Leslie Odom Jr. | Family Issue 2019

them and their personal passions, and there are directors hired
to execute the studio’s vision. I’ve learned that actors are low on
the totem pole. So I can’t truly answer who the film is intended
for. What I do know is that it was made with really skillful and
loving hands by Kasi Lemmons with good intentions. Producer
Debra Martin and actress Cynthia Erivo wanted to give Harriet
a hero and an action treatment. To give her a movie they thought
was befitting. There has been a lack and deficiency when it comes
to our stories being told. This may not be the Harriet movie that
everyone wants it to be, but I’m excited that it’s a start and I don’t
think this will be the last.”
Regardless of if you’re a fan of the narrative depicted in
this version of Harriet, we as Black and Brown people need to rally
behind this film as a community. It’s our voice crafted by our
hands to commemorate our journey. In the words of Lena Waithe,
“to be Black is beautiful, but it’s also traumatizing.” This Harriet
film has sparked healthy dialogue to be exchanged among all races
and is a work of art that will transcend generations. It’s a responsibility
of our own to be resilient in supporting projects that will
continue to bring awareness to the legacies of those whose backs
we stand on. We have to be like Leslie’s character William and
quickly denounce any doubt that we all may have. There’s a bigger
message in our testimony that will keep America on that metaphorical
couch until all wounds are healed.
FAMILY 2019 / 15