Imagine a brilliant, young, black, female, scientist, with incredible wit, impeccable fashion, and fierceness in battle. There are a zillion things to love about Black Panther, but seeing Letitia Wright embody Shuri floored me. I didn’t realize just how enormous a void such there was in popular culture until I saw it start to fill.
Black Panther blew my mind. Shuri made my heart sing.
Shuri gave the middle finger to her older brother, King T’Challa, at the beginning of the film, but more importantly she gave the finger to every stereotype I’ve been battling. As a young(ish), black, female marine biologist from the magical land of Brooklyn, this character brought me incredible joy. And, if I’m honest, a bit of relief.
It gets weary, being the only the black scientist in the room. It gets frustrating being met with shocked faces and being accused of lying when I tell strangers am a marine biologist, yes, with the Ph.D. and all. It gets heavy. The weight and honor of representing your people (and often everyone not white), of making a way for others, of the push for perfection. And it gets lonely, being a black scientist in America.
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