Original subtitles

Halfway through my first year of middle school,

I found a group... Science Club.

The "science" part, I liked.

Hey, want to go down to the creek later?

You should see what happens

when you pour some of this stuff on live frogs.

The "club" part, not so much.

I mean, these guys weren't exactly my peeps.

Oh, thank God. Gotta go.

Uh, so you just gonna...

I'm late to help Ms. Collins with something.

Um... okay.

I guess I'll clean this myself.

I had Micaela, and she was awesome,

but I was beginning to wonder

if I was ever gonna find more peeps...

a peep group I'd actually want to hang with.

Whoa. You got down that hallway quick.

Yeah. Way faster than Dreya.

What are you guys talking about?

The track team.

We need a fourth for the relay.

We have a meet against Willoughby on Saturday,

and we need to smoke them.

You in?

I would love to smoke it with you.

I mean, I'm in.

Cool. Welcome to the Mondale track team.

And just like that, I had peeps,

and it felt pretty good.

And just so I'm clear, what's a track team?

♪ In the mix ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, they keep trying ♪

♪ But they can't stop us ♪

♪ 'Cause we got a love ♪

♪ That keeps rising up ♪

♪ I-I-In the mix ♪

♪ Life turns around ♪

♪ 'Round and 'round it goes ♪

♪ Ooh, it's a mixed-up world ♪ ♪ Ooh, it's a mixed-up ♪

♪ And that's for sure ♪ ♪ Mixed-up ♪

♪ In the mix ♪ ♪ Baby ♪

♪ We're gonna get by ♪

♪ We're gonna ♪ ♪ On our own, side by side ♪

♪ Love's all we need to be free ♪ ♪ Lo-o-o-ve is all ♪

♪ I got you, you got me ♪

♪ Yaaaaay us! ♪

♪ I-I-In the mix ♪

♪ Yaaaaay us! ♪

♪ I-I-In the mix-ish ♪

I do. I did.

Look, everyone. I have friends.

We're on the track team together.

And we have a meet on Saturday.

Apparently, we're going to "whip the black off" some kids.

I think I'm gonna cry.

Is it okay if we go to my room and listen to some music?

Of course, Bowdie.

Ooh, I prayed this day would come.

Play this tape for them. It's George Michael.

He's black, and no one's gonna convince me otherwise.

- Have fun. - Nice meeting you.

Bye.

That's great Rainbow made the track team,

but I'm still a little surprised.

Yeah. Me, too. I never pegged her as an athlete.

I-I mean, I'm happy for her,

but I'm just... surprised she made it.

Are you also surprised

that her team looks like a "Soul Train" line?

Oh, geez, Dad, what... what are you saying?

That all black people are fast? You know that's not true.

If it's not true, then how did you know what I was saying?

Harrison, that's just a stereotype.

Silver granddaddy is right.

There's a lot of truth to stereotypes.

I always bet on the black high-jumper.

Also, we know half the people in this room gonna get diabetes.

Where are you betting on high-jumping?

But when you focus on stereotypes,

you miss the truth.

Like, when you say we're fast, you don't mention

how sports can be the only way out of bad neighborhoods.

And when you say we can't swim,

you don't mention how pools were segregated,

so we couldn't learn.

I thought it was because of your big butts.

Black people don't have big butts.

- Yeah, we do. - Hell yeah, we do.

I mean, there might be some truth to some stereotypes,

but we don't have to sit there and give them oxygen.

I mean, like, look at us.

- I'm not some rich white guy... - Mm.

...and Alicia doesn't, you know...

Actually, I don't know what Alicia doesn't do,

because our family doesn't waste time

- worrying about stereotypes. - Exactly.

Rainbow is running track because she loves track.

And that's it.

Fine. Whatever.

Your butt's not even that big.

- Yeah, it is. - Hell yeah, it is.

I was nervous to be hanging with new friends,

but it was going surprisingly well.

Here we are.

