You Absolutely Belong Here

I want to use this post to expand on something we've talked about before, and that Wong touches on in her chapter "My Least Favorite Question." The question "What's it like being an Asian American woman in Hollywood?" is so loaded. I mentioned in class, and alluded to Robinson, that question has an underlying reminder that minorities aren't welcome in these spaces. They're trophies in majority white places like Hollywood. With that, it goes even deeper into not only do you not belong here, your stories also don't need to be told, which is a FARCE. These stories help us learn about the human experience, and help us to be better people. Also imagine what we would miss out on if we didn't have these voices available to us. One of my favorite movies, and one that truly (in my opinion) made a shift in society, is Get Out. Jordan Peele took a very real and scary aspect of being black in America, racism, and showcased it for what it truly is. It's horrifying to think about how applicable that movie is, and that's exactly what Peele wanted to do. It goes back to something I've referenced before, "everyone wants to be black until it's time to be black." I think this saying applies to this film because (SPOILER if you haven't seen it) the whole gist of the movie is white people snatching the bodies of black people to have superior abilities/extend their life. For goodness' sake, the freakin housekeeper is someone's mother in a body that isn't hers. That's wacky! Other films like Hidden Figures, Fences, Selma, and Detroit are all so important. Hidden Figures, Selma, and Detroit are all based on true stories, and watching them is painful, but it needs to be. We need to learn from these stories and not just say, "that was a terrible time in history" but work to make sure that never happens again! Peele wrote Get Out as a response to what he refers to as "the post-racial lie," or the idea that since America elected a black president, or that slavery isn't legal anymore, that racism doesn't exist in America. Stories we've heard from Robinson, Wong, and many others have solidified that is absolutely untrue. We've gotta do better! To do better though, we have to be open to hearing what we're doing wrong, listen to those we've wronged, and be willing and ready to work to improve it.