TODAY AS AFRICAN-AMERICANS WE’RE STILL MAKING HISTORY.
During last nights 67th Primetime Emmy Awards show (that will now go down in history) actress Viola Davis won Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series for her role in hit show “How to Get Away With Murder”.
Not only did she win the award, but she is the FIRST BLACK ACTRESS to win this award. Thus making HISTORY! Davis did not take this honorable moment for granted. She even referenced the African-American abolitionist, humanitarian Harriet Tubman.
“ ‘In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line. But I can’t seem to get there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line.’ That was Harriet Tubman in the 1800s. And let me tell you something: The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there. So, here’s to all the writers, the awesome people that are Ben Sherwood, Paul Lee, Peter Nowalk, Shonda Rhimes. People who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black. And to the Taraji P. Hensons and Kerry Washingtons, the Halle Berrys, the Nicole Beharies, the Meagan Goodes, to Gabrielle Union. Thank you for taking us over that line. Thank you for the Television Academy. Thank you.”
So speaking of opportunity … in a recent interview with Sway in the Morning on Sirius XM, Sanaa Lathan was asked by a caller “Do you see that there is more opportunities for minority actors and actresses or is it still a struggle?”
Sanaa replied “ It’s definitely still a struggle…the TV is catching up… it does not reflect the diverse world we live in, in America…Hollywood in my opinion should make movies that reflect us. I want to see myself how the Latina wants to see herself…we should all be able to see our stories, and it doesn’t have to be a specific story, we’re Americans.”
The Season 2 premiere of How To Get Away with Murder airs this Thursday September 24th at 10 p.m. on the network, ABC. (check your local listings)
