On Wednesday, Black-ish creator Kenya Barris accepted the Rod Serling Award for Advancing Social Justice Through Popular Media and in his speech, spoke passionately about creating a dialogue and having difficult conversations.
“I think that we can really come together and use whatever experiences we have to make the next 4, 8, 12, 20 years of our lives a more enriched, a more fulfilling and a more honest and open community for all of us and our children,” Barris said, calling Trump’s election a “gut punch” for many who’d expected different results.
Barris went on to praise Rod Sterling, whose legacy the award honors, saying The Twilight Zone creator’s push to make viewers think about serious issues is what he’s trying to do in his career: “I think that I’ve been given a unique opportunity to tell a story and start conversations, and I think that’s the most important thing that any artist can do.”
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Barris added that the country can move forward if people are willing to open their minds and have tough conversations.
There are certainly many to be had.