When I first read Boyz N the Hood, I immediately connected to the material because I went to school in Inglewood and I knew these kids. The representation was authentic and true to the Black experience, both for the protagonists and for the antagonists, and I knew that with John Singleton at the helm of his own story, it would resonate in a big way. What I didn’t know is that authentic representation is so powerful, it changed the culture: Drive-by shootings plunged after kids were able to see themselves on screen.

The Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS), based in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), was commissioned to evaluate how STARZ, a global streaming media company, compares to the rest of the television industry in terms of diverse representation of gender, race, and their intersection on- screen, behind the camera, and among Senior Leadership. CSS’ findings indicate that STARZ’s diversity data for the reported categories is above the industry average in nearly all instances and in particular when comparing their diversity data for people of color (POC).

Race affects the everyday lives of all students in this country; it is at the heart of human identity, human conflict, and human healing. As educators, we can facilitate safe, open conversations, and move young people toward a better future. Through multiple sources, varying perspectives, and the analysis of facts, we must provide opportunities for students to learn, address our own implicit biases, and allow for deeper thought and cross-cultural understanding to emerge.