I also like that Atlanta focuses on the pursuit of the “American Dream” without ever shying away from the fact that the main characters are black. It’s very thorough in its examination of the black experience.
We weren’t aiming to carry a banner saying “Hey, this is what TV or America needs,” because diversity should already be a priority in America. It’s a place where you can have your hopes and dreams fulfilled—or so we’ve been told. As we grow older, we realize that’s not always the case. It’s great that the show is so unapologetically what it is. It’s created its own lane and its own universe, and that shouldn’t shake people. It shouldn’t make you go, “Oh there are three black men on TV.” We shouldn’t need to celebrate that in 2016. We, as black people, have stories, too; we have [things] we want to express. At the end of the day, it’s incredibly important to have a show like Atlanta because if we can’t stand up for and celebrate each other, then who will? Who will do it better? I’m glad it’s being done and that I’m a part of it because [telling these stories] is necessary. Their lives matter; we matter, and it’s important that we have a show like this portraying all of its sides. And what better place to do that than Atlanta?
