The Anthem
written by Chereese Sheen
The Anthem emerged from the research I conducted on landmarks in Brooklyn. From 1913 to 1957, Ebbets Field Stadium housed the Major League baseball team, the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1960, an apartment complex, of the same name, replaced the demolished stadium. The Ebbets Field Apartments still stand today.
In hunt for a story, I thought about the people who live in the Ebbets Field Apartments and wondered what their lives entail. My pilot shows the similarities between Jackie Robinson’s rookie season in the MLB at Ebbets Field and an NCAA Division I prospect who is a resident in the apartment complex. After his best friend is shot by an NYPD officer, the high school basketball star jeopardizes his collegiate career and awakens his inner activist, as he fights the justice system, racism, and the NCAA.
During a time when police brutality against people of color is at the forefront of the media, I took this opportunity to highlight the struggles of male Black teens across America, but especially in New York City. Most Caucasians view our young boys as men because they are above average height with facial hair and broad builds, when they are only 12-17 years old. Our boys are constant targets because some consider their rich skin a threat. It saddens me that these stories stem from reality. However, I have accepted a calling to tell our stories authentically. I am and will continue doing so.
— Chereese Sheen
Chereese Sheen was born and bred in Jamaica, NY to Trinidadian and Vincentian parents. She is a published journalist and self-proclaimed writer of all genres who is passionate about storytelling and creating authentic content. By day, Sheen is a middle school Teaching Assistant who hopes to impact the lives of her scholars, not only as a teacher, but as representation that there is more to life outside of Jamaica, Queens. By night, she floods Final Draft documents with drama pilots, spec scripts, one-act plays, short films, and comedic web series episodes.
Chereese graduated from CUNY York College, with Cum Laude honors, in 2017 with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Creative Writing. During her senior year, Sheen interned for the eldest Black-owned newspaper in the country, the Amsterdam News. Her articles have graced the publication's front page and received high praise from the Rev. Al Sharpton. Many of her articles can also be found in the Southeast Queens Press and on Patch.com. However, she considers herself more of a storyteller and less of a reporter.
Chereese is the perfect package of arts and sports. At the age of six, she began playing competitive volleyball. Volleyball allowed her to travel the country, befriend girls of different cultures and races, and gained her an athletic scholarship to college. She is now a volleyball coach to teenage girls from low-income families. Volleyball was Chereese’s first love before writing.
Chereese is determined to have her name mentioned with those she considers “writer goals,” such as: Shonda Rhimes, Issa Rae, Donald Glover, Ava DuVernay, and Stefani Robinson, to name a few.
