Meet D. Smith, the music producer turned director shining a light on Black trans sex workers

Reckon reporter Daric L. Cottingham spoke with Kokomo City director/producer D. Smith in January at Sundance 2023 to discuss her motivation in making a full-length documentary on the relationship between Black trans women and the broader Black community. The Grammy-nominated producer turned director, who was shunned by the music industry after she came out as trans, discusses moving from working in the music industry into the film industry with her directorial debut. She also shares the goal of Kokomo City and that, at its core, it is a Black film for our community to heal division.
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Directed by D. Smith
In theaters July 28
In the wildly entertaining and refreshingly unfiltered documentary KOKOMO CITY, filmmaker D. Smith passes the mic to four Black transgender sex workers in Atlanta and New York City - Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell, and Dominique Silver - who unapologetically break down the walls of their profession. Holding nothing back, the film vibrates with energy, sex, challenge, and hard-earned wisdom. This vital portrait, edited and shot by Smith in bold black and white, is her feature directorial debut. A two-time Grammy-nominated producer, singer, and songwriter, Smith made history as the first trans woman cast on a primetime unscripted TV show. Executive produced by Lena Waithe, KOKOMO CITY won the Sundance Film Festival’s NEXT Innovator Award and NEXT Audience Award, as well as the Berlinale’s Audience Award in the Panorama Documentary section.
Starring Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell, Dominique Silver

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