Airing tonight, July 5, at 10pm ET/9pm CT on BET, and on Centric on July 6 at 9pm ET/8pm CT, is Cortés Films’ latest producing project, Imagine A Future – a documentary directed by Lisa Cortés and Shola Lynch and executive produced by Beverly Bond. 

The film examines beauty and self-esteem issues that challenge black women and girls primarily through the eyes of Janet Goldsboro, a teenager from Dover, Delaware. As Goldsboro travels from her hometown to South Africa, she makes an emotional journey from doubt to self-acceptance that is inspiring. 

The documentary film features additional interviews with Professor/author/TV host Melissa Harris-Perry, actresses Tatayana Ali and Gabourey Sidibe, poet Elizabeth Alexander and others.

The filmmakers hope that the film will serve as a tangible tool aimed at inciting a dialogue around beauty, and be a catalyst to empower and connect black women around the world.

The film is a My Black is Beautiful project, an initiative whose stated objective is to celebrate the diverse collective beauty of African American women and encourage black women to define and promote their own beauty standard – one that is an authentic reflection of their indomitable spirit.

Watch a preview below for a glimpse at what to expect: