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Black stories do tell, Black stories do connect, and we see that Black stories do belong in the light. Especially when they are told with care, nuance and authenticity. ‘Forever’ broke the mold by putting a young dark skinned Black girl at the center of a global story which in turn changed the game for what is accepted in main stream TV.
What is remarkable about Forever is that it breaks the mold which reduces Black characters to stereotypes. In terms of the show’s main character Keisha we see a complex woman which is rare she is smart, vulnerable, romantic, sensitive. She does not fit into the “strong Black woman” stereotype. Instead we see her at her most human, at times soft and messy. She grapples with the pressure to have it all put together which in reality is a breaking point for her. Her grief is quiet but very present and what we see in her is that so many Black women and girls carry what may go unseen by the world yet they still put on a front of it all being ok. Her story is the emotional core of the show which so many can see themselves in.
This issue of what it is like to be in mostly white spaces does not pass over in this show. It presents the subtle distress of being in places which may as well be foreign the code switching, the microaggressions, the silence which speaks volumes. Forever puts that which goes unnamed at the forefront, gives it a voice.
Equally as much is the way in which we see the story of Justin and others like him play out his ADHD is put forward with care and sensitivity. We see his emotional intelligence, his tenderness, his gentleness which in turn is valued and given screen time. It is not often that we as an audience are given to see neurodiverse Black boys in this light and Forever does that which is great it puts their stories at the fore.
What which is does is that Blackness is not always represented through trauma or pain. There is no violence, no worn out tropes instead we have a very loving told story of love, adolescence and healing. Based on Judy Blume’s book which is then re worked by Mara Brock Akil, Forever is a love letter to Black girlhood and Black love. It is in the center of joy, complexity and truth.
This is the mark of good representation. The more we watch, share, and promote shows like Forever the more we progress in telling full and true stories of who we are. It’s a success which also is a catalyst to do better. We need more of this. We need it now.
