Thread by @KendraJames_

It's #StarTrekDay, and I can't begin to express how much Sisko and DS9 meant to me as a kid. Not gonna try, I'll just repeat my fave story.

I got into basically every college I applied to, and when it came down to it I was choosing between Oberlin, Pitzer, and I think Occidental.

I was leaning heavily on Pitzer, which seemed like Oberlin with better weather. My parents didn't want me to go to LA.

(LOL JOKE'S ON THEM ON TUESDAY WHEN I MOVE THERE ANYWAY, AIN'T IT?)

ANYWAY.

I was scrolling Wikipedia in my dorm room one night trying to look for facts that would convince them to let me go to Pitzer.

I got to the Oberlin page, basically looking for dirt, and scrolled down to the "famous alumni" section and saw Avery Brooks' name.

I think it was like 10min later I called my parents and said "I'll be okay with going to Oberlin, Sisko went there, write the check pls."

My logic was that, as a famous alum, he'd probably come back and maybe I'd get to meet him.

And my logic panned out-- Avery Brooks came back twice. Once to do Death of a Salesman. It was amazing.

He worked with the AfAm Studies and Theatre departments, and came back a second time to give a lecture during my senior year.

I met him the first time and cried (A lot) while trying to explain what he and Sisko meant to me.

He said, "I know. This is why I did it-- so *you* could watch it." Then I cried some more.

My favourite Avery Brooks quote is from one of his Oberlin talks: "Brown children must be able to participate in contemporary mythology."

You can see that here: (led by one of my fave Oberlin profs!)

Anyway. I've written abt DS9 and my <3. I think it needs an update soon, bc my feels have grown even more somehow.

medium.com/@KendraJames_/…

When it came down to it, DS9 was a Black family in space. I was already a Trekkie but this was the show tht felt like it was written FOR me.

"Brown children must be able to participate in contemporary mythology."

I repeat this bc it's what I keep in mind in *everything* I write.

Trek, the MCU, The DCU, etc-- this is all our mythology, for better or worse. It's what kids will play pretend with at recess.

And every kid should be able to join in in those games.

That's all!