12 Years a Slave

A story about a free black man during the “Antebellum” period in the United States, meaning before the civil war who was kidnapped into slavery. I’m one of those boomers that tell the Xrs and Millenniums that in order for us to successfully navigate the society we live in, you need to understand the struggle of your people. People that were undoubtedly survivors. And then I saw this movie, 12 Years a Slave. I groaned and cringed the whole time, and I could hear other people in the audience doing the same. We were wondering (and yes I’m going to speak for everyone) how any person calling themselves civilized could be so very, very, very cruel. It was graphic, and I know that still did not depict the true horrid tale of the Maafa. How the ancestors survived, “GOD”, that’s the only possible answer. I can’t imagine having to be afraid if not terrified of every second, of every minute, of every hour of every day. But, they persevered, survived, and we are strong. Should you see it…I know a lot of young people don’t like to watch or revisit that period. I don’t know, it was extremely hard to watch the suffering, the hopelessness, even if it was only a movie. But these stories need to be told. Let me know…Say Something L.A.