Seeing Is Believing
“Until I saw people who looked like me, doing the things I wanted to, I wasn't so sure it was a possibility.” - Lupita Nyong’o
For many things in life, you need to have faith. Put your trust in the bigger picture, in God, in the universe – whatever it is you believe in – so that you can live without being shrouded by fear. But as human beings with complex emotions, sometimes you need more than faith to make something seem feasible. Sometimes, seeing is believing.
Every year, Herd Strategies picks a different social media theme for Black History Month, and this year we decided to focus on Black art and artists. As we talked about individuals who have made a major impact on arts and culture, I thought back to an interview that Lupita Nyong’o had done with Glamour Magazine when the movie “12 Years a Slave” was first released.
This was Lupita’s first feature film, and it got her a lot of positive attention. She quickly became an icon, unintentionally causing what some referred to as the “Lupita effect.” The Glamour interviewer described this effect as, “everything from consumers running out to buy the lip gloss [Lupita’s] using to designers casting more women of color on the runway.”
When asked for her reaction to having such influence, Lupita said, “Until I saw people who looked like me, doing the things I wanted to, I wasn't so sure it was a possibility. Seeing Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah in The Color Purple, it dawned on me: ‘Oh—I could be an actress!’ We plant the seed of possibility.”
Lupita didn’t even think acting was a career path she could pursue until she saw women who looked like her making it happen. She felt inspired by those who laid the groundwork, which drove her to become the Academy Award-winning actress, model and producer she is today. Now, young Black women can grow up in a world where they see all those titles as attainable roles for themselves.
Media representation goes beyond seeing people that look like you in roles you want to obtain. Photography, literature, music – no matter the medium, seeing yourself in art helps you feel seen in the world around you. It immortalizes historical experiences. It shows you that your natural beauty is awe-inspiring. It validates your frustrations and fears while reminding you that you’re not alone.
This Black History Month, I encourage you to elevate Black artists in your community. Help raise their voices to remind younger generations of the voice they carry. To view a list of some local Black artists in Indianapolis, click here: https://bit.ly/3HXwpU5
