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I'd never been around or seen a black showrunner, and in some ways you wish that it wasn't a big deal.
Mahershala Ali
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects the desire for diversity in leadership roles and the hope that representation will eventually be seen as normal rather than exceptional.

In this quote, Mahershala Ali expresses his experience of encountering a lack of diverse representation in the media industry, particularly in leadership positions such as showrunners. He acknowledges the significance of seeing a black showrunner, highlighting it as a milestone while simultaneously wishing for a future where such representation is commonplace and not a subject of discussion, indicating a need for change in the industry's culture.

Themes

DiversityLeadershipRepresentationMediaShowrunner

In practice

Example use cases

Discussing the importance of diversity in a panel about media representation.

More from Mahershala Ali

The call for diversity is about recognizing that in order to be in the conversation come awards season, it goes back to the content that is being produced.
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I think if you have any desire to be a leading man or to really carry some of these stories, there's this relationship that has to be cultivated with an audience. People have to be able to say your name.
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To really be conscious of how long the journey is, be patient, push yourself, persevere, and always be working on your craft while waiting for your break. That's what I'm still working on, having done this for 20 years now.
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Your life, your circumstances change, and you have to continue to grow as a person, and once you have means and opportunity, you have to make different choices to protect what you have.
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To get to play someone who was in some capacity the King of Harlem, that meant something to me. Deep within my bones. I was inspired by the energy that I knew to be a real thing.
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I remember clearly, when I was about 4, my Aunt Linda said, 'I'm not babysitting him no more. He's bad.' It was one of the first conscious shifts I remember making. I decided, 'I'm going to be good now.'
Mahershala AliRead

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