The fight for progress is long. Find Black and Brown joy where you can.
by Angie Yaeyama
This is AAAFF Voices, where diverse filmmakers and community leaders share their unique perspectives about film, culture, and the touchstones that shaped their personal experiences.
Remember when we mainly talked about Black livelihood only in the month of February? In these past few years, we’ve come a long way, with increased attention on social justice for black, brown, and indigenous bodies. Some hopeful cultural shifts have risen, from 478 tracks of James Baldwin’s record collection finally being added to Spotify, or to electing America’s first female vice president, who’s of Black and Indian descent. I understand that this is a MOMENT! It deserves celebration! But as we throw our hands in the air and rejoice in the progress, I can’t help but notice that my poor arms are exhausted and sore from years of throwing my fists in the air in protest and swatting down microaggressions. Though, I do appreciate how cut my shoulders are going to look this summer (Hey, Michelle! We out chea!), as a half-Black, half-Japanese woman living in America looking towards the future, it’s important I remind myself that it’s okay to prioritize joy in the face of racial adversity that seeks to grind us down. Not only is it okay–it’s crucial.
Experiencing delight is the most resilient protest we could take in the face of that which aims to minimize hope.
Achieving progress is a long game. And while I know that we’d all like to believe that, we, like Lizzo, possess an “a%$ that don’t stop” doing the work, no one can pour from an empty cup. Nary a #bussitchallenge can be landed on a low spirit. So this year, in celebration of embracing joy in all shades of melanin, why not catch a comedy special from the abundance of scorching new releases–Buteaupia by Michelle Buteau,Miami Nights by Hannibal Buress, 3 in the Morning by Sam Jay, or Time Machine by Leslie Jones to name a few. Let yourself explore romantic K-dramas with an indie film like Lucky Chan-Sil by director Kim Choo-Hee. Or take a suggestion from a page in Oprah Mag of “The 16 Best Korean Movies You Can Stream On Netflix Right Now”. I encourage you to type “Feel good _____ movies'' into a Google search and insert your identity adjectives accordingly. Watch alone or celebrate with the people you love.
No mattter what tickles your heart or leaves your face numb from laughter, seek it out. Experiencing delight is the most resilient protest we could take in the face of that which aims to minimize hope. Let’s use this momentum to lift up diverse voices in film & media–art that celebrates joy in the face of adversity.
Angie Yaeyama is a humorist, translator, and interpreter working behind the scenes in tech and entertainment ensuring that brands project authentic and clear messaging across cultural platforms. She probably subtitled a bunch of your favorite TV shows and games, too (You’re welcome, now stay home!...If you can, of course.) She also writes about being Hafu for readers hoping to expand their understanding of multiculturalism and identity, and, as a side note, will fight anyone who tries to limit her daily Kewpie mayo intake. Find more on Instagram @hafudozen and @hotpotcomedy.