Black Lightning’s Nafessa Williams Calls for Hollywood To Confront Inequality In Personal Essay

Nafessa Williams is a changemaker. On The CW’s drama Black Lightning, she’s made historical past as tv’s first Black, lesbian superhero. Nonetheless, for actress, her character’s energy and braveness aren’t any act. In spite of everything, offscreen, she is simply as set on breaking obstacles by altering the business. Right here, the Philadelphia native particulars her expertise with the Black Lives Matter motion and her combat in opposition to inequality in Hollywood—and past.

As we’re talking on the Black Lives Matter motion and the present panorama of the leisure business, I will begin with this quote by John Lewis, could he relaxation in peace: “I need to see younger folks in America really feel the spirit of the 1960s and discover a technique to get in the best way. To discover a technique to get in bother. Good bother, mandatory bother.”
 
Black Lives Matter. Breonna Taylor‘s life mattered. George Floyd‘s life mattered. These had been my ideas as I headed out to protest on a cloudy day in L.A. final month. As I approached the protest, I noticed vehicles on fireplace, protestors injured from rubber bullets and armed army on each nook. I felt like I used to be taking pictures a scene on the set of Black Lightning, besides there wasn’t a director yelling “motion” and “lower.” I shortly snapped out of my flashback of being on set and realized this was actual life. On at the present time I had considerably of an understanding of the spirit of the 1960s. I wished my voice to be heard by inflicting “good bother.”