Eric K. Thomas
Nov 3, 2020
Kim Fields has been moving mountains since she graced our TV screens years ago. From acting to directing Kim continues to be an inspiration to her peers, the younger generation and everyone that she touches. In our latest Culture Issue, Kim penned a letter to Black men titled Dear Sir. In a recent interview, we spoke to Kim about the current state of America, the Dear Sir letter and more.
On the current state of America, Kim say's "change is in the air."
There's a lot of anticipation. I think a lot of people don't want to claim the anxiety because change is in the air. Change is definitively in the air. And honestly, it's almost like we've have been conditioned long before this moment. It's like we've been conditioned to fear change and change is not something we need to be afraid of.
Kim also shares why she chose to title and start the letter with "Dear Sir."
The reason why I started with "Dear Sir" is first and foremost to give a reminder that we're somebody. That you man of color, you are somebody worthy of respect because in so many circles that has been stripped away. Or at least you're led to think that or believe that.
When asked how can Black men do a better job at protecting Black women, Kim shares:
I'm not fully on the bandwagon of saying you need to do a better job. I understand that that is a touchpoint for some women... I think that we have to be mindful that Black men have been through a lot and continue to go through a lot. Maybe how we adjust certain expectations. Not to say we shouldn't have expectations but being able to adjust and factor in some other things. How realistic is it to have a certain level of protection of others when you don't feel protected?
Check out the full interview below.
Check out Dear Sir in our Culture Issue.