âI want to change the world,â he begins about what he wants to accomplish as an artist. âBeing an actor of colorâbeing a black young man in Hollywood todayâit is tough enough and to be put on a platform where I can use my influence to change stuff, Iâm going to do it because there needs to be a change. There needs to be more of us, there needs to be more of a positive image for black people and the way we handle stuff and the way we approach different situations. What you usually see on tv, youâre getting the âratchetâ version of a black person. Youâre not getting the âgraduated with a Masters Degreeâ youâre not getting the âI have etiquette, but I can be ratchet if I need toâ. Youâre just getting what they want the world to see.â Understanding the importance of inclusion in such a prominent and impressionable artform, he stresses that itâs important to show that black actors hold the capacity and duality to be diverse in the roles they play and stories they are a part of. Using his platform positively, he hopes that this will allow for making room for more opportunities not just for him as an actor, but for other black actors/actresses as well. Talking about the first time he ever felt himself being represented in this medium, MeKai goes back to the classic 1975 Blaxploitation dramedy, Cooley High, âThe other day I was watching Cooley High, and it wasnât necessarily the way we were being represented, but the way that it was an entirely black movie. Like everyone on the cast was extremely diverse and you saw a bond with friends that no matter what it reaches you know, I really, really like that movie.â #mekaicurtis #milomurphyslaw #disneychannel #kirbybuckets #inclusionmatters đ·: Steven Wetherbee http://teenplicity.com/mekai-curtis-law/
