Funds sought by Sweet Blackberry for 'animated short about Janet Collins, the first black ballerina to dance at the Metropolitan Opera'

The Janet Collins Story,  presented by Sweet Blackberry By Karyn Parsons After playing Hilary on Fresh Prince,   Karyn Parsons founded a nonprofit  that helps bring little-known stories   of African-American achievement to  kids. Their latest project is an   animated short about Janet Collins,  the first black ballerina to dance   at the Metropolitan Opera. Oh, and  it's narrated by Chris Rock.

*** The fundraising goal of this project on  KickStarter.com is $75,000.  As of this  writing July 10, 2014, 517 Backers  have pledged $50,256, with 7 days  remaining. The obituary of Janet Collins in  The New York Times was written by  Jennifer Dunning and published  May 31, 2003.  Here is an excerpt:: Janet Collins, 86; Ballerina Was  First Black Artist at Met Opera "Janet Collins, prima ballerina of  the Metropolitan Opera House in  the early 1950's and one of a very  few black women to become  prominent in American classical  ballet, died on Wednesday in Fort  Worth. She was 86 and lived there." "Ms. Collins taught dance,  choreographed, performed on  Broadway and in film and appeared  frequently on television. But she  was best known as the exquisitely  beautiful dancer who was the first  black artist to perform at the  Metropolitan, four years before  Marian Anderson sang there."