What Now?

Concluding these readings, I pray you feel compelled to effect change in yourself and the immediate world around you. I hope you’re ready to defend someone on the train that doesn’t look like you. I hope you’re triggered when you hear problematic remarks about vulnerable communities, and that you speak up to combat the voice of vitriol that threatens people’s real lived experiences. Regardless of if you’re in the locker-room, at the thanksgiving dinner table or at a bar, I hope you will be the voice for the voiceless and ally for someone who needs it.

Lions’ Den

In a conversation with my dad I voiced my lack of admiration for individuals who solely care for their own self interests. When people state cases to protect and defend the interest of their own marginalized demographic, it feels like you’re in the oppression olympics. Everyone simply stating the case of how their group has it the worst is annoying and naturally calls those beyond those experiences to tune out. In that way, it is not an effective method.

If the goals for social movements is progressive change, then the method must be better than stating one’s own case. What we do instead is find out how we share feelings and experiences with people look, believe and live differently than us, and understand the value in stomping on their behalf. When we can tie our self interests in with advocacy for others, we can form a coalition for effective change.

In everything I do, I want to inspire people to that kind of greatness, wherein they see the humanity of others as worthy of defending. I’m always looking to inspire folks to care about one another and highlights the lives of people who are otherwise under-represented.

My next goals in writing are to cross into more creative fields of narrating stories, which highlight the realities of marginalized people. Since high school, I’ve been working on a screenplay which highlights the story of two young lesbian women of color growing up Harlem, where I grew up. I call this story “Lion’s Den”: In it the two young girls grow up in Harlem during the era of gentrification, and as the rules and faces of their hood change, one character Danielle is incarcerated. Jaden who was once victimized in the hood pre-gentrification now thrives in the changing community, and does all she can in adulthood (getting her law degree) to free her partner Danielle from the pipeline to prison.

The title is a parody from the Bible story of “Daniel and the Lions Den”. In the story, jealousy of other people gets Daniel thrown into the lions den. It is only with prayer and favor by God that Daniel wasn’t eaten alive, and eventually risen from the den unscathed. Similarly, in this story, Danielle is thrown into jail after the rules of survival in her community change.

I want to draw attention to under-represented community of lesbian women of color, and show the real challenges they face with black men, white society and even other heterosexual black women. I imagine this drama-genre branching off into a Netflix series, wherein Danielle is freed and pursues her dream of launching a lesbian club, called the “Lion’s Den”. Within Lion prides, it is the females which dominate tasks of living, and live nearly independent of the male species, except for procreation.

I’d like to see the club’s dynamics speak to the varying experiences of lesbians of color. I’d like to see their relationship struggles, coincide with those of their changing patrons. This series I believe, will humanize a community of people who are otherwise ignored or discounted. I used to be a fan of “The L Word” on Showtime, but grew a distaste for how it largely excluded the voices of women of color. When the show did present black lesbians, they were often stereotypes of “angry black women”.

“Vida” on Starz is a more modern and inclusive vision of lesbians, but it still neglects the black experience particularly. It does do an amazing job depicting the struggles of generational Latinx lesbians surviving gentrification. I have not yet finished the series, but I know it escapes experiences of the the violent male gaze and incarceration that listening to black lesbians has taught me about. I also have not seen the representation of masculine, trans-men that may indeed be considered a varying degree of lesbian that is not glamorized, and therefore not televised.

“The Lions Den” would explore all of these subject matters over a course of seasons: violent male gaze, incarceration, radical existence beyond public affirmation, and the inclusion of masculine, trans-men. The exposure of these experiences in mass media might better humanize the black, Latinx, indigenous, and asian queer experience in a way that does not center men or whiteness. My goal with this story, as with all my writings, is to create empathy and bridges to compassion and understanding where it lacks, thru storytelling.

Drop The Mic

Previously, I mentioned my interests in launching a televised podcast or talk series, which interviews people of pop culture, who sometimes find themselves in “problematic” roles. Daniel Caesar, Sabrina Claudio, City Girls, Kanye West, T.I. and Todrick Hall are just a few musicians who contribute to black culture, and have found themselves at odds with the very culture that supports them otherwise. In the age of streaming media and quickened superstardom, a learning curve lacks. Black people who once did what they had to do in order to survive their communities are now being put under the spotlight and judged for their every word, tweet or posts. They’re held to the fire without a chance to refine themselves. Their knowledge of the world lacks beyond their pigeon-holed life experiences.