Three and a half black girls, kicking back.

Except for that part.

Mm?

Hold up.

Do you not know how to dance?

Ooh.

Yeah. I can dance.

Do you know how many rain storms I've started?

Come on. Let me show you,

because we need to look fresh when we win on Saturday.

- That's right. - Mm-hmm.

Plus, my ex, Darnell, is gonna be there.

- Don't even worry about him. - Okay.

This is the prep.

Okay. I mean...

- Almost. - ...it's something.

Okay. Let's do it this way.

You gotta be cool.

Okay. All right. Let's just move on to the wop.

- No. - Oh.

- No. - No, look.

We got our work cut out for us.

- Mm-hmm. - We sure do.

Oh! What's going on in here?

Four and a half black girls kicking back?

Get out of here, Santi.

- You're only 5, and we're dancing. - Mm-hmm.

Uh, you want to see dancing?

Go, Santi! Uh-huh!

Santi was used to being the cool one,

but with these girls,

she was just your average, annoying little sister.

Girl, don't get me started on annoying little sisters.

- You can sit. - Not annoying! Little sister!

- Whoo! Uh-huh! - Leave, Santi.

Now, Santi. Bye, Santi.

- Bye. - Bye. Go, Santi.

- Go, Santi. - Bye.

So, why'd you break up with Darnell?

Girl, let me tell you.

O-M-G.

I had peeps,

and we are all totally gonna give Darnell

the silent treatment on Saturday,

because that's what peeps do.

And it was my ex-best friend from kindergarten.

- What? - She broke girl code.

- Oh, my gosh. - I know.

She just... dissed you.

Yes!

- Dissed. - Good job, Bow.

- Look at you go. - And I loved it.

Ooh.

Bell rang three minutes ago.

Yeah, I know, I know. We're a little late.

We had to go back home for Johan's lunch.

- I didn't forget it. I ate it. - Bye, bud.

Shine your light, buddy!

Don't worry. Everyone knows there's A.M., P.M., and D.T....

"Dad Time."

You dads are always late.

Ever since we got here,

Barbara had been stereotyping my dad

as a typical crappy father.

Oh, no, but... but this is the first time we've been late, so...

Oh, is it? I can never keep track of all you D.T. dads.

Well... I am not a D.T. dad.

I stay home with the kids. I cook their food.

I-I even do their hair, and let me tell you,

there was a steep learning curve with that last one,

because, you know, they're...

Have you seen my kids?

Really, don't worry about it.

I know you can't help it.

No. Really.

Barbara, I'm a great dad.

Uh, maybe even better than some moms.

- Oh. - Dad?

I think you grabbed the compost bag,

because this is only banana peels.

Oh.

Nope, that's your lunch, buddy.

Remember, all the vitamins are in the peel.

I bet you didn't know that.

Why are your shoeless feet on my chair?

Hello to you, too.

I'm trying to relax!

Do your job!

Ugh!

What happened now?

Jack put his nasty feet on my chair. Who does that?

It's completely inappropriate and disgusting.

- What is so funny? - You.

You said that stereotypes don't exist,

and here you are... the angry black woman.

Because I'm a black woman

who just had someone's feet on my chair.

That wouldn't make you angry?

- It would. - Exactly.

And it's not like I just walk around mad all day.

Oh?

I'm in a room full of college graduates.

How is this complicated?

If you finish the pot, you make another pot!

Okay?

And that wouldn't have made you angry?

Yes, but you keep missing the point.

Well, it seems like the point is,

you get to call me an angry black woman

and no one calls you guys "angry white men."

I guess you do get the point.

So, you're saying I can't be angry?

Well, not unless you want people

to keep politely declining to work with you.

What? They do that?

Well, if they do,

it's because they can't see my passion.

- Anger. - Passion.

Okay. Whatever name you call it,

people around here call it scary.

I can stare, too.

Check it out. I think I got the wop.

