Director of lyrical and soulful content Rodney Lucas shares his latest project sampling the cultural color and flavor of Guatemala’s capital city. “The tribal connection I shared with the people of Guatemala was the pulse of this project,” says the director, whose debut on Nowness explored life behind the headlines in his checkered hometown of Chicago. “In it I saw the Southside of Chicago; black people fighting a systemically oppressive system through creative thought and artistic expression.”

Embodying the spirit of defiance in the face of oppression, Lucas and cinematographer Kassim Norris met MC Suina—’La mujer guerrera’ or the warrior woman—a female rapper with a repository of lines and hooks that denounce violence, corruption and conflict. Her words speak of her heritage and the struggles of living in Guatemala City; her music empowers not only latinxs but self-identifying women around the world. 

“The bond, commitment and loyalty that MC Suina and I built resonated in every frame of this film,” says Lucas, whose project also serves as a portrait of the rigmarole of daily life. “She is my sister in combating global capitalism and I am forever grateful for her camaraderie and love. All power to the queens solidifying the communities of Guatemala.”