Colorism Chronicles: Amandla Stenberg Gives Eloquent Response To Folks Finicky Over Starr’s Light Complexion In “The Hate U Give”

Angie Thomas addresses the issue at Essence Festival, stating she imagined Starr as Amandla when she wrote the book. She also says she didn’t have control over the complexion of the girl in the cover artwork, because it was provided by her publisher.

Amandla put together her own words to describe how she feels about the issue with this open post to everyone STILL questioning her positioning.

Over the past year I’ve heard concerns from my community around my casting as Starr in The Hate U Give and I want those who are worried to know they are seen and heard. Something that I love most about the black community is the accountability and expectation for greatness and consciousness that we maintain. I hope Angie’s perspective can alleviate those concerns, though I don’t expect it to address the age old conundrum of colorism and I’m glad this conversation is being opened up. The lack of diversity within the black girl representation we’re finally getting is apparent and it’s NOT ENOUGH, and I understand my role in the quest for onscreen diversity and the sensitivity I must have towards the colorism that I do not experience. Do I aim to represent all black girls? Hell nah! Do I expect all black girls to feel represented by me? Absolutely not. We encompass a beautiful and expansive plethora of experiences, identities and shades and it would be ridiculous to assume that I should or could represent all of us. I want my sisters to know I navigate my industry with an acute awareness of how my accessibility contributes to the representation I am granted. I do so with a vigilance concerning the commodification of blackness and not taking up space that doesn’t belong to me. My biggest hope is that this precarious game of give and take we play with the historically white institution of Hollywood for the sake of representation can only lead to the diversity we want and deserve. I want to see my mama on screen. And my niece. I want to see my friends, my peers… and all those who have given me the blessing of their support. Let’s continue to demand depictions that don’t placate European beauty standards. And after all this if you still don’t mess with the casting, hey, that’s your prerogative! But let’s show up to THUG for BLM, for rich and profound portrayals of contemporary black experience, for exploration of the nuance of bias, for black girl realness 😁, for family, for gun control, for speaking up and out, for Philando, Tamir, Eric, Michael, Sandra and all the black lives that have been taken for no reason. ✊🏽

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlrtL4pFqIt/?utm_source=ig_embed

Do you think these ladies did a great job confronting this issue? Thoughts?