CODE-S

As a child, I used creative writing to escape the homogenous captivity of Altamonte Springs, FL. Growing up, I was typically the only (or one of the few) Black children in my class. My parents strived to provide better lives for their children, but our family ended up encountering more complex difficulties. Like the Notorious B.I.G. once said, “Mo’ money, mo’ problems.” Outside of the constant racism I endured from White people, I struggled to deal with mental health issues and figure out if I would ever be “Black enough” for my community.
The struggles of my past inspires my art of the present and the future. My works of art center around the underdog protagonists because they fight their way to freedom and independence. More importantly, I grew up as the underdog. I was constantly told I was dumb, even though I was in the top 10% of my graduating high school class. I was told I couldn’t play Mama Morton in the school musical version of Chicago because I wasn’t a size 2, even though she’s been famously played by talented plus-size Black women. Since I was Black, overweight, loud and self-assured, there was no way I encompass any type of intelligence and talent according to my naysayers. I wasn’t allowed to contain multitudes. Because of this (temporary) restriction, I create intricate storytelling that encapsulates the shades of grey we exist in. This brings me to my TV pilot CODE-S and why I think it’s timely. I wrote CODE-S because we are currently going through a reckoning in this country when it pertains to race relations. Due to technological advancement, the country’s embedded racism is now televised for the whole world to see. We can no longer hide from the truth, but certain people in power will do anything necessary to make sure it stays quiet. I try to answer the following questions in my script: what happens when power is unchecked and because you want to live your life peacefully, will you go by the wayside to avoid trauma? What length will we go to bury our heads in the sand because we’ve gone through so much?
CODE-S is an important story to tell because it tackles taboo subjects that Black people struggle to confront. Additionally, CODE-S touches upon the vulnerabilities of our efforts to be deemed acceptable in society’s vision while dealing with the fact we are still killed senselessly because of the color of our skin. It makes us question what our place in the world truly is. CODE-S explores the battle that one will endure to silence that vulnerability completely. I am a Black person who has struggled to find her definition of Blackness while tackling vulnerability and the hidden diseases of depression and anxiety. Throughout my journey, I had to live in the anger and sadness of my situations, but then subsequently find the lighthearted moments to keep myself going. CODE-S is a miraculous result of the trauma I’ve endured.