Through his career thus far, filmmaker, comedian, and television host W. Kamau Bell has touched on poignant topics in his work. Next month, Bell will keep conversations going as he gears up to release a new documentary through HBO. Entitled 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed, the upcoming documentary delves into exactly what its title says. Ahead of the premiere on May 2, The Hollywood Reporter debuted the documentary’s official trailer.

The documentary will focus on interracial families from the San Francisco Bay Area, featuring interviews with multiracial children from about 7-years-old up to 16-years old, interracial couples, and field experts. While it will include different perspectives, Bell aims to largely showcase the experience of multiracial children and how their racial identity is a formative part of growing up.

The trailer supports as much, as it opens with several children sharing their racial identities, already revealing a melting pot of cultures that will be touched upon throughout the documentary. Of course, these identities go much farther beyond the surface, not only for the children’s experiences, but also how their parents don’t realize how their kids navigate the world. One parent even reveals that she “had no idea kids were given a lesson about race so young.”

Naturally, the documentary will explore the tougher parts about growing up multiracial, but based on the trailer, it also seems that it will be a celebration of sorts for multiracial children and people. One parent notes that they’re proud of the younger generations of mixed kids because they can be “loud and proud” about their identities. Another one refers to the kids as “instruments of healing.” As the trailer begins to wrap up, it showcases many of the families included. It ends on an insightful note when one child shares that being mixed race is “not being less of one culture. It’s having the opportunity to have a deeper connection to more cultures.”

The Team Behind 1000% Me

The documentary was directed and executive produced by Bell, who executive produced with Geraldine L. Porras and Amy Schatz. Get Lifted Film Co.‘s John Legend, Mike Jackson, and Ty Stiklorious, and HBO‘s Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Sara Rodriguez executive produced. Kelly Rafferty produced, with the documentary produced in association with Get Lifted.

About the documentary, Bell told THR:

As a father of three mixed daughters, directing this film was a deeply personal and profound journey of discovery. I wanted to create something lyrical and playful in a way that we don’t normally associate with these conversations but is often the way they happen in my home. My hope is in sharing the stories of these dynamic young people, it will give audiences a window into their worlds and open the door for further dialogue around race, culture and identity. We all know that this entire country needs it.

1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed premieres May 2 on HBO, streaming on HBO Max. Watch the trailer below:

via Collider