Authentic representation is the superhero the world needs

[Music]

picture a superhero

you probably imagine a being with powers

beyond our realm of reality

power is too intangible to exist but so

real

in their ability to change the world for

the better

what if i told you power like that isn’t

just some fantasy prescribed to comic

books

movies and video games then instead

you have the power to bring stories

unheard of

untouched and unbelievable to millions

of people

i’ve been fascinated with the world of

comic book media since i was in diapers

every second of my childhood has been

set with comics cartoons

and video games like justice league

spectacular spider-man

and lego batman i looked up to heroes

for their ideals of truth and justice

their bravery their strength and their

ability to come out on top no matter the

circumstance

however by fifth grade my admiration for

them began to diminish

i’d come to realize that my heroes did

not share my complexion

my religion none of them walked talked

or acted like me

none of these heroes represented me

this is the same reality shared by

millions of children worldwide

people from historically

underrepresented communities often must

imagine themselves in narratives

that don’t include them and there’s a

historical precedent for this

in the late 1930s and early 40s the role

of

superhero was a job tailored exclusively

for white men

while other groups remain in the shadows

only to reappear as sidekicks

villains and caricatures when the

blockbuster movie shazam

hit theaters in 2019 people learn of the

amazing adventures of billy batson and

his alter ego

shazam but the dark history behind him

was shoved behind closed doors

you see in the 1940s billy batson had a

sidekick

steamboat steamboat encompasses

every negative stereotype of the

historic black american

he is illiterate unintelligent and drawn

as a sickening caricature

stereotyping of black heroes continued

well into the 70s

a prominent example is the first black

hero to receive their own title in

marvel comics

luke cage despite being a hero

cage encompassed certain negative

stereotypes of the modern

black american an ex-convict

a street hustler a macho hardhead

keeping these stereotypes memorialized

in movies and tv shows has

devastating effects on black and

minority communities

so imagine you’re reading stories to

tell you that you’re a criminal

a low life unintelligent and less of a

human being

and those same stories are being told to

people who aren’t familiar with you

your culture or your values

those same stories in turn have an

adverse effect

on your mental well-being and your and

your ability to maintain healthy

relationships

this perception is dangerous because

down the road this fear may lead to

violence

and undermine your right to equality

this is the reality shared by millions

of people worldwide who suffer from the

lack of accurate representation

in the media they consume especially in

comics

two decades have passed since my

childhood realization and in that time

i’ve come to realize that there’s been

substantial advancement

in the corporation of authentic heroes

from underrepresented communities

take miles morales for example miles is

half african american

half puerto rican and all spider-man

went into the spider-verse hit theaters

in 2018 and struck a core with many

viewers like myself

for the first time in my life i was able

to relate and connect to a superhero

on a personal level miles was an

ordinary high school boy like i was at

the time

in the opening sequence myles sits at

his desk music

blaring in his earbuds he lets himself

go

while dueling on his schoolwork and

getting into his own little world

i felt like i’ve lived the scene a

thousand times over

it was so real and so relatable

my friends and i raved over the scene

because in a way

we were all spider-man and spider-man

was all of us

having someone like miles brought such a

familiar perspective to a classic story

that made it more accessible and

inspired a generation of empowered youth

of all colors and backgrounds

miles impacted young african americans

like me but the potential for change is

much greater

as illustrated by black panther black

panther shows the black community

is multifaceted that being black isn’t a

trait exclusive only to african

americans

but is shared by africans as well this

is integral

and representing not only all races but

the different people in each race

and then sharing those differences with

those who may not be familiar with them

black panther aka king t’challa wakanda

is authentic

his actions are relatable he’s a king

a dignified man and most importantly he

is a leader and a role model

not only to his people but to us the

audience

when black panther entered the marvel

cinematic universe in 2018

it was met with incredible success

earning over 1.3

and i repeat 1.3 billion dollars at the

box office

a century ago this feat would have been

impossible and yet a movie with a

majority black cast

the first of its kind exceeded all

economic expectations

through black panther people previously

unvoiced in comic book movies

had their stories told for the first

time in my life

i heard my parents native language of

hausa spoken out loud

in an american film for the first time

ever

100 million native speakers of hausa

were able to hear their language in a

blockbuster hit

while black panther has made great

strides in global outreach and change

we cannot move forward until every

individual is able to see themselves

reflected in their heroes

although black panther and miles morales

have provided the groundwork for social

change

there’s still so much more that needs to

be done

represent representation must be

accurate and consistent

in entertainment media when we

prioritize positive representation

society as a whole benefits positive

media portrayals

create greater empathy for minority

communities

but more importantly protects the mental

well-being of these groups leading to

academic success

and healthy relationships accurate

representation can build an

entire generation of empathetic and

open-minded young people that will soon

be the backbone of our society

when we come together to celebrate our

differences we have the power

to strengthen communities rebuild

economies and fortify the future of our

nation

we must ensure more stories like these

get told

to every kind of person no matter their

background

color religion or class

you have the power to you have the power

to change the status quo

in the way we view our world through the

lens of comic book media

a power that transcends the ability to

fly shape-shift

or read minds you have the power to

bring stories to everyone

regardless of circumstance you have the

power

to incite global change with just a few

small steps

start by picking up new and diverse

content that represents

all people i challenge you to consume

content that may be different than what

you’re used to

and make room for new characters to

inspire generations of inclusivity

additionally support creators that value

accurate representation

by sharing their stories with those

closest to you

the more support these creators receive

the more other people

and in turn companies will look to them

to create content that celebrates

diversity

this reality is in reach but you must

use your power

the power to champion the way stories

are told and who they’re told to

the truth is one hero can’t save the

world on their own

alone we may see these stories wither

away

into forgotten history but together

we have the power to bring these stories

to life

and leave a legacy for generations to

come

and in the words of the great king

t’challa

in times of crisis the wise build

bridges

while the foolish build barriers

we must find a way to look after one

another

as if we were one single

tribe thank you