We Need to do Better

I saw I Am Not Your Negro with some of my family members at Cedar Lee movie theatre located in Cleveland Heights, OH. They show independent films. If you are in Cleveland one day, you should catch a film there, it's a cool theatre!! Anyways, I saw this film and it's very good and interesting because it was from one man's perspective, James Baldwin. The film is about the Civil Rights movement. James Baldwin did so much traveling and research for this documentary and it's so impressive that he wrapped so much information into one documentary. After the film was over, my father asked me do you think things have changed now from back then regarding African Americans? I thought about that for a moment and then I responded. I said not a lot of things changed but it's slowly progressing. I would want the world to change a little bit at a time rather than not at all regarding African Americans. What is profoundly important to discuss is that we the people of the United States had the very first African American President. I can't speak for other people but I would imagine young African American men and women, boys or girls for that matter look up to Barack Obama. His face was a vision of change and hope. For example, the title of the President (Barack Obama)  would make others get off their bums and start getting busy with life. Maybe start some businesses or just help out in their own communities. Another example of African Americans progressing is that the independent movie, Moonlight which won for best picture at the Oscar's. Also, Mahershala Ali won for best supporting actor for Moonlight. Even though this documentary, I Am Not Your Negro was focused on the Civil Rights movement, we shouldn't neglect the other races and nationalities. Most of the events during the Civil Rights were inhumane and gruesome. I think what history tells me at least is that we need to treat ourselves better and everyone around us better so we can grow as nations. I'm not only talking about African Americans. I'm talking about Russians, Jews, and Serbians to just name a few. We all should treat every ethnicity and race with equality, dignity and respect.