In light of recent criticisms of outlets focused on the black experience and the boycott of the Oscars due to lack of representation, one is left to question what is the big deal anyway? We see black people on TV, right? So we must be in a post-racial, inclusive society. Needless to say, if you actually believe that then you probably need a ruder awakening than this article can provide.
We often throw around the buzzword “diversity” in our everyday lives but this term erases a very important part regarding what diversity means. We see black people, Asian people, gay people, and others on T.V. and in movies all the time, so media is diverse to a degree. However, when we do see people that represent marginalized groups they are usually widely stereotyped or serving as the token member of their identity group. This type of forced diversity based on a quota defeats its own purpose. The true focus should be inclusion; characters that would be representative of a variety of stories and experiences that mirror the world today. In turn, the actors playing those roles deserve to be recognized. What people with mentalities like Stacey Dash fail to realize is that until black and other stories become the norm and not the exception, we will continue to need outlets like BET (Black Entertainment Television) to create spaces for marginalized groups to tell their stories and showcase their talent. These types of spaces are not the problem; they are the symptom of our Eurocentric and white supremacist society.
Amidst all of the beef about The Oscars and diversity in Hollywood, there is one actor that has recently exemplified the power of telling Black stories. His name is Nate Parker. Often referred to as a young Denzel, Parker has been a part of a variety of thoughtful and meaningful projects like Beyond the Lights, The Great Debaters, and The Secret Life of Bees and his latest project just broke records. Parker wrote, directed, and starred in The Birth of Nation which tells the story of slave Nat Turner and the rebellion that he led in 1831. The powerful film received a standing ovation before it even screened at the Sundance Film Festival and was then sold to Fox Searchlight for $17.5 million. After 7 years of working on his project, Turner now has the opportunity to bring it to a global platform and challenge a narrative of white supremacy that fails to acknowledge the contributions of Black creators and Black historical figures. Some might even say that the film’s timing increases support for the continuing importance of Black History Month, but that’s an argument for an entirely different article.
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