This Made Me Cry
Thursday, November 24th, 2016 09:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amarie24This 2016 Thanksgiving Publix commercial that's featuring a black family made me cry. You'll notice of course that Publix has the comments for the video disabled.
A black family with members that are varying shades of brown; in particular, there are dark-skinned women all over. A black family where one of the black women appears to have (purple?) dyed hair. A black family where the men help with the dishes, help with setting and clearing the table. A black family where one of the men comically notes that there's no more room in the refrigerator for dishes that require chilling (the theme is "One more"/"We need more"). A black family where they help each other tie aprons to start cooking. A black family where they give each other taste tests for cooking dishes.
A black family where there are children who are clearly having fun, clearly enjoying themselves. A black family where a young black girl child is seen having tender moments with her grandmother reading and relaxing after the dinner. A black family where one of the young black boys comically notes that they need more rolls.
A black family where they hug and kiss and smile as they enthusiastically greet each other.
A black family where everyone is just...happy. Safe. Laid back.
And the background music is soft and comforting and the lighting matches so.
And I need to stress: I am not crying out of sadness.
I am not sad.
I am crying because this video has hit me right in the feelings of being touched with a bittersweet sensation that is so bitter it bites the back of my throat and so sweet it warms the very center of my heart.
For me personally, it's just...it's so, so very easy to forget that the conception and identity of blackness does not and should not be rooted in constant suffering and struggle. It's especially easy to forget that after this presidential election and after this whole terrible year in general.
Blackness can and should also mean being safe. Being happy. Being accepted. Being fulfilled. Being human.
I forget that this is what blackness often means for me, too. I too, am capable of feeling this way, though I wish to feel it much, much more often in the future and I am striving for that future each and every day. I really needed this video; I really needed this reminder.
I hope that everyone has a happy, happy Thanksgiving. I know this video helped to make mine happy.
--Amarie
A black family with members that are varying shades of brown; in particular, there are dark-skinned women all over. A black family where one of the black women appears to have (purple?) dyed hair. A black family where the men help with the dishes, help with setting and clearing the table. A black family where one of the men comically notes that there's no more room in the refrigerator for dishes that require chilling (the theme is "One more"/"We need more"). A black family where they help each other tie aprons to start cooking. A black family where they give each other taste tests for cooking dishes.
A black family where there are children who are clearly having fun, clearly enjoying themselves. A black family where a young black girl child is seen having tender moments with her grandmother reading and relaxing after the dinner. A black family where one of the young black boys comically notes that they need more rolls.
A black family where they hug and kiss and smile as they enthusiastically greet each other.
A black family where everyone is just...happy. Safe. Laid back.
And the background music is soft and comforting and the lighting matches so.
And I need to stress: I am not crying out of sadness.
I am not sad.
I am crying because this video has hit me right in the feelings of being touched with a bittersweet sensation that is so bitter it bites the back of my throat and so sweet it warms the very center of my heart.
For me personally, it's just...it's so, so very easy to forget that the conception and identity of blackness does not and should not be rooted in constant suffering and struggle. It's especially easy to forget that after this presidential election and after this whole terrible year in general.
Blackness can and should also mean being safe. Being happy. Being accepted. Being fulfilled. Being human.
I forget that this is what blackness often means for me, too. I too, am capable of feeling this way, though I wish to feel it much, much more often in the future and I am striving for that future each and every day. I really needed this video; I really needed this reminder.
I hope that everyone has a happy, happy Thanksgiving. I know this video helped to make mine happy.
--Amarie
no subject
Date: 2016-11-25 07:27 am (UTC)I wish you a very happy, safe, fulfilling Thanksgiving.
warm fuzzies all over the place!
Date: 2016-11-25 03:44 pm (UTC)I'm grateful for you and your writing. Keep on with the black girl magic, Amarie!
no subject
Date: 2016-11-26 12:45 am (UTC)