Above and below:
stills from Queen &
Slim. Written and
produced by Waithe,
the film explores
racial profiling in
America through
the story of a young
couple – played by
Daniel Kaluuya and
Jodie Turner-Smith
(top right) – whose
first date takes a
traumatic turn after
an altercation with
a police officer.
Centre: from left,
director Melina
Matsoukas, Waithe and
costume designer
Shiona Turini on setare all individuals. And we have the right to live, love and
worship however we see fit, even if other black people don’t
agree with it. No one champions individuality more than
me – but how can we be individuals and still be united?
What is black unity anyway? What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
Does it mean black people have to support black people
all the time? Does it mean black people hold each other
accountable more than usual? Does it mean black people
only date other black people? I apologise for having more
questions than responses.
I know that seems odd, because as a black person in
the public eye there’s an expectation for me to have all the
answers, to always do the
right thing – particularly
within my own community.
There’s a pressure on all
black people to be perfect.
It sometimes feels like we
put that pressure on each
other. It’s a habit that isn’t
necessarily our fault. It was
embedded in us through our
ancestors. If a slave didn’t
show up to the cotton fields
on time, they would be
beaten. If the work wasn’t
done perfectly, they could
be sold to another plantation. Even if a slave fell ill they
were still expected to work from sunup to sundown with
very little food and in horrific living conditions. They were
expected to be strong and work their fingers to the bone
with no complaints. As a community, we still carry that
trauma within us. This need to never show flaws is something
that still wrestles in our spirits.
When I think about black unity, I think about the
complexities of some slaves who were forced to watch over
other slaves and make sure the work got done. It was used as
a way to divide us. The master was saying to one black person
that they were better than another. Darker-skinned slaveswere forced to work in the fields, while fairer-skinned slaves
often worked as domestics. Again, this caused a rift between
people who were all suffering under the same American flag.
When I sat down to write Queen & Slim – a story about
black love while the world burns around you – all of these
thoughts and questions swirled in my mind. I thought about
blackness and unity. I thought about how every black person
is connected – whether we like it or not. Our ancestors came
to this country on slave ships. The quarters were so cramped
that they became one. Even when they were split up and sold
off to different plantations, the connective tissue was still there.
Every time I look at another black person, I can’t help
but wonder if our ancestors were in love. Did they run away
together? Did they teach
each other how to read? Did
they work together to plan
a revolt? Were they friends
who became separated by
the slave trade and never
saw each other again? We’ll
never understand just how
united we really are.
I’ve come to the conclusion
that even if I can’t stand
another black person, I will
never have the capacity to
hate them. We don’t have
to be friends, we don’t have to
agree, we don’t have to walk through the world with the same
stride – but I do think that we should honour our ancestors
by at least acknowledging each other’s presence when we pass
on the street. Maybe that’s what they would’ve wanted.
I still believe that we as a people are stronger when we
stand united than when we stand alone. But how we choose
to be “united” will be a never-ending journey. I’m not sure
what that looks like, but whatever it is, I know it won’t be
easy. It won’t be neat. And chances are it won’t be something
that everyone will agree on. But whatever it is that leads us
back to each other, that’s a journey I’m willing to take. n
Queen & Slim is in cinemas on 31 JanuaryA R TS & C U LT U R E98ANDRE D WAGNER11-19-FOB-Viewpoint-LenaWaithe.indd 98 10/09/2019 16:41