Cultural Impact Consulting Update
Binya Hilton Head Island has been a retail shop with curated Gullah gifts and Lowcountry accessories since 2022. With founder, Lola Campbell’s extensive network and Gullah roots, last year Binya launched a consulting division that has really taken off. Here today, we’re sharing updates about what we’ve been doing.
The Spirit We Move With: A Documentary Short Film, Executive Production
Over two years ago, The Chamber of Commerce reached out to Lola Campbell to become a partner in the production of a short film and documentary on Gullah culture on Hilton Head Island. Lola was proud to work with the Hilton Head Island Chamber of Commerce and Director, Andrew McGuire, to connect them with the Gullah community and consult on the documentary to ensure authenticity and foster relationships. Since the film debut last month, Lola has represented the film at several national film festivals including one in Washington, D.C. She is listed as an Executive Producer in the film, as well as a participant interviewed in the film. The premiere of the film was hosted at Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park in February to an audience of over 200 people on Hilton Head Island. The multi-year project was fulfilling and rewarding for Lola as the final product is one that the entire Gullah community can be proud of. The film conveys the spirit of the Gullah people and the living legacy of the community.
Binya X The Sonesta Hilton Head — A Retail Collaboration
About six months ago, The Sonesta Hilton Head Island reached out to Binya to see if there was a possibility of a collaboration. Recognizing that their visitors wanted more than just a Hilton Head T-Shirt and want to feel connected to the history of Hilton Head, The Sonesta asked if they could retail some of Binya’s products in their hotel gift shop. They knew that visitors wanted sweetgrass baskets, Gullah gourmet gifts, cookbooks, coffee table books, oyster-themed accessories and all that Binya has to offer. Lola agreed to consult on a retail project to bring Sonesta guests a curated selection of Gullah gifts and accessories from Binya. A couple of weeks ago, the a new section of the Sonesta gift shop opened with items carefully selected by Binya. Guests can now enjoy Binya right from their hotel!
Port Royal Sound Foundation - Consulting for Visual Storytelling and Museum Exhibition & Installation
If you aren’t familiar with the Port Royal Sound Foundation, you are in for a real treat! The mission of the foundation is to conserve the Port Royal Sound for the environmental, cultural, and economic well-being of our area. The Maritime Center, located on 310 Okatie Hwy, is open to the public and free to attend. The center features exhibits, live animals, as well as indoor and outdoor hands-on educational opportunities where visitors of all ages can learn about the Port Royal Sound. Binya has been hired as a consultant for the latest phase of the museum — to offer visitors an authentic connection to the Gulalh people through an interactive installation and visual storytelling. Stay tuned for more!
The Chamber of Commerce — Curated Experiences for Brittish Journalists
Recently, the division of the Chamber of Commerce on Hilton Head Island that works with tourism related activities were hosting a group of British journalists. These journalists were writing stories in American towns and cities and happened to be featuring Hilton Head Island! Binya was hired to curate an authentic, educational experience for the group to help them learn about the history of Hilton Head for their stories. Binya arranged a tour of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, a Gullah Heritage Trail Tour, and visit to Spanish Wells Seafood and Produce for some devilled crab and shopping at Binya. The day was a memorable one for the journalists who were fortunate enough to be connected to Dr. Emory Campbell and local Gullah natives. This is just one of many cultural experiences that Binya has arranged for visitors to HHI.
The Reparations Project
One of our first projects under Binya Cultural Impact Consulting was the partnership with The Reparations Project. The video titled, “A Walk Through Mitchelville: Where Freedom Began” inspires viewers to visit the culturally significant site and spark conversation about why Historic Mitchelville has not been a greater part of our education system and community conversation. As part of the project, Binya also developed a free educational resource guide on the Gullah Culture that can be downloaded and used anywhere. You might say that this was the project that started it all!