East Flatbush Writer

I just binge-watched all four episodes of Ava Duvernay’s newest film on Netflix, “When They See Us.” It was not quite a film as much as an emotional journey down a road in the year 1989. If you are old enough, and I am, you will unwillingly travel back in time with her as she allows these five black youths to tell their side of this horrific story. Let me first start off by admitting that when this case hit the media waves in New York City, my 19 year old female mind was experiencing waves of shock and awe; disappointment and disgust.  As an Afro-Carribbean-American woman residing in the same city, drawing from the references of the young men I had shared classrooms with in our public schools, I wanted to distance myself from the stigma of “wilding black youth.” Just in case, you are shocked at my initial opinion of the indictments against the “Central Park Five” I have since spoken with my husband, also a New York City native, who was  a teenager of the 80’s. He too was mortified as well as angry. Angry that now “they” would also think that he was like “them.”

I would like to also clarify that at the time of the case, I didn’t want these young men to be guilty of this heinous crime, but there was implicating “evidence” everywhere, including their admission of guilt, which pointed to this seemingly innate structural weakness within the bodies of young people who looked like my husband and I. Every broadcast about criminal activity on the nightly news was  engaged in by black youth. It was disheartening, predictable and all together immensely frustrating. There were so many black parents who were trying to change the narrative; fighting for their children’s achievement beyond the stereotypes. African American men and women were attaining college degrees at record levels and contributing to social and financial conversations, at every level. After all, it was the era of the Huxtables.

So when this dark story surfaced, it felt like what it was, a huge setback. Our efforts, to finally gain the respect of our country despite being young and black was somewhat thwarted and our voices that we had used to call for justice in what felt like an unjust society, had been silenced.

Exactly thirty years later,  we are faced with the reality that what you see or even believe is not always the truth. One undeniable truth however, is what we believe about each other. In my humble opinion,  the greatest feat that Ms. Duvernay accomplished masterfully in her film was to portray these young black boys as vulnerable to the “truth” of others. They were young boys who loved music, their friendships and sports, were being raised in families who shared tight bonds of love and affection. They had mothers and fathers who aspired to great things for them, and who perfectly loved their imperfections. As I sat on the couch with my own son, I couldn’t help but acknowledge that there was nothing which set him apart from “them” other than circumstance. It was easy for us to believe the lie then and unfortunately continue believing it to this day.

 It was this institutionalized belief system which without conscience, robbed Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise of years of their lives. It was the “truth” of how they were seen and not who they were which put them in prison for crimes they never committed. I have since repented of my own failing to believe the actual truth about them in 1989  and I long for the day when we see ourselves for who we truly are now. Go see the movie, “When They See Us” directed by Ms. Ava Duvernay and let it encourage you down the path of seeing us all in the light of truth.