 Hip Rock Star Advertising, an award-winning, socially conscious media production, and 360 agency, is excited to announce the exclusive premiere of the 2-part DocuSeries Miami’s Richmond Heights: The Black Shangri-La. The DocuSeries’ world premiere is Wednesday, February 15, 2023, and will debut on streaming platforms including Crackle, Plex, and LG.
Based on the book, “Images of America: Miami’s Richmond Heights” by co-authors Patricia Harper Garrett and The Historic Society’s Founder and Executive Director, Jessica Garrett Modkins, Miami’s Richmond Heights: The Black Shangri-La explores the lives of early Black World War II veterans in detail and the rationale of the white developer Captain Frank C. Martin who perpetuated social change during Jim Crow. Martin made a bold and unpopular decision in 1949 to build a self-contained community for these veterans.
The docuseries introduces the grandchildren of the 1949 Black World War II veteran homeowners. It explores how the tight-knit community propelled them to their chosen professions and how the legacy continues today. The documentary will also take a closer look at the socioeconomic fabric of this time, segregation, and civil rights.
At the DocuSeries premiere Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava brought greetings, “I’m thrilled that this is the way we’re kicking off Black History Month. I could not be more delighted that Jessica…put together this incredible tribute. We have great history right here in Miami-Dade County, right here and must not be forgotten! I just wanna say I’m super, super proud of this great team.”
Watch the Miami’s Richmond Heights trailer here: Trailer
“It is truly a dream come true to debut Miami’s Richmond Heights: The Black Shangri-La. The documentary continues the story of the original residents who were Veterans, Tuskegee Airmen, doctors, and university professors. In 2017 we debuted the foundation in the documentary, The 49er.
This project focuses on the grandchildren living the wildest dreams of the original pioneers. It is beyond measure that these grandchildren are inventors, NASA scientists, NFL players, the vice-president of the NBA,” said Jessica Garret Modkins, the documentary’s Executive Producer, Director, and Writer. “I believe we have personified every wish of those Black World War II veterans who dreamed a life for their legacy and the birth of industry leaders,” the CEO and Founder of  Hip Rock Star Advertising continued.
The film features interviews with Samuel & Queen Armstrong, Jubbie Deon Battle, Jubbie Battle, LaTeef Battle, Senator Dwight Bullard, Marvin Dunn, Patricia Harper Garrett, Robert Linton II, MD, MBA, Frank Carroll Martin, Charles Minder, Jacquelyn Cambridge Porter, Melissa McGhee Proctor, Sheldrick Redwine, Dr. Alvin Smith, Larry Spring, LaTasha Stirrup, LaToya Stirrup, LaTrice Stirrup, Mark Valentine, Avery Washington, and Dr. Graylyn Swilley Woods.
Miami’s Richmond Heights: The Black Shangri-La is supported in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), which is the official, accredited destination sales and marketing organization for Greater Miami and Miami Beach.
Additionally, Miami’s Richmond Heights: The Black Shangri-La is supported in partnership with APEX Ventures, which is a deep-tech and medical focused venture capital firm, run by founders with complementary backgrounds driven by the same mission: “Build the next generation of world’s leading companies.”