When They See Us provided a necessary puzzle piece to the police brutality and criminal justice reform conversations for the black community and American society. While some are reliving the “Wilding Boys” headlines, the younger generations are hearing the story for the first time. It also taught us the importance of having something to look forward to.
The four part miniseries created, co-written, and directed by Ava DuVernay for Netflix, examines the experiences of the Exonerated Five (previously referred to as the Central Park Five) as they are thrust into the criminal justice system and the court of public opinion. The five boys were accused of assulting and raping Trisha Meili, the Central Park jogger, in April 1989. Each served 6-13 years in juvenile detention facilities and prison, following forced confessions.
The series delves deeply into the four stages of the American criminal justice system: the police, courts, incarceration and life after prison.
It is filled with hard lessons that challenge and confirm our beliefs, where we can predict several lessons. The black experience in America. The villainization of black children. The atrocities of the criminal justice system. Shall I go on? These lessons are entrenched with high levels of vulnerability and mistreatment, where the characters become relatable in their innocence, regret, exhaustion and the constant mental replay of events. The characters routinely think: What could I have done differently? What if I had just stayed home? What would our lives be like if this never happened? These statements aren’t shouted from the rooftops, but can be seen in their mannerisms, their memories, their eyes.
Besides the obvious, what yanked me out of my current reality?
The gems dropped by Kylie Bunbury.
Following this revelation, Bunbury’s character, Angie, says that she, too, battled with feelings of guilt and unhappiness. She hadn’t allowed herself to feel joy and just going through life’s motions because of the hand that Kevin was dealt. She notes, the secret to rediscovering happiness is to find something to look forward to. Instead of being miserable at your daytime job, find a piece of those eight hours that you can laugh with coworkers or feel proud of your work. Instead of moping at home, figure out what you’re passionate about and dedicate an hour to it. Work through the feelings of hopelessness in prison, maybe looking forward to your time with the sun or the next novel you can read during quiet time.
When They See Us allows us to see the nuances in the perspectives of the Exonerated Five. Their sisters. Their mothers. Their fathers. The community.
As the rest of the world did, watch When The See Us. Spend the following 48 hours obsessing over the movie, dissecting The Central Park Jogger case Wikipedia article, watching deposition videos on YouTube and reading old “Wilding” headlines by some of your favorite now “diverse and woke” publications. And watch it again. And figure out what lessons you can incorporate into your everyday life. And figure out your something to look forward to.