Travel consultant Martinique Ruiz returns to her hometown to film a documentary about the Moncrief-Myrtle Street Corridor.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Martinique Lewis, travel consultant and host of National Geographic's “Black Travel Across America” on Disney+ and Hulu, returns to Jacksonville to film a documentary about tourism in the Moncrief Myrtle Avenue Corridor. I did.
Lewis collaborates with independent filmmaker Dana Mohr to show how urban tourism can help save and preserve Black history.
Visit Jacksonville, St. Johns Riverkeeper, Explore Jax Core and Black Films Matter are some of the collaborators on the film project called “Moncrief Springs.” In seven months, he raised more than $10,825.
Mohr said the project is her way of positively promoting the Northside and letting people know there's more to Jacksonville.
“Moncrief has magic and this documentary will encourage people to spend their time and money here so Black businesses, Black events and Black history can get the love they deserve.” said Mohr.
Filming began this week at several landmarks on Jacksonville's Northside, including Holly's BBQ, Brentwood Golf Course, and Durkeeville & Company. The producer also took Lewis on a kayak trip along the Ribault River to explore his Jax and his core. Many of these Jacksonville destinations are listed on Lewis' travel app, ABC Travel Greenbook. This app is his interactive directory of over 170,000 Black-owned destinations across seven continents.
“When people think of Jacksonville, it shouldn't just be the Jaguars, it should be people like Wendy Hawley of Hawley's BBQ and Monty Duncan of Brentwood Golf Course,” Lewis said.
During Martinique's first visit to Jacksonville in 2023, he spoke publicly about the Florida NAACP's travel advisory. The recommendations were in response to the state's education, immigration, and LGBTQ policies. Visit Jacksonville said it is not aware of any businesses that have canceled trips due to these advisories, according to the release.
Visit Jacksonville has an estimated 5,827,813 visitors and $3.8 billion in annual tourism revenue flowing into Jacksonville's economy from April to June 2023, the filmmakers said. Meanwhile, the area along Moncrief-Myrtle Boulevard has been designated a food desert community by the Department of Agriculture, and the city has designated the Moncrief area as a Health Zone 1 due to high rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. ing.
Despite the crime and social crisis in the neighborhood, Mohr says her film starts a conversation about the Northside neighborhood's alliances, expansion, accountability, and the positive actions taking place within the community. He says it could be a tool. The film is scheduled to be submitted to film festivals during the 2024-2025 competition season.
The documentary is scheduled to be released this year.
