Zuri says, MY NAME IS ZURI, AND I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD. I LIVE IN PICKERING, ONTARIO, WITH MY MOM, DAD, AND LITTLE SISTER. I TRY MY BEST IN ALL THAT I DO, AND I'M ON THIS QUEST TO SHARE WITH YOU THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME UNIQUELY ME, MEANING BEAUTIFUL IN SWAHILI, MY NAME IS ZURI.
[Applause, cheering, popping]
A white cake with pink trim sits on top of a pedestal. A small sign on the cake reads, “Zuri, 8.”
[Upbeat music plays]
Zuri says, YOU'RE IN LUCK. MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY CARIBBEAN STYLE. WE'VE GOT DECORATION, AND I'M WEARING MY BOW FROM THE AFRO-CARIBBEAN FEST.
Zuri poses, wearing the colourful bow in her hair. She serves herself food at a buffet table.
[Background chatter]
Zuri says, NOW, THIS IS MY FAVOURITE FOOD IN THE WORLD, OXTAIL WITH RICE AND PEAS. OH, LOOK. THERE'S ALSO DUMPLING. YUM.
Zuri smiles and gives a thumbs-up. Her little sister sits in a high chair and eats.
Zuri says, AND IT'S NEVER A CARIBBEAN PARTY WITHOUT SOME GOOD MUSIC.
In the living room, Zurie dances with some of her guests. Sunny appears and dances with them.
[Slide whistle, upbeat music plays]
Zuri says, PHEW! I MIGHT SIT DOWN FOR A SECOND AND CATCH MY BREATH.
An animated blue present box wiggles. The present opens, and Sunny rises and blows into a party horn. Yellow text reads, “Sunny’s Surprise!”
[Upbeat music plays, party horn toots]
In the living room, Zuri sits on the floor with her mom, dad, and little sister. Family members and friends sit on the sofa behind them.
Zuri’s mom says, ZURI, WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR ALWAYS DEMONSTRATING EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.
Her father says, AND WE'RE SO PROUD THAT YOU NEVER GIVE UP.
Her little sister says, ZURI, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU.
Zuri’s dad holds a tablet.
He says, WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SAY SOMETHIN' TO YOU.
On the tablet screen, Randell Adjei, an author, inspirational speaker, and arts educator, appears. He wears a wide-brimmed hat and a green shirt with red, white, and blue patterns. Books fill bookcases behind him.
[Chiming, upbeat music plays]
Randell says, HI, ZURI. MY NAME IS RANDELL ADJEI.
I AM ONTARIO'S FIRST POET LAUREATE. I'M AN AUTHOR. I'M A SPEAKER. AND SOMEONE WHO REALLY BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF WORDS.
WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD, I USED TO WALK AROUND MY HOUSE THINKING THAT I WAS TALKING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
Video footage shows Randell behind a microphone on a stage.
In the video, Randell says, I HAD THIS VISION IN MY MIND AT THAT AGE, AND I KNEW THAT THIS IS WAS SOMETHING I REALLY WANTED TO DO. I FOUND MY PURPOSE. I FOUND SOMETHING I REALLY LOVED TO DO, AND ALL OF US ARE BORN WITH A PURPOSE. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US COME ON THIS EARTH WITH A PURPOSE, AND YOU, ZURI, ALSO HAVE A PURPOSE. YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PURPOSE IS.
YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT, AND YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT AND USE WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. TAKE CARE. BE WELL. BYE.
The video ends. Sunny puts on a crown.
[Slide whistle]
Zuri says, THANK YOU, RANDELL. THAT WAS SO INSPIRING.
In her living room, Zuri talks to a camera as people dance behind her.
Zuri says, WHAT A DAY THAT WAS.
WE LEARNED SOME ART. WE DID SOME POETRY. AND NOW WE'RE PARTYING.
Flashbacks show Zuri with Apanaki and Ian.
Sunny waves.
[Cheering, slide whistle]
Zuri says, LOOKS LIKE I HAVE TO GO. BYE!
Zuri turns and runs to her party.
[Upbeat music plays]
End credits. Producer Sabine Daniel. Writer and Director Florence M. Rosalie. Narrator Sagine Sémajuste. Original Music: Eric Lemoyne. Special thanks to Zuri and her family and friends, the City of Pickering, the Nia Centre, Apanaki Temitayo, Ian Keteku, Randell Adjei. Co-Executive Producer Mindy Laxer. Executive Producer Jonathan Finkelstein.
An Apartment Eleven Production. Produced in association with T.V.O. Kids.
A child says, WHEE!
Logo: T.V.O. Kids.
[Giggling, popping]
Logo: Apartment Eleven Productions.
[Squeaking, chiming]
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