That's what this industry is all about - supporting artists and supporting storytellers and hearing the audience for what they want and need. There still is a lack of value for what black women want, yet we have proven to be one of the strongest consumers in the marketplace.

Mara Brock Akil

Categorized in : Value Want Black Women

I love writing about black women, but if you go beyond that, we're human beings - and because we're human beings, it's universal for everybody.

Mara Brock Akil

black humans writing

We still have a lot of work to do in American culture. More open-mindedness is happening - in some cases rapidly, in some, slowly.

Mara Brock Akil

cases stills culture

A staple of my personality is that I want what I want - and Im willing to do without until I get it.

Mara Brock Akil

staples personality want

Being black, Latino, or Asian is not a genre. Romantic comedies, thrillers, action - those are genres. I think there's a lot of people who want to have the conversation. I don't think people are afraid of it, I just think it's the time to have that conversation. Race is not a genre.

Mara Brock Akil

race people thinking

Thank you for seeing me on the days when I couldn't see myself.

Mara Brock Akil

seeing

Any form of media is an opportunity to be a mirror and reflection of what we are experiencing more in the details of our life. What makes it fun and unique in a lot of ways is how that journey is changing just by the mere fact of the current time.

Mara Brock Akil

unique reflection fun

I can't disappear. I come from a family of beautiful women, strong women - and 'strong' defined by being themselves.

Mara Brock Akil

women family strong beautiful

To choose love and jump in not knowing, with a lot of unknowns, is a brave act.

Mara Brock Akil

choose not-knowing brave love

If you want something, work hard for it, go after it. I can't worry about all the 'no's, because I believe there's a yes, and I've been very fortunate to find those in my career and made the most of those opportunities.

Mara Brock Akil

work-hard you work believe

I'm not afraid of stereotypes. There are some truths to it - but the problem is that people keep sort of owning that one thing to be the truth.

Mara Brock Akil

stereotypes problem truth people

I'm trying to talk about challenging subjects people might not like and trying to find relief as we discuss it.

Mara Brock Akil

find talk trying people

I've been having a 20-plus year conversation with black women, starting with 'Girlfriends,' moving through 'The Game,' 'Being Mary Jane,' even 'Sparkle.'

Mara Brock Akil

game sparkle women black

I went to journalism school, so sometimes writing the script of 'Being Mary Jane' is me putting my journalism hat on.

Mara Brock Akil

hat me sometimes school

I think what is magic about black-girl hair is, at its basic level, it's just resilient. It can go from straight to curly in the same day. It's just transformative. When you don't feel so strong, the hair can be a sign of empowerment.

Mara Brock Akil

feel day you hair

One of the most powerful things we have is to tell our story.

Mara Brock Akil

story things tell powerful

Sometimes, we only get to know someone as one aspect of who they are. Then you start peeling back the layers and understanding more and more about who they are - their vulnerabilities, their fears, their joys, all those other words that equal humanity.

Mara Brock Akil

words you humanity sometimes

I often attribute my screenwriting to journalism because they drill in the who, what, when, where and why - but we really need to land on that why. That's what I've been exploring in my writing for many years and trying to get better at.

Mara Brock Akil

better journalism writing trying

I think pregnancy, like life, is what you make it. I received a good hand. I'm thankful and blessed and so peaceful and can't wait to welcome my son.

Mara Brock Akil

good thankful life son

With 'Girlfriends,' even with 'The Game,' or even with 'Being Mary Jane,' I didn't get a chance to wrap up the story and, more specifically, show love.

Mara Brock Akil

story game chance love

I'm very connected and passionate about what I put out in the world, and I want to get things safely to shore.

Mara Brock Akil

things passionate want world