I'm definitely drawn to stories about outsiders. Feeling like that myself as a gay black man, I often seek to give a voice to those in the world who don't have one.
Interpretation
The quote expresses the importance of amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals, especially as experienced by the speaker as a gay black man.
Roger Ross Williams reflects on his personal connection to the experience of feeling like an outsider due to his identity. He emphasizes his commitment to storytelling that highlights the struggles and voices of marginalized communities, advocating for those who might otherwise remain unheard in society. This perspective underscores the significance of representation and the power of narrative in fostering empathy and understanding among diverse groups.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about the importance of diversity in storytelling.
While the documentary community is way ahead of Hollywood, it is still nowhere near where it needs to be. Filmmakers of color rarely get hired by the powerful production companies, and they are not getting supported enough by broadcasters and funders to tell their own stories.
When I was in high school, I felt totally alienated from the world, but I loved movies. They were my escape, but coming from a disadvantaged community, I never knew that filmmaking was an option for me. A program like School of Doc would have been a game-changer.
Trust is not the same as faith. A friend is someone you trust. Putting faith in anyone is a mistake.
I miss God. I miss the company of someone utterly loyal. I still don't think of God as my betrayer. The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my friend. I don't even know if God exists, but I do know that if God is your emotional role model, very few human relationships will match up to it.
It made me start to wonder if there were other people so lonely so close. I thought about “Eleanor Rigby.” It’s true, where do they all come from? And where do they all belong?
You are in a partnership with all other human beings, not a contest to be judged better than some and worse than others.
The only relationship we can have in this life is the relationship we have with ourselves. We cannot love anybody more than we love ourselves. We cannot treat anyone any better than we treat ourselves. When you forget you, give up on you, or devalue yourself, anyone coming into your life has a universal responsibility to follow your lead.
There are times when a lover longs to be also a father and a brother: he is jealous of the years he hasn't shared.
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