A Piece of What Black History Means to Me - The Aspiring TV Writer

On the last Monday of Black History Month, I had the opportunity to lead my high school’s assembly and briefly speak about what Black History meant to me. For context, I am producing my first short film at my alma mater - the place where I really fell in love with the arts. I wanted to touch on what Black History meant to me from the perspective of an aspiring television writer. Here was my speech:

I am a screenwriter, producer, and fitness instructor, and currently, I’m working on my first short film titled “Limitless.”

I believe that anything we put our hearts and minds to, anything we work towards and have faith in, we can become and accomplish. That’s the heart of my film!

I have one little side note with that, though: a lot of times, we have to see it to believe it. If we don’t see it or hear stories about other people, especially people who look like us, doing what we want to do, sometimes, we question if it’s possible or if it’s even worth it to try.

Everyone has a story and those stories deserve to be told, both for others to connect with, learn from, and be inspired by.

As you can probably imagine, there are a lot of “no’s” in the entertainment industry. Oftentimes, people don’t get to tell their own authentic stories. Especially throughout Black History, a lot of our stories haven’t been told, and yet, we have so much to tell.

When I think of Black History, I think of how far we’ve come as a people and how far we still are able to go….

Back in 2012, a month before I graduated from St. E’s, a show called Scandal premiered on ABC. It was created by Shonda Rhimes, a Black woman, who, if you’ve ever seen Grays Anatomy, also created that show. It starred Kerry Washington, who would become the first Black woman to star on a network drama in 40 years. That seems wild to me - that in 40 years, someone who looked like me wasn’t the leading character. Our stories weren’t at the forefront, at least not on an accessible, mainstream platform.

As a young, Black woman working towards a career in entertainment, it encourages me to see creators like Quinta Brunson, who is only a few years older than me and grew up in Philly, create a meaningful show like Abbott Elementary, which highlights the experience of a predominately Black school within the Philadelphia school system. A show whose cast and crew has won numerous awards, including 4 this past weekend. A show that opened the door for Sheryl Lee Ralph, a woman in her mid-60s, to win Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - becoming only the second Black woman to do so - the last of whom was 37 years ago.

I think about creators such as Issa Rae who decided not to wait for someone to give her a “yes” and created her own by developing what would become a very successful web series on YouTube. She also created the show Insecure, which portrayed a young, Black woman navigating all aspects of life in Los Angeles while also raising awareness about important topics such as Black male mental health. Her show allowed people to feel seen and invited them to have conversations that have been stigmatized for decades. Now, she owns a company that highlights and promotes emerging Black talent, creating new opportunities for them to share their stories.

These Black women are making a difference. They absolutely inspire me, give me hope and make me think, “Wow, if they can do it, I can do it too.”

A few things I’ve learned from this snippet of Black History - I’ve learned about the power of resilience. A “no” doesn’t mean you’re not good enough, not talented enough, incapable, or unworthy. Someone not believing in you or someone trying to quiet your voice doesn’t mean that what you have to say or share isn’t valuable. Throughout Black History, there have been so many leaders, creators, and change makers who have sacrificed and paved the way for what is possible now. They refused to be confined by the limits imposed on them. They believed we were limitless. I’ve also learned that we’re stronger together - a win for one is a win for all. It brings joy and hope. It inspires us to dream and aim for more. It inspires me to go after what I believe my purpose to be.

It might seem like a small thing, TV shows and movies, but I look at it a different way. We’re all influenced by the things we watch - that can be a bad thing, but it can also be a very good thing as well. I want to inspire and motivate through the work I create and assist others in doing the same. My story might not resonate with you, but yours might, and yours might too. The shows and movies we watch are all someone’s story. They invite us into their world and open up the door for us to be more understanding and empathetic. They introduce us their cultures and let us in on their experiences. They inspire us, and excite us, while also entertaining us.

I’m grateful that I get to share my story of “Limitless” with the world and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to share with all of you today.

Remember, you are limitless. Whatever your dream is, believe in it, work towards it, have faith for it. It’s worth it. Thank you.