Brown Sista

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the dynamic duo behind Black And Married With Kids, a site launched just a few years ago that strives to highlight the Black family in a positive light. Black And Married With Kids consistently chips away the stereotypes that have been placed on the dynamics of the Black family. This fact is more evident with their soon to be released DVD, “Happily Ever After: A Positive Look at Black Marriage.” “Happily Ever After” takes a real look inside Black marriages and much more. Learn why it was important for Lamar and Ronnie to create Black and Married With Kids, discover what they think about the Obama’s living in the White House, and find out what advice they have for all married couples.

Onetta: Why was it important for you to create a site like Black And Married With Kids?

Lamar: We felt like there was a real void on the Internet and in media in general when it came to the positive portrayal of Black marriages and families, so we wanted to change that.

Onetta: What do you think is the biggest misconception that people may have about the Black family?

Ronnie: We think that the biggest misconception is that successful Black families don’t exist. We often hear how people think that happy Black marriages aren’t real or that was only on “The Cosby Show.” The truth is that they are all around us and we hope to shine more light on that in our upcoming documentary, “Happily Ever After: A Positive Look at Black Marriage.”

Onetta: Though there are many couples that are Black and married with kids, it is evident that over the years, the dynamics of the Black family has changed; an overwhelming number of Black single mothers are now the head of their household. What do you think needs to happen to change this?

Lamar: I think we need to promote the value and benefits of marriage and having children in that structure. Studies have shown that children benefit from being raised in a two parent household, but in some communities, the option of marriage doesn’t seem real because they don’t see examples of positive marriages before them.

Onetta: How do you feel when you see a Black family (The Obama’s) living at the most prestigious address in America?

Lamar: There is definitely a sense of pride. They also make our message so much easier, because before them, mainstream culture only looked to the “Huxtables” as an example of a successful Black family and they were not real. The Obama’s have given us a direct image to reference as we go about the work of promoting marriage and families.

Ronnie: I agree with Lamar, they fill me with pride and verify what we always hear, that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. They also serve as great role models for our children and others in the community.

Onetta: Tell me about your latest project; the soon to be released DVD, “Happily Ever After: A Positive Look at Black Marriage.”

Lamar: The title speaks for itself, “Happily Ever After: A Positive Look at Black Marriage.” During filming, we sat down with Black couples ranging in age and marital experience to get their views on different topics. Some of the topics included, societies view of Black marriage and the Black family, ingredients of a successful marriage, the effect the Obamas will have on marriage in the Black community and the importance of parenting. The film also features Tray Chaney from HBO’s hit show, The Wire, along with his wife Ayesha; film maker Janks Morton, Nisa Muhammad, who is the founder of Black Marriage Day, and talk radio host, “The Black Eagle” Joe Madison.

The film is a real look inside of Black marriage. It gives other married couples a chance to see an example of themselves on screen portrayed in a positive light for once and also gives singles a look into the thought process of successful marriages.

Onetta: What do you want people to take away after watching “Happily Ever After” or what message do you want “Happily Ever After” to convey?

Ronnie: That marriage can work. That there are Black couples who are working hard every day at loving each other and loving their children despite what you might see on TV and that it is time for these families to be lifted up and acknowledged. There are a lot of negative images and depictions that are released in relation to the Black community on a regular basis and we hope to balance that out.

Onetta: I am interested in knowing when will “Happily Ever After: A Positive Look at Black Marriage” be released and how can people get a copy?

Lamar: The documentary will be released directly to DVD on August 4, 2009. For release dates, screening dates, sales information and information on how you can screen the film in your city or church, go to www.happilyeverafterthemovie.com.

Onetta: I am proud of you guys and I want to wish you the best in all your future endeavors. I always like to end my interviews with some advice that my readers could possibly use in their own lives. So with that said, what is the best advice that you have for any married couple?

Lamar and Ronnie: To other married couples, we would ask that you love each other, love your children, and remember that if you both are selfless in your relationship and refuse to give up; your relationship will never fail.

Check out Black And Married With Kids by visiting www.blackandmarriedwithkids.com.

Check out the trailer for “Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage” below. Please support this film!

Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage – Theatrical Trailer from Tyler New Media on Vimeo.