The Time Is Now: A New Renaissance

It is important that you do not misconstrue my intent in writing this article. As I sit at home trolling the idiot box, I am bombarded by programming which entails the likes of “Love & Hip Hop,” “The Game,” “For Better or Worse,” etc.  The tips of my fingers are stained by the black ink from the daily periodicals I scour in search of a great film not the likes of the latest Kevin Hart, loud-brother-for-hire flick. In this failed attempt to find entertainment with sustainable substance that features people of color, I have realized that the entertainment industry paints an image of black that is only shared by the dollars that they bring in. It would appear that African Americans have sold their image for profit. Meanwhile, the integrity of the Black culture is raped of its once profound voice.

I often think back to times when there were great scholars, lawyers, doctors, activists and artists that were hailed to the highest of regards in the black neighborhoods. Their message tore down walls and soared across valleys and rivers, causing ripples in the fabric of the American establishment. I recall the times of The Harlem Renaissance, MLK, Malcolm X, Mohammad Ali, Booker T. Washington – I could go on and on. This was a time when African Americans took it upon themselves to dictate their future, and by doing so, they shaped their own identities. Now those efforts have all but been forgotten, left to wallow and disappear in the pages of tarnished history books that aren’t brought out until the first of February when it’s okay to care about the black man and learn why we are more than just NIGGERS. Meanwhile, our youth is left to lay praise on false idols and gods that only evolve around that of sports, music, and comedy. This isn’t to say that there isn’t representation of greatest, only these individuals are not showcased as prominently.

If you will, please allow me to explain why I am writing this. My name is Todd Webb, and I am a filmmaker in New Orleans, La. Like so many hopeful people who once lived in Los Angeles- ‘The City of Angels-’ I fantasized about the day when I could create films and television that moved, inspired, and yes, entertained the world. Having recently relocated to New Orleans, this fantasy still remains a lifelong goal that sometimes appears to be a dream drifting so far away.

With these fading hopes and dreams, I have come to a sad conclusion that even in the 21st century— where a man of color roams the halls of the White House, where an African-American weather woman from the south can go from engaging talk-show host to a billionaire entertainment conglomerate— even in this time when it would seem that equality for all, no matter race or creed, has finally emerged over the mountain tops; sadly, African-Americans around the great United States still struggle with battling an inaccurate and unrealistic representation of their identity. This misrepresentation has directly affected the status of the African American in United States, adding to current problems that plague the black community even to this day. Examples such as Michael Brown and Eric Garner have fueled the flames of stereotyping in our country, and while anger is warranted, the direction this anger is pointed in is as misdirected as that of the misrepresentation/stereotyping that led to these individuals’ deaths.

The voice of the African-American and their identity has been shaped, molded, and designed by century-old tactics of brainwashing, a dangerous misinterpretation of religion, our government, and that of the media. This false perception of the African-American has been in development for hundreds of years, starting with— of course— slavery, and it has trickled down through every century that follows thereafter being passed from generation to generation. To quote one Willie Lynch, “…it will control slaves for 300 hundreds years.”

African Americans have lost control of their identity – their image. Instead, we have sat on the sidelines, becoming victims of a vicious and malicious act of character assassination. In our communities, on television, in the news, and even in politics, we have become caricatures of ourselves. Centuries of struggling, fighting, praying, and dying have been all but bound under a new form of bondage that has pulled the wool over the eyes of the African American and people in general.

The bondage that wraps around the worn wrist of African-Americans today is the false assumption of success. It is that very success that divides our communities to this day. In times that have become ever so cynical, the almighty dollar has become one’s only salvation. While the few that have crawled out of the cockles of ghettos and rundown dwellings have emerged as powerful— dare I say— role models, these very ‘so called’ role models cater to that of the very stereotype that Willie Lynch spoke so candidly about more than several hundred years ago. In some respects, this form of profiting based on this manufactured image of what it is to be black has inadvertently led to the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and so many others.

Unfortunately, African-Americans have adopted this false perception and claimed it as their own, rebranding it as ‘the black experience.’ Insight into the black experience should be reported and documented as that of any human experience, be it race, creed, or sexuality. Our human experiences are no different from the other. Our everyday stories share a DNA that is the same. This false perception of the black experience is a sick example of the human conditioning manipulated and used in an effort to program and redirect one’s own history. The identity of the African-American has now become lost in a vortex of stereotypes. These very stereotypes plague our music, art, sports, and characters that are portrayed on television, as well as in film. These images are later pumped into the community, and people have adopted these heinous portrayals as factual. While we as a people tend to find humor in these revelations or truths, the time for laughter is over. The time is now to combat these stereotypes and reshape, redesign, and remold our own representation of the human experience from the perspective of the African-American. It is time to usher in a NEW RENAISSANCE led by individuals of prominence, not dictated by that of shear wealth, but intelligence and an unwavering commitment to see African Americans rise from the ashes of their current existence like the Phoenix and shed every sad stereotype that has since been synonymous to our image.

As previously stated, I am a filmmaker, however it should be noted that I am a struggling filmmaker. For the better part of a year and a half, I have been developing a television series that shares a liking to that of “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.” Why these two shows? They have been anointed with that of the ‘it factor.’ My television series, “Colored,” should be shared in the same breath as these shows.

“Colored” follows the trials and tribulations of the Porter Family as they come to grips with the changing world around them during the late 1950s. They are at the center of controversy as they embark upon being the first family of color to live in the fictitious suburban neighborhood of Willoughby, IL.

While the series is titled, “Colored,” and it is set during a time of much turmoil regarding the treatment of African Americans, as well as their lack of rights within the United States, make no mistake, this series examines that of the American family and its dysfunction. Of course the series does not ignore the plight of the African American, but the show hinges on the notion of at what cost will one man take to strive for greatness (the false assumption of success).

Upon further examination, this series takes a deep and unapologetic look at how African Americans can be used, manipulated, and trained, even when on the surface, there appears to be some level of prosperity. "Colored' will draw distinct parallels to the issues that the African-American community and families face currently today as well as throughout history.

My efforts to see this show come to life have been meet with fleeting fanfare. While I understand the subject matter of race in America doesn’t carry the sex appeal of Don Draper and his latest fling or the suspense of Walter White and his free fall into meth crime lord, “Colored” tears down the veil that has been blinding not only African Americans, but people and their understanding of what it is to be black.

My initial thought, when seeking funding for this project, was to direct my attention to African Americans who felt the same way as I did. When meeting people and talking with them about the project, it was clear that some— in fact, many— shared in the continuous outrage felt when a new show like “Empire” can receive a green light from Hollywood, but “Colored” is left in the cold, partly because it doesn’t sell to the hip hop, bling-bling culture controlled by the image raping masters that sit at most of the boardrooms in Tinseltown. While like-minded in thoughts, this same support was not met with financial means, more or less the response was, “I dig what you are doing, and I will definitely give a few dollars to the Kickstarter,” or “Man, that’s a really deep concept. I would help, but…”

Ladies and gentlemen, for every “Olivia Pope,” there is a continuous effort by the powers that be to keep us categorized as NIGGERS.

“Colored” will find an audience and become a reality. People who we admire often tell us to never give up, and I refuse to do so. I refuse to give up on my goals. I refuse to give up on the dream that Martin Luther King was killed fighting for. I refuse to give up on the African American community. The rise of a new renaissance is inevitable. The time is now. To people of color that stretch across this globe, “Be the change in which you seek,” and always remember, “You are nothing as long as nothing is on your mind.”

Happy New Year and best of wishes to all in 2015,


Todd M. Webb