January 22, 2010

Last week, our Hollywood Bureau hosted a special event with the legendary Debbie Allen. An Emmy Award winning actress, choreographer, director, and producer, Ms. Allen has worked on such defining television shows as "Fame," "The Cosby Show," "A Different World," "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," "That's So Raven," and "Everybody Hates Chris" as well as the film "Amistad."

In conversation with Communications Director Edina Lekovic, Ms. Allen reflects on her personal journey, discusses the evolution of portrayals of African Americans on television, and offers advice to aspiring Muslim artists.

A few key excerpts:

"Sometimes, when you 'don't know,' you can do more because there are no limitations."

"Opportunity meets its time. Everything has its own time. Sometimes these ideas are brilliant but they come before the their time. 'The Cosby Show' happened at a time - like now - where America needed to see a reflection of itself. It was so popular because it was universal. It became a show that was so not about color and race and so about family, and it made everyone have a sense of the universality of every family."

"In any country or any community, if the students are silent, it's like the community is dead. If young people aren't making a noise about something, then something's wrong because there's always gotta be that growth, that burst of growth. I had gone to Howard University in the 70s. With 'A Different World,' we tripled the enrollment of historically black colleges and colleges because of all the sudden young people - black, white, whatever - felt that the college experience was something they wanted to have."

"I really am one that understands that ownershp is the only way you can control the images, meaning you have to the writer and you have to be the producer, which means who you have to create the content because no one's going to have your point of you like you are... Use technology, but also have a presence and don't be afraid to stand up for yourself and your people. You have to, and take your image back. Black people had to take our images back because there was enough of us being one-dimensional."

"There were times I was very angry and frustrated, then I realized that anger was one of the biggest to hurdles to overcome because when you are angry you really can't accomplish anything. You are not walking the path of goodness and light. When you are angry, nothing is going to happen. So I had to let that go and just be patient, persistant and know that this story had a place. Young people have to have that kind of spirit, determination, tenacity, persistance and belief - that's it."