“Drop the Mic” would be an opportunity for effected people of the community, along with scholars, to address these artists on their problematic ways. The tasks at hand, would be to illuminate the realities of the affected/ offended groups within the black communities and effect empathy. Exposure and testimony of these effected groups can help draw compassion within the black community and offer the culture pioneers an opportunity to apologize and atone for their problematic ways. The overall goal of this programming would be to bring our black community closer together in thought and theory, in a way that does not isolate women, queer people, fat people and differently abled people from the context.

Made in Her Image

What I’d like to do next is focus on specific plans to effect change in large scale ways. For that purpose I’d like to begin using my love of writing, history and political theory to inspire future generations. I believe that when we see characters in media who resembles ourselves, then it stands to inspire us to what they are. We’ve seen the exciting impact of largely successful movies like “Black Panther”, “Crazy Rich Asians”, “Get Out”, and other successful diversity ventures such as “Savage Fenty”, “Fenty Beauty” and “Ivy Park”. Each of these recent ventures centered minorities and inspired communities of color to push beyond what limited scope had been offered to us by mainstream media and the beauty industry.

The contribution I’d like to offer to this movement for change, is writing sci-fi series which center people of color in an exciting way. Reimagining ancient figures like Mansa Musa (wealthiest man to ever live), Cleopatra (ruler of Egpyt), Bilquis (queen of Sheeba), and Nefertiti, would be amazing for black youth. Black youth need to know and see that they have been more than slaves, athletes and entertainers. I imagine the stories throughout this series shown just as captivating and controversial as the completely fictional but fantastic award-winning series, “Game of Thrones”. Stories of real black kings, queens, scholars and thought leaders throughout history might let black youth see themselves as possessing untapped potential for innovation and leadership.

Along with this sci-fi series of black rulers, would be another series of black deities. In this series, real black gods and goddess, like Bastet, Horus, Oya, and Anasi possess modern-day queer youth, offering them superhuman abilities and ancient premonitions. A trans-man bouncer and queer male escort, are who would lead this series of modern heroism in the city. I think this series would allow black youth to think beyond the bounds of Christianity and equally just enjoy kick ass action. Seeing depictions of gods and goddess that their ancestors once worshipped might be really exciting and inspiring.

I’d like to take this series on a tour across the globe, resurrecting the ancient gods and goddesses of Mexico, India, Greece and China. To see these modern-day characters meet along their journeys to save the world from reductive white supremacy, disguised as Christianity might be powerful. In America the gods would combat police brutality and sex trafficking; in China, the gods would combat sweatshops and abusive governmental powers, and the gods would fight to uplift affirm women against rape and poverty. In Mexico the gods would fight against corporate farming and deforestation to fend off global warming. The agenda of all these evils would be rooted in Christianity’s demand to believe and not question a monotheistic deity, whilst white supremacist ravage the world in the aforementioned ways. I see this series as an exciting means of enlightening our youth and action-interested viewers about global issues.

Why Now?

Much of what I discussed in my writings were observations of the present struggles oppressed minorities face. I was particularly provoked to put my voice and opinions to paper after the election of Donald Trump, who many and myself deem as the most dangerous president in the history of the United States of America. However problematic the policies of past presidents may have been, it is the blatant racist, sexist and transphobic tone that Trump takes which makes hm so danger.

The office of president is often disregarded by my peers as “unimportant”, as it is beholden to the checks and balances of other branches of government. But the power of that position is how it inspires the people. The president speaks to the masses and influences public opinion. If the tone of that office is vibrating vitriol, racism, sexism and homophobia, then the people will polarize. If the tone of that offices vibrates unity, honor, care for one’s neighbor and social responsibility, then the people will come together and create safe spaces.

Realizing the crucial place we are in history, my very real anxiety told me to get my ass up and do something. Hopes and prayers and well wishes simply are not enough. Under mental, emotional and spiritual distress, my mind went back to advice I received while back in high school. In track and field, athletes often sustained injuries, and we couldn’t cop out of the race very time a muscle strained or ached. Our coach would always tell us to “lean into it” when we felt the pain. Trying to avoid the pain only made us move more awkwardly or aided the cramps in taking form. He reassured us that the feelings of discomfort were all in our head, and getting used it would let us win the race. He insisted that the “lean into it” actually let us overcome the pain quicker and effectively.

These writings are my way of leaning into the pain of today’s society under this bigoted administration. Instead of avoiding the news media to keep from anxiety and stress, I thought to delve deeper into the current events and controversial conversations. Writing about how vulnerable communities, which matter most to me have been compromised has not been an easy feat, but it has been a necessary one. Writing has become an important part of my own advocacy and activism, and these next ventures operate just the same.

This is what I see as part of the liberation movement: Challenging the confines that have been placed on the minds of oppressed people: Inspiring us remember our worth and save ourselves.

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