In this age of technology, we’re forced to endure the live streaming of murdered Black bodies across all of our screens. Helplessly, we watch as these videos go viral and are played on a loop by news stations and users of the world wide web. Helplessly, we watch as murder is normalized. We scan comment sections searching for evidence of human compassion, but instead we're met by trolls who are unable to cast empathy unto the murder of unarmed Black folks. These experiences cause the forced realization that being Black anywhere means being in a constant state of anxiety.
Where technology fails Black folks by normalizing black death, Hollywood does no better to alleviate this anxiety. Understanding this beckons the questions: how can we heal? How can we heal when we’re pinned against a wall that tells us Black folks don’t cry, that we’re incapable of emotion? What happens when Hollywood decides that casting Black actors in non-stereotypical roles isn’t normal? What happens is that Black America pushes back.
Although 2016 gave us more hashtags than justice, 2016 also produced an influx of Black art excellence, and if receipts were needed, well the Golden Globes proved it.
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Donald Glover gave us full character development of a Black rapper, quasi-drug dealer, his hustling cousin, and philosophical and sometimes downright weird right-hand man. Issa Rae gave us a peek into #blackgirlmagic with being Black and an awkward, sexual woman capable of making the same mistakes quirky non-black girls are allowed to make on TV. Chewing Gum, Blackish, Moonlight, the blackness and greatness that is bulletproof Luke Cage during a time where it seems that being Black means being target practice. This year in television, film, and Netflix original series has been the year where underrepresented viewers were able to see faces that finally look like their own and it has been beautiful.
Let's face it, television hasn't been this black since UPN. With the heightened feelings of anxiety and helplessness, it’s wonderful to turn to these amazing pieces of art from all of these wonderful artists and see black life normalized in a way that is both multidimensional and emotional.When everything hurts and you're unable to scroll through social media without reading an RIP hashtag, or if 2017 proves to be as fruitful of violence as 2016, then do yourself a favor by going to your comfort place, eating your favorite snack, and tuning into these shows.
