(No matter how many awards, episodes, or characters say otherwise)đ Television Is EntertainmentâNot Protection TV is not systemic c

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(No matter how many awards, episodes, or characters say otherwise)
đ Television Is EntertainmentâNot Protection
TV is not systemic change.
TV is not a shield from injustice.
đ©ș Debbi Morgan Played a DoctorâŠ
She won Daytime Emmys and NAACP Image Awards.
She is phenomenalâI once had the honor of watching her and Blair Underwood film a scene in my hometown.
But even Debbi Morgan canât stop medical racism that kills Black women and babies in hospital parking lots because staff wonât listen.
âïž Blair Underwood Played a LawyerâŠ
Multiple times. (Applause for his performance in LA Law)
Elegant, powerful, unforgettable on screen.
But he canât represent you in court when your family is seeking damages after youâre goneâ
Gone because of police brutality.
Gone because the system failed.
And damages? Thatâs all they ever want to offer usâafter the harm is done.
đźđœ New York Undercover Was GroundbreakingâŠ
Representation that meant something.
Characters we saw ourselves in.
But it canât find our missing women and children.
It canât launch real investigations.
It canât make a system care about the lives of Black girls.
đïž Dominique Deveraux Had Power on Dynasty
Diahann Carroll gave us wealth, glamour, and Black excellence.
But TV money doesnât pay for:
Your medical billsÂ
Your tuition
Your childcare
Intentional government interference in and destruction of Black wealth building worked exactly as intended. Real Black women and children facing abuse, violence, and harassment donât have a mansion in Bel Air to run to.
We have shelters that turn us away, systems that ignore us, and nowhere near enough protection.
đž Television Doesnât Pay for Real Life
It doesnât fix employment discrimination.
It doesnât stop schools from pushing our kids out.
It doesnât answer emergency calls or cover funeral costs.
đ„ Visibility Is Not Liberation
We honor the artists and the necessity of powerful storytelling.
We celebrate the breakthroughs in representation in the business of media.
And join them when we tell the truth:
TV roles cannot replace real justice.
TV awards do not cancel out generational harm.
Letâs stop pointing to television as proof that âeverythingâs fine.â
Itâs time we demand more than appearances.
Itâs time we fight for the world we deserve.
đŠ Toni Morrison
âWeâve created the illusion of progress by showcasing exceptional Black individuals while ignoring the suffering of millions.â
Race Matters (1999)