Representation is important. That’s why. Alvira Salman, Tiffin Girls

Since when did having a black woman on a TV show become “woke” or an Asian superhero in a movie “propaganda”? The world today is incredibly diverse, but the movies and TV shows we watch rarely reflect the true scale of the cultures and people that make up our society. That is why it is important for such people to see themselves more on the big screen.

In the past, the media played a large role in creating negative stereotypes about various minorities, such as portraying Asians as nerdy and undesirable to date, the Muslim and black communities as dangerous and violent, and reducing Hispanics to one-dimensional love interests or illegal immigrants.

Over the years, the constant portrayal of people has shaped both conscious and unconscious biases against people of color that affect their lives every day and can even cause more serious harm, such as hate crimes and wrongful arrests. The influence of mass media cannot be overlooked; many people don’t realize how much news they consume on a daily basis, mindlessly scrolling through social media apps, including TV or radio in the background, or even ads playing while waiting to watch a video or game. This constant noise and information is buried deep in our minds and shapes our opinions of people and places from a very young age.

When I was talking to a British friend of mine, she told me that “when I was very young, I was ashamed to admit that I was afraid of women in hijabs, until I met one of them and realized how harmless and kind she was. She was just another ordinary person, like me and my family.’ Children are not born with prejudices, but they are definitely taught by what they see on the screen.

This explains why all kinds of movies and TV shows like Brooklyn 9-9 and Ms. Marvel are so important in today’s society. They show another side, the truth about people all over the world, and break the boundaries of the vicious stereotypes and one-dimensional stories fed to previous generations. Moreover, media portrayals of minorities not only affect how others see them, but also how they see themselves.

The media is well known for causing self-esteem issues. The effect of this is magnified for people of color, who rarely see themselves, their culture, and their experiences on screen, creating a sense of isolation and insignificance. Even worse, when they see themselves as the bad guy or the uneducated or weird side character, it creates a sense of low self-esteem and makes people think that they are unlikeable, incapable, and not usually attractive or likable. Examples of self-esteem issues that come to people of color through the media are accents, ethnic names, body hair, personality, and more.

The good news is that from what we’ve seen over the past couple of years, the film industry has a long way to go, but the right steps are being taken. Many more people see themselves and their culture accurately and fairly represented on screen, boosting their self-esteem and self-belief, making them feel seen, validated, and informing viewers around the world about the experiences and obstacles people of color face every day.

The children of tomorrow will see people from other countries on TV and hopefully look at them with respect and awe and not have the same negative opinions that were unconsciously planted in their minds from a young age due to the media that surrounds them . Positive representation in the media is a huge step towards ending racist, harmful stereotypes and creating a more equal world for all.