Well look who just discovered black magic – The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences – well I think they’ve always known we were magical, but it took ol Jesse to alert them to the fact that we are real. And so our wholesale existence has been validated this awards season, yall. YAY US. (Is there a sarcasm font on wordpress?)
SAG gave us a glimpse at what we may be in for at the Oscars, with Denzel, Viola, Mahershala and the Hidden Figures cast all being lauded by the guild.
But let me give you a full accounting of our nominated greatness…
“MY”hersala Ali (the my stands for my, as in MY) and Naomie Harris nominated for Moonlight, a powerful coming of age story.
Viola Davis and Denzel nominated for Fences, a movie based on an August Wilson play about black life in the 50s.
Octavia Spencer for Hidden Fences, the story of three black women damn near responsible for putting white men in space.
Newcomer Ruth Negga for Loving, a story about interracial love……
Fences, Moonlight and Hidden Figures all nominated for Best Picture….
Barry Jenkins nominated for Best Director for Moonlight…
Sister Ava’s haunting documentary about the continued slavery aka mass incarceration of black folks, 13th – nominated.
Raul Pecks documentary I Am Not Your Negro about James Baldwin’s life – nominated
Ezra Edelmans documentary about Orenthal , OJ: Made in America – nominated
Roger Ross Williams’ Life Animated, about a young man overcoming the challenges of Autism, nominated.
We are more than slaves, we are more than gangsters, we are more than maids, we are more than butlers, we are more….period.
Now gather round and listen to me rant bout it on WVON.