I don't know what that's supposed to be,

but it's not the wop.

- Wait, really? - I'm just playing.

You got it, girl.

- Mm. You're fresh. - Mm-hmm.

Let me find out Little Miss Light Skin knows how to dance.

Yeah. You know, you're way blacker than I thought.

What do you mean?

You're fast, you can dance a little bit,

and you can't find your name on a keychain.

None of that is because I'm black.

It's because of who I am.

So, you think it's just a coincidence

that all the girls on this team look like us?

Okay. And down.

I was floored.

What I assumed was a special connection between four friends

had just been reduced to our skin color.

Oh, thank God.

Rebecca, you're joining the track team, right?

No. I'm on my way to swim practice.

Want to see my keychain? It has my name on it.

Unbelievable. Angry black woman.

Do you know how hard I've worked

to be seen as more than just black, or just a woman?

I went to law school in the '60s.

In my graduation photo,

there's someone holding a sign saying, "N-word go home."

What? I missed you.

Seriously.

I'm one of the most accomplished people at my firm,

and for them to reduce me to a stereotype?

Yeah. I know what you mean.

I-I'm a great father.

We're not all on D.T. time, Barbara.

That... All right, you know what?

It's not the same. I'll just save it for my journal.

Why are you two getting so worked up over some stereotypes?

Stereotypes ain't never hurt nobody.

Once again, Aunt Dee-Dee was wrong.

Allow Doctor Rainbow to explain.

Stereotypes come from our need to be part of a group,

and in our own groups,

we have the ability to see each member as an individual.

Whereas we tend to see each outside group

as one faceless entity.

Innocent enough, right? Wrong.

Because of that, we're able to then add on negative traits.

That's where stereotypes like "Black people are lazy,"

"Jewish people are good with money,"

and "White men can't jump" come from.

And that can lead to harmful things, like racial profiling,

the Charlottesville rally, U.S. border camps.

So, yeah, Aunt Dee-Dee was wrong.

Look, all I know is, stereotypes are here to stay,

so I say just ignore them and move on.

We should ignore them?

But they sound like something you say we should fight.

Because we should fight them.

The reason they're so dangerous is because the way I'm seen

will affect how the firm treats the next black woman.

Yeah, and the stereotypes against fathers

a-aren't nearly as bad, but still hurtful,

but also not nearly as hurtful.

That's why we have to take the power back

and always fight them.

So, starting tomorrow,

my colleagues are gonna get schooled

on how I am not the one to be put in a box.

They will not reduce me to a stereotype.

And I... well, I'm just gonna high-five your mom

because I can't follow that.

Hey, bed-wetter. Go easy on that milk.

Why would you say that?

Sorry.

I'm just mad Rainbow's friends don't want to play with me

because I'm 5.

Mom says you're 5 going on 40.

Yeah, well, they think I'm just a baby.

I want to be as cool as the big kids.

I can teach you how to breakdance.

That's really cool.

As we go a little something like this.

Are you sure this is what the big kids are doing?

Definitely.

- Oh! - Speed up.

Whoo!

And... pose!

Again, again, Johan!

After I heard my mom's plan to fight stereotypes,

I knew what I had to do.

Hey, girl.

Oh. Hi.

Why weren't you at practice?

Unfortunately, that meant

sacrificing my new peeps for the cause.

I can't do track anymore.

Stop trippin'. We have the meet on Saturday.

I know.

And I can't do it because...

...I dislocated my kneecap.

For real?

Looks good to me.

Yeah. I guess it was all that woppin'.

Doc says I'm lucky I could keep my leg.

Whatever. You didn't even wop that hard.

Good morning, Barbara.

Did you notice? I took the power back.

Excuse me?

Well, my kids were on time today,

so I proved your offensive theory wrong.

I hope you see the error of your ways.

Paul, I have things to do.

Well, I could help you with that.

I'd like to volunteer in the classroom.

You want to be a room mom?

No, no