Reclaiming the Narrative: How We See Ourselves Matters

Can you put my words into a blog article? 

For years I have seen where our people (Black People) who have identity issues with color etc., don't like themselves as themes for films or books would get financial backing; or being mad about something petty gets funded. This is narrative control. 

I remember a long time ago when I was in my late 20s, and I was working for a cuing company for the evening news, news magazine shows, etc. in New York City. The President of CBS News Fred Friendly was quitting, and going back into academy. 

His reasoning was that the American press- media only reported on what was happening in Africa, and the African Diaspora when there is a problem.  

He saw that this created a false reality. This problem still exist. It creates a problem in how we see ourselves being molded by outsiders. 

It makes us delusional about ourselves; who we are, and where we live as places to escape from, even our skin color and features, etc. This is an internal seige, an assault.

Remember in the 70s the black authors that wrote about escaping the horrors of their communities got published. 

Communities became not places to build, but places to escape from. 

This is the same playbook for the Africans on the continent, and the African Diaspora countries where its citizens want to escape from.

Reclaiming the Narrative: How We See Ourselves Matters

For too long, the stories told about Black people have been filtered through an outside lens, often focusing on struggle and negativity. This one-sided narrative has a profound impact, shaping how we see ourselves and the world around us.

It's not uncommon to see Black characters in film or literature defined by anger over trivial matters, or struggling with self-acceptance based on their skin color. These portrayals, while sometimes funded handsomely, paint an incomplete and often untrue picture.

This isn't a recent development. Decades ago, CBS News President Fred Friendly lamented the media's tendency to only focus on Africa and the African Diaspora when there's trouble. He recognized the danger of this limited perspective, how it could create a distorted reality.

This distorted reality has consequences. It can lead to a sense of internal conflict, where our own communities and even our physical appearance become things to escape from. It's a kind of mental siege, leaving us unsure of who we are and where we belong.

The same pattern played out in the 70s with the rise of Black authors who focused on the negative aspects of Black communities. These stories, while offering a valid perspective, unfortunately overshadowed the stories of resilience, strength, and love that also existed.

The danger is the same for Black people on the continent of Africa and throughout the diaspora. We can't allow our narratives to be hijacked by a focus on escape.

It's time to rewrite the story. We need more stories that celebrate Black joy, achievement, and the richness of our cultures. We need stories that inspire us to build strong communities, not flee from them. We need to take control of the narrative and show the world who we truly are.