Reel Justice

Elhaji Niang

 I chose this format because I felt like when it comes to bad and good representations of minorities in media, visuals would offer a way of seeing even visually how damaging stereotypes can be portrayed and showcase how well-written characters and movies with minorities can look like. The issue of misrepresentation in the media of minorities is seen to have a significant effect on how minorities are perceived and confirm people's biases against them. This can relate to the Care Ethics Lens, where fighting against social injustices and raising awareness is critical. The Church believes in solidarity or journeying together as the people of God, so being aware of what divides us can be crucial in uniting us. It can also relate to the Justice lens as it concerns social justice and incorporating minorities CORRECTLY. This idea will help me and others understand why and how these stereotypes are conveyed to us as audiences and, in creating minority characters, what some good qualities and blueprints are. In the first collage, past the intro collage, Rush Hour 2 is explored, and the way that comedy movies like this have created an internalized stereotype for minority characters. The second collage shows well-written African American characters from Jordan Peele movies that aren't over the top, childish, and stupid. They show that African American characters can be more than gag characters. This can relate to solidarity as we must care for each other and how we are represented, significantly if that affects the way we treat each other. The last collage explores the movie Call Me by Your Name and the discussion around the film. Although the characters are beloved by many, critics don't believe it fully represents the community and dances around the struggles of being queer. This shows that although there is progress within the field, accurate representations, social justice, and community are all processes.