It's Time For Better Portrayals of Black People on Television and in the Media
The world so often tries to fit Black people into one box, with Hollywood continuously putting out trauma porn and Black people being represented as gangsters, slaves, or in extreme poverty. It’s time to create better narratives for ourselves! We discuss it here!
By: Kwana Adams
The world so often tries to fit black people into one box, and quite frankly, some of us are guilty of stuffing each other into that box as well. Why do we do this? Why can’t black people be multifaceted and unique?
We don’t have to be embarrassed or ashamed of having interests that don’t fit into the black stereotype. We’re not ‘Oreos’ because we like a certain genre of music or watch anime. We’re allowed to enjoy these things as much as anyone else. We can dress the way we want to too.
Personally, I’d love to see more people walking around in ballgowns and Victorian-era clothing. I’d love for the disco era to come back well. Most of all, I just want to see black people being happy and being themselves without judgment. I also want to see black people building and creating together.
As an avid reader and writer, I’m tired of black people not being represented enough in books and film or only being represented as gangsters, slaves, or in extreme poverty. One day we need to have a conversation about how Hollywood portrays the ‘hood’ but for now, let’s discuss how we can represent ourselves differently.
I want to see us in chick flick-teenage drama movies and not just as the friend with one witty line. I want us to be fairies, superheroes, vampires, spies, etc. I want us to be the main characters. I know it’s a lot easier said than done, but we’re gonna get there. I know we’re well on our way with more tv shows with black casts are coming out. The effort is there, but we can still do better. Before we can do all of that, we need more black creatives. If we’re writing the scripts, directing, producing, etc., we can represent ourselves better than anyone. We can write ourselves in way more beautiful lights.
We need to start investing in each other, creating our own studios, publishing houses, etc. No longer do we need to worry about getting a seat at the table. We need to start building our own homes brick by brick and making our own tables. It’s time. Creating generational wealth isn’t just about piling money away for your children but also about making something that you can leave for them and others in your community.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “it takes a village?” I know it applies to raising children, but I’m applying it to black-owned communities and creative enterprises. It takes a village to build something that will enable us to leave something behind for the next generation. I want to make sure my future children are all set, but I also want to instill in them the value of working together. I am tired of the ‘every man for himself’ mindset. It doesn’t help us at all. It might feel good to get everything on your own but working with others is so rewarding. The point is, you don’t have to do it alone when you can do it together.
To wrap it up, I really want black people to feel comfortable enough in their own skin to be themselves. I’m talking about black women, black men, black LGBTQ+ people, black disabled people, etc. I’m talking about all of us. It’s okay for us to be ourselves, be silly, be imaginative. I also want for us to be represented this way in media. Trauma porn is played out, and to be honest; it’s really not even for us.
We already know slavery was gruesome and worse than what they taught us. We don’t need to keep being traumatized by black people being shot and brutalized by police or by black people being whipped or mistreated. We need comedy; we need romance; we need movies that make us laugh or just make us feel damn good! It’s about time we get that. This is the future that I’m striving for, so please don’t get in my way.
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:
SHARE TO SOCIAL MEDIA
The Nod: The Common Courtesy Every Black Man Needs To Know
Don’t ask how it came about, just know it exists! The nod is the common courtesy that every black man needs to know!
By: Omar Cook
In a matter of seconds, a simple gesture will tell you everything you need to know about the next black man. We're not even talking about going out of your way to say wassup or shake a person's hand. No, this is just a simple head nod. But in this head nod, there is so much respect that comes with it.
The nod is the common courtesy that every black man needs to know! I don't know how it came about but the simple fact is that if you're a black man in America, you need to have this as a tool. The act of nodding your heading up or down is a sure sign of acknowledgement, as if you're saying to that person, "I see you, we're in this together." The nod is the next best thing to dapping a person up and it literally takes one second and you go about your business.
There is a difference between the downward nod and the upward nod though. Usually, when you give the upward nod, it's to someone you know, someone of the same age, or you might just be at a considerable distance that nodding your head up is the best way that person might see the gesture. You usually nod your head down as a sign of respect to someone that is older than you or complete strangers. Either you can't go wrong, but you should never let a passing moment between two black men go by without acknowledging him.
Black men share the same struggles together in America and this simple sign of respect is just a small gesture of unity. IF a black ever walks by you, and doesn't look at you to acknowledge you with the nod, thats a red flag and there's a problem. Honestly, I almost feel disrespected if a black man doesn't look to make eye contact and give this universal sign of respect. That brother wasn't raised right! I'm writing this post not only to spread cultural awareness about this common courtesy, but to gather the attention of the black men out there who don't do this! It's 2018, and with racial tensions getting hotter, it's a MUST that black men respect each other, stick together, and at the very least acknowledge each other's presence.
The nod can happen anywhere. It can happen in public places where you and another black person are virtually the only people of color around and you gotta give the nod to let that person know, "if something pops off we in this together." It can happen at a street light and a black man pulls up next to you; don't just turn your head without giving the nod! Disrespectful. It can happen from across the street when you see one of the homies going the other direction. The most important occurrence of them all, is walking directly by a person. It is at this moment, you have to show respect. It's a must, your call of duty. If a black man walks by you without acknowledging YOU, another black man, of the same struggle, you might as well just call his hands to get his mind right.
The nod is something that you're almost born with. It's like a cultural instinct of respect that you just keep in your repertoire, and it is your duty to pass this down to your sons and keep the respect flowing to the next generations. Black men, we're leaving confrontation in the past and we're showing respect for each other, period.
