Wheels & Roses is Black, Queer, and for the Culture

Oscar and NAACP award-winning writer and illustrator Pearl Low (they/them) agreed to let me pick their brain (and freak out a little bit, maybe tear up) about their new animated project Wheels & Roses.

You may have heard of Pearl Low from their work on Craig of the Creek for which they earned an NAACP Image Award nomination and an Annie Award nomination, their directing work at Sanrio, or their story-boarding work on the short film Hair Love for which they won an Oscar. Low has also worked for Scholastic adapting two volumes of the series The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids into graphic novels, OwlKids magazine, and Great Books Foundation.

Low’s newest endeavor includes founding a brand-new studio called Orange Blossom Studios and working as the director, story artist, and writer along with a very talented team for a new magical girl show, Wheels & Roses. As a lover of animation and the art of storytelling, I have been keeping my eyes and ears peeled for new independent animation projects to support. In the midst of all the turmoil happening in the animation industry with The Animation Guild (TAG) having recently been fighting for better working conditions, The WGA (Writers Guild of America) going on strike, beloved animated shows getting canceled left and right, and streaming services straight up deleting animated shows from their platforms, making it so not even the creators of the shows have access to their own creations, it is extremely important to support the actual artists who create the stories that shape our generations. Pearl even told me that they had previously pitched the show in 2020 and signed an Optioning Development Deal with Netflix, but it was cut along with many other projects. When they got the rights back, they decided not to give up on it but to continue building it on their own.

Pearl says they hope to bring us some much-needed queer joy and celebration in our current homophobic media (and political) landscape, and I think Wheels & Roses will do all that and more. The project is a Sailor Moon meets Roller Derby YA animated coming-of age series set in a world of magic featuring queer, Black characters and other queer characters of color. Pearl says the lack of 2SQTBIPOC (two spirit queer/trans Black Indigenous and/or people of color) media is one of the things that sparked inspiration for Wheels & Roses. “I really just wanted to create something fun that queer folks—specifically Black queer kids—could enjoy. We never get to see ourselves as magical girls, and rarely do we get to just have fun with on another!”

On the Kickstarter page, Pearl describes the show as “unapologetically queer and unapologetically soft, and unapologetically tough.” Here’s what they have to say about that description: “I describe W&R that way because I want people to see my intentions of this story being complex. We’ve all seen that pattern with mainstream media that flattens our experiences as queer people … So much nuance is taken out of queer characters’ lived experiences because we don’t get to exist in media in diverse ways. We’re tokenized and expected to represent the Queer CommunityTM, and that in itself is a constraint. I hate it.”

It’s no surprise to us when companies and corporations pander to our communities. We can tell when it’s just hollow grifting and rainbow capitalism or representation that is meant to get queer people to give their money and attention. There are not enough instances of genuine representation that don’t make the only Black person out to be just the sassy one, or the only Asian character the studious one, or the one queer character the most flamboyant person there. Sure, some of us can be those things, but that is not all that we are. Pearl says, “Unapologetically queer, to me, means existing as people regardless of society’s rules and regulations. Unapologetically soft, to me, means showing moments of vulnerability, compassion, and connection between our main cast of characters (which may look different than hetero-informed relationships. Ie; an explicit strong, platonic commitment to one another). Unapologetically tough is something I bring up because roller derby AIN’T NO JOKE!! It’s a full contact sport, so get ready for that.” I’m so excited to have a Black, queer person finally be behind one of these stories, to see myself and my community beautifully represented in a way that feels authentic to the person creating it.

Pearl is also excited for people to see the dynamic between two Black characters in the show, Kai and Sahara. They said that they really wanted to write about two Black kids forming an unbreakable bond in a friendship that is more than one just born out of survival.

I am definitely biased in my excitement for this show as a fellow Black, nonbinary person and as a fan of roller derby. I discovered my admiration for roller derby recently after attending a local makers market that took place at a roller derby bout. I got to see first-hand not only how cool and tough the players were, but how inclusive the skating community is. The event was held at the Rainbow Dome, a Denver-based, queer-centric hub, and the space was so inclusive and inviting to people of all kinds. When I asked Pearl, “Why roller derby?” as the setting for the show, they responded with a similar sentiment: “I noticed how much joy it brought me and how Black and queer the skating scene is. There’s also so much potential in the derby community for accepting trans athletes, various body types, and the de-centering of having to be ‘conventional.'”

It’s Black History Month, and I couldn’t think of a more fulfilling and exciting way to celebrate than to put everyone on to a project that I so fully believe in and support. I want to keep caring for my growing communities and uplifting my people. Pearl told me that they hope this show will speak to the YA audience and show them that community exists for them too. “I hope this story shows them various way community can be built … how we need to keep one another accountable, and how we need to keep experiencing joy together. (B)ut above all, I just want the queer young adults to have something fun to enjoy and read (they’re not sure if the end product will be an animated series or a graphic novel!) There’s so much going on in the world, and as a teenager, I can only imagine how intense everything feels right now. If I can create a story that feels like a hug and a pat on the back to keep going, then I would feel so so so accomplished.”

I’m not a teen, but consider me hugged and encouraged. I’m so excited to see the world Pearl has created and see the fullness of these characters. As much as I wish that I had Wheels & Roses when I was growing up, it is still a privilege to see it come to life now. Creating community through storytelling is at the heart of why Pearl tells the types of stories they do. Celebrating the authenticity of our personhoods and lived experiences is how we connect with one another. They believe there’s no better way than using the limitless media that is storytelling, to achieve this. “I know that so many young (and not so young) queer people are really going to appreciate everything Pearl is trying to do with this series and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Check out the Kickstarter for Wheels & Roses to see for yourself the magic Pearl Low is creating. Also, follow the Orange Blossom Studios socials to keep an eye out for when the pilot is complete. Projects like these thrive on community support, so let’s show out!

Images courtesy of Wheels & Roses and Pearl Low