Why
does Diversity matter to you? Oh, my bad. We should probably agree on
what the term 'diversity' means first. The dictionary defines diversity
as
The state or fact being; diverse; different; unlikeness..., Uh yeah sure. You know what? I'm going go with my boy
Buggin' Out from
Do The Right Thing who immortalized the definition of diversity with one question:
How come ya ain't got no brothas up on the wall?
That's
it. That's diversity. Now let us move forward. So again why does
diversity matter to you? Tough question? OK, I'll start... Diversity
matters to me because I'm inundated with images of other in TV and Film.
Diversity matters to me because because my image, my story, my American
Experience is important. It deserves to be heard, to be seen.
Diversity matters to me because my peers know nothing about me outside
the office. Oh they know the caricatures because that is all they have
been exposed to but they do not know me. Which is sad because I know
them, and have known them all my life. I'm familiar with their favorite
movies, books, music. Not to say they are a monolithic group but I'm
even familiar with the diversity within their universe. But when I
bring up my favorite movies, books, music they're surprised. They have
never heard of the movie
Cooley High or
Paul Beatty's brilliant
Tuff, and since
Talib Kweil get's no radio play he is not even in their orbit.
Me?
I'm not so surprised by this. But more important than anything
Diversity matters to me because of my daughters. They are intelligent,
beautiful, athletic, funny, and... black. When was the last movie that
represented that? I'll help you...
Love And Basketball.
And I'm mad. I'm mad because I can't count the number of movies I've
seen before I got to experience it.
That locker scene in
Love and Basketball
when the young ladies are talking about their futures, their love for
basketball, their dreams, had never ever been seen on film. Ever. A
group of woman having an honest discussion about their limited future
prospects and it had nothing to do with men! That is one of my favorite scenes of all time. It is in a word
poignant. And the world had to wait for
Gina Bythewood to bring it to life. And you know what? Mrs. Bythewood latest film
Beyond The Lights
promises more of the same. That is to tell a story from a diverse
perspective that can resonant with the public at large but have a
special relationship with, as the dictionary would say a
, different
segment of the population. And I will be in line on opening night
because Diversity matters to me. But you never answered the question;
Why does diversity matter to you?
