In my time since moving to the United States, I've found that there is a dearth of great writing for black people. There are stories that depict us in a way that isn't cliched or niche, and that a white person, a Chinese person, an Indian person can watch and relate to. Those are the stories I want to be a part of telling.
Interpretation
The quote expresses a desire for authentic representation of black stories in literature and media that transcends stereotypes.
David Oyelowo emphasizes the need for diverse and meaningful narratives about black individuals that can resonate with a wide audience, regardless of race. He highlights the lack of quality writing that reflects the true experiences of black people without falling into clichΓ©d depictions, advocating for stories that can connect with everyone.
In practice
During a panel discussion about contemporary literature, I shared this quote to highlight the importance of diverse storytelling.
I had always known that I couldn't play Dr. King purely out of my own ability as an actor. When you look at him give those speeches, you can tell that he is taken up by something other than himself. He is flowing with an anointing that is directly from God.
I grew up watching period dramas, as we all did in the 1980s and '90s - endless adaptations of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens - and I loved them. But I never saw anyone like me in them, so I decided to find a story to erode the excuses for me not doing one.
You will never, I think, fully conquer the play. Every night, you see this Everest before you. It's that two, three hours and the audience, and you'd better tell the truth.
Generally speaking, we as black people have been celebrated more for when we are subservient when we are not being leaders or kings or in the center of our own narrative driving it forward.
Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice. I intend to be part of the solution and not the problem. You've just got to keep on banging out good performances.
What we usually do to great men and women is relegate them to homogenised heroism. Their words and actions become soundbites and images in a way that gives us an excuse not to act bravely in our own lives.
There are those photographers who have made a whole career doing commercial work but have never had a museum show, and then there are others who've only had museum shows but couldn't survive for five seconds in the real world of photography. But I've done absolutely everything.
You think I'm not a goddess? Try me. This is a torch song. Touch me and you'll burn.
You act in a movie, and at the end of the day, the director and editor decide what your performance is.
Who could not return from a visit to Jack Vance's world, without feeling that he had been somewhere unique, that he had experienced things unavailable in our mundane world?
Anything is an art if you do it at the level of an art.
My film is not a movie; it's not about Vietnam. It is Vietnam.
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