American Son

Original Netflix film American Son, directed by Kenny Leon, was released earlier this month. The film gives an account of a black mother, Kendra Ellis-Connor, and her desperate battle with the police to figure out the whereabouts of her missing mixed-race son Jamal.
Jamal, 18 years old, has gotten himself into a situation in which he and a few of his friends are pulled over by a police officer. As events unfold, an attempt to flee resulted in three shots being fired; killing one of the suspects. While Kendra and her ex-husband Scott Connor wait to receive news on their son, Kendra unravels the worst nightmare a black mother (or black parent) with a black son could ever dream of. It is the dream that has been sadly manifested in the deaths of many African-American males like Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and countless more.
The film shines a light on the depressing complexities of being black in America and also amplifies the intense nature of law enforcement work. The film is a must see, and even if you choose not to watch it you will still be confronted with its content on a daily basis. The African-American experience is a forever-struggle. Regardless of how much the community tries to assimilate into white culture, the possibility of shedding the societal chains of racism and oppression will be nearly impossible. The only true way to overcome the state that we have been subjected to is to embrace education, as our ancestors desired, and establish an identity for ourselves that we can be wholly proud of.
Although education does not bring about equality, it ushers in a freedom that cannot be stripped away by any force. If our community can pivot toward embracing education and a more collectivist mindset we can become more effective in dismantling many of the problems we face: poverty, fatherless homes, and more. Our community used to say, “it takes a village to raise a child,” but we seem to have forgotten about this proverb. Instead of looking out for each other, we have inherited a system that dates back to the days of slavery where we distance, hate, and alienate one other. As we continue to be confronted with prejudices it is, now so more than ever, evident that we undergo a reformation. A reformation that teaches the importance of learning, self-love, and community values.
This is not to say that we should not continue our fight for our acceptance in America. It is a fight that may never be completed, but a fight that I will fight until the end. This country is ours too, and the blood and sweat of our ancestors line the streets and coats the fields of this great nation. But, what I mean to say, is that as we fight for the right to be simply treated as humans, we simultaneously fight for our community’s well-being.