{"id":4698,"date":"2026-07-30T19:38:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=4698"},"modified":"2026-07-30T19:38:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:38:35","slug":"race-matters-a-conversation-with-tv-producer-mara-brock-akil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=4698","title":{"rendered":"Race Matters: A Conversation With TV Producer Mara Brock Akil"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Race<\/p>\n

Christine Pride, left; Mara Brock Akil, right<\/em><\/p>\n

When I was six years old, I asked my parents why there weren\u2019t people who looked like us on TV. With books<\/a>, it wasn\u2019t an issue \u2014 I could imagine<\/em> that the characters resembled me \u2014 but the rest of mainstream pop culture was almost entirely white. Even at my young age, I knew something was off. It sent a message I was only beginning to understand. <\/p>\n

Then came The Cosby Show<\/em> in 1984. It\u2019s hard to convey the impact that series had, not only on me personally, but on the culture at large. For many white people, the sitcom was their first exposure to a family of this kind (Black people \u2014 they\u2019re just like us!<\/em>). And for many Black viewers, it was a rare opportunity to see ourselves reflected on screen. However tarnished the show\u2019s legacy has become, its debut was a watershed moment and the start of a heyday for Black TV. <\/p>\n

Shows like A Different World<\/a>, Living Single<\/a>, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air<\/a> gave more opportunities to Black performers and storytellers. Powerhouse showrunner Mara Brock Akil<\/a> got her start on one of those groundbreaking sitcoms \u2014 Moesha<\/a> \u2014 and then went on to produce two decades\u2019 worth of hit series, including Girlfriends<\/a>, Being Mary Jane<\/a>, and the recent adaptation of the Judy Blume novel Forever<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Now, Mara has turned to a new creative medium: books! Her debut novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne<\/a>, follows a woman in early-90s NYC, who\u2019s waiting for the results of an HIV test. As a longtime fan, I was thrilled to chat with Mara about her trailblazing career, conquering shame, and the enduring power of love stories\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Mara<\/p>\n

Mara on the lot<\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve always centered Black women in your work. When you first started, did you feel a responsibility to do so \u2014 or were you simply telling your stories?<\/strong>
Both. When I was in journalism school in the \u201990s, there were two types of \u201cBlack\u201d stories: either criminalization and trauma or hyper-success through sports or entertainment. The in-between experiences did not exist, and that lit a spark in me. I knew the stories of my family and community\u00a0were not only underrepresented, but also valuable and universal. I made it my mission to tell stories like that.<\/p>\n

As a writer, I\u2019m always asking myself, \u2018Who is the audience?\u2019 You can\u2019t write for everyone, but in competitive worlds like publishing<\/a> and TV, there are gatekeepers controlling what stories get told. How do you think about who you\u2019re writing for?<\/strong>
I think of culture as a dinner party, and myself as a guest. I come to the table and see myself in conversation with others, too \u2014 like painter Amy Sherald<\/a> and the singer-songwriters Solange<\/a> and Jazmine Sullivan<\/a> (I\u2019ve been listening a lot to her new album). For me, storytelling is about driving that conversation forward. <\/p>\n

\"Race<\/p>\n

Mara at a book reading<\/em><\/p>\n

I got completely sucked into your new novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne<\/a>. What made you choose to write a book rather than a screenplay?<\/strong>
Quite frankly, it remains hard to sell anything centered on a Black woman in the TV\/movie business. But this story had been in my mind for a long time, and when a book editor reached out to me, I wondered if it might be best told on the page. Dionne is a young, successful Black woman, in the \u201990s \u2014 the era of, \u2018I can do bad all by myself.\u2019 She looks like she\u2019s got it all together, but what is she carrying inside that we don\u2019t see?<\/p>\n

If you think of culture as a dinner conversation, what\u2019s the topic you want to raise with this book?<\/strong>
Shame. Capitalism thrives off our shame. I think of all of us at that dinner party and wonder: What if we all lay it down?<\/em> That\u2019s what Dionne Daphne is doing. She raises her hand and says, \u2018I\u2019m going to tell you this story, laying down my shame, so I can get to who I really am.\u2019 Maybe it\u2019ll give someone else permission to do the same. <\/p>\n

Your novel doesn\u2019t shy away from tough, potentially triggering subjects. So many \u201cBlack\u201d stories do involve pain and struggle, given the facts of history. How do you integrate that reality, while avoiding the traps of stereotype and trauma porn?<\/strong>
My goal is to illuminate our beauty and resilience: How we do<\/em> carry so much. All the things we\u2019ve survived. I mean, if you think about everything that\u2019s happened to Black folks \u2014 how have we done that? We work hard to avoid getting stuck in our pain, but there\u2019s a difference between coping and truly healing. We\u2019re in a moment where a lot of people are<\/em> trying to heal, by acknowledging their wounds and unburdening themselves. There\u2019s power in that. <\/p>\n

\"Forever<\/p>\n

The TV series Forever<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Lastly, I have to ask you about your show Forever<\/a>, based on Judy Blume\u2019s classic (and most banned!) novel<\/a> about two teenagers losing their virginity. I remember hiding under the covers to re-read all the pages I\u2019d dog-eared. You reimagined this story for television with contemporary Black characters. Tell us about that decision.<\/strong>
I knew I couldn\u2019t translate Forever<\/a> directly. I took the core story \u2014 two young people falling in love \u2014 and asked myself what their challenges would be now, in modern America. The book was first published in 1975, not long after the birth-control pill had become available, giving young women more agency and safety to explore their sexuality. That was the \u201cmodern\u201d backdrop of the protagonist Katherine\u2019s story. But what happens if you shift that perspective to a young Black boy in 2018? What does it mean for him to safely explore his<\/em> sexuality? The terrain is immediately different; race becomes a factor, a different gender becomes a factor. But the innocence and spark of first love \u2014 that\u2019s the same. I wanted to remind people that young people deserve the chance to explore and develop. Are we making space for that? Are we protecting it? Are we helping them navigate it without dire consequences? The obstacles Justin and Keisha face are familiar to all of us in today\u2019s America. We want to root for this young Black couple, falling in love and trying to stay true to themselves. <\/p>\n

\"Christine<\/p>\n

Christine and Mara<\/em><\/p>\n

Thank you for the excellent chat, Mara! Congratulations on your wonderful new novel<\/a>. And for all you Forever<\/a> fans, Mara is working on season two. I would love to hear how a book or television show has touched or shaped you. Please share in the comments\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Christine Pride<\/a> is a writer, book editor, and content consultant who lives in Harlem, New York. Her latest book is All The Men I\u2019ve Loved Again<\/a>, and you can read her past Cup of Jo posts here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

P.S. More Race Matters posts<\/a>, including five things I want to tell my white friends<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Christine Pride photo at top by Yumi Matsuo<\/a> for Cup of Jo. Mara Brock Akil headshot by Emma Feil<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

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