Viola Davis is an actress, producer, the only black woman to be nominated for three Academy Awards, and the only black actress or actor to win the Triple Crown of Acting. She is best known for playing fierce strong-willed female roles in films and television shows.
In Hollywood, women of color do not have as many roles available for them as others. Viola has stated that the only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity. There are many women of color who can only get roles that play on their identity rather than their talent, because of the texture of their hair and the color of their skin. Viola accepts all of her awards on behalf of all the colored women because she knows the struggle of obtaining roles in Hollywood that she has been so lucky to receive. She has a vision for breaking down barriers for women of color and has made it her mission in life “to make women of color a part of the narrative” in the Hollywood business.
Photo Courtesy of Billy Kid
Viola Davis is everything I aspire to be and more. Although I haven’t actually met her, from what I have seen she seems to be such a graceful woman who’s not afraid to take a stand for what she believes in. As her character in the movie The Help would say, “she is kind; she is smart; she is important.”
On the news a couple days ago, I heard that she would be speaking at USF in Tampa, and my jaw dropped as I stared at my phone screen. This was my opportunity to finally meet her, but due to certain obligations I won’t be able to make it, and I am refraining from crying. If you are reading this and happen to be going to this talk I speak of, I would greatly appreciate it if you got a video of her addressing me by my name, just saying. ;)
HCXOXO,
Shayla Fajardo