Oh it is that time of the year again... Oscars season. While I enjoy watching the Oscar's, I feel like I am watching four hours of the "Talented White People Show." In the article in the New York TImes, author Shaun King says, "A record six black actors and actresses were nominated." While all of the actors deserve their nominations.. how can there only be six black females and males combined that were nominated? As a young woman of color who is interested in being in films and television shows, it makes me doubt myself and the color of my skin.
"All of this matters tremendously — not because these artists do what they do for recognition, but because this recognition makes these films, these directors, these actors and actresses more known to the world. Mahershala Ali is one of the best actors on earth."(King). While I do agree with the author, I feel that there should be more representation in black films - animated or moving picture. For example, my baby cousin, Calliegh, loves the movie Frozen (but what 3 year old doesn't?). And when we turned on The Princess and the Frog, she absolutely hated it. She said her brown skin was "ugly." This is why we need more black people in film. More black girls and boys that don't play "the bully" or the "ghetto girl." But the black girl or boy that is smart, educated, and strong. We need these characters to help strengthen the black community and help little girls like my cousin to love the beautiful skin that she is in. It took me 16 years of my life to actually like the skin that I was in. It took me until I saw hidden figures on December 27, 2016 to find out that black women are strong, powerful and that black is beautiful. It is essential to put more black people in film so that the black youth can feel loved and beautiful.
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