Yes, Representation Still Matters

Why are so many white folks bothered by Black people on screen?

Author

Sharon Hurley Hall
March 13, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Hello friends,

A while back, I wrote that the battle for representation starts in childhood. That that's the time when we first notice we're left out. And it can also be a time to notice when we're included.

I’m late writing about this, but reactions from little Black girls who saw the trailer for the latest iteration of The Little Mermaid all had a couple of things in common: delighted amazement from the girls and emotional tears from the mums who see their kids having an experience they themselves were denied. Halle Bailey is awesome!

As a former little Black girl, I too welled up a bit because I never saw anyone who looked like me in a lead role when my age was still in single digits. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I waited a good couple of decades for that experience.

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