In Wait Until Tomorrow, director Osato Dixon brings a searing, deeply human lens to the data points that often define conversations about Black economic mobility. By weaving expert insights with deeply personal stories, Dixon transforms statistics into narratives that are both compelling and urgent.
Black Girl Nerds spoke with the award-winning documentarian about the inspiration behind the film, its timely message, and what he hopes Black audiences will take away from this deeply resonant work.
BGN: Osato, thank you so much for speaking with Black Girl Nerds. I really enjoyed the documentary. It felt very powerful and necessary for the moment we’re in. What inspired you to create Wait Until Tomorrow? Was there a defining moment or story that sparked the idea?
Osato Dixon: Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say. I’m a filmmaker by training, specifically a documentarian, and before I began working at McKinsey & Company I was fortunate to receive a Fulbright fellowship to work in Zimbabwe for two years. One of the films I worked on during that time, Music by Prudence, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2010. I was the cinematographer on that project.
What made that story resonate was how authentic it was — it centered a young woman’s voice in a way no one had before. That experience taught me the power of listening. With Wait Until Tomorrow, I wanted to apply the same principle. The McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility is extensive and timely, but I felt it needed to be humanized. Putting faces and stories behind the data became an opportunity—and when I was given the creative latitude to do that, I stayed with it. It took three years to bring the film home.
BGN: The title Wait Until Tomorrow struck me immediately. What does it signify to you personally and thematically?
Dixon: I’m drawn to titles that are urgent and push the audience to reflect. This one is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail, where he writes about the injustice of being told to “wait.” That sentiment, that we can’t defer justice or equity — is at the core of the film. As I traveled and met people across the country, it became abundantly clear that these are issues requiring immediate attention. We can’t afford to wait.
BGN: The film’s tone and visual language also really stood out. How did you approach both?
Dixon: I’m a visual storyteller, and I’ve always been influenced by legendary Black photographers — especially Gordon Parks, Eli Reed, and the Kamoinge collective. All of the still photography in the film, whether studio portraits or street photography, is mine. I used black-and-white imagery to create a visual continuity and remind viewers that while we’re telling personal stories, these issues exist on a national scale.
Eli Reed’s work in the 1980s and ’90s, capturing Black life in America with depth and dignity, was a huge inspiration. I wanted that sensibility, to see both the home and the street, the personal and the systemic, reflected in the film.
BGN: How did your personal identity or background influence the storytelling?
Dixon: I mentioned earlier my time in Zimbabwe through the Fulbright. That opportunity came in part because of Richard Peña, who ran the New York Film Festival and taught film history at Columbia University. He encouraged me to step away from my computer, I was doing visual effects at the time and start telling stories out in the world. He even offered to sponsor my Fulbright.
That push completely changed my path. I started taking photography more seriously and committed to visual storytelling in a new way. Being inspired by mentors like Richard and by other Black creatives has fueled my desire to capture stories that matter and to do it in a way that honors the people I’m documenting.
BGN: Were there any interviews or moments during filming that surprised you or changed your perspective?
Dixon: Honestly, I was humbled throughout. Traveling from Detroit to D.C., Houston to New York, I encountered stories that were at once unique and unified. There’s a shared spirit of striving against odds, but each journey is deeply personal.
One thing I’ll say, there are a number of stories from Black women in the film, and they really moved me. These women offered perspectives that were beautifully specific and incredibly powerful. I wouldn’t say I was surprised, but I was definitely inspired all over again with each conversation. It reminded me of the richness and nuance of Black life and how important it is to capture those individual truths.
As a filmmaker, you carry what I call the “burden of a dream.” It’s exhausting at times, but also incredibly motivating. Being in someone’s living room in Detroit or talking to someone in Texas, those moments fueled me to keep going.
BGN: That’s such a powerful image, the burden of a dream. With that in mind, what do you hope Black audiences in particular take away from this film?
Dixon: A few things. First, I hope people feel heard, that a Black filmmaker is listening and reflecting their stories. I also hope audiences see a piece of themselves in the film. We tried to be diverse in the voices we included, and I want viewers to walk away knowing the stories were told with honesty and authenticity.
And yes, I do hope it inspires conversation, and even action. I think “call to action” can mean different things. For some, it may be getting involved in systemic change. For others, it might be striving toward personal goals with new determination. Economic mobility is deeply personal but also profoundly communal. If this film helps people reflect on where they are and where they want to go, then it’s doing its job.
BGN: Well said. Thank you so much, Osato, for taking the time to speak with Black Girl Nerds. Wait Until Tomorrow is powerful, necessary, and I hope it sparks many conversations.
Dixon: Thank you. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about the film. I’m excited to share it at ABFF and beyond.
Wait Until Tomorrow premiered at the 2025 American Black Film Festival. Directed by Osato Dixon, the documentary explores the lived realities behind the statistics of Black economic mobility through powerful imagery and intimate storytelling.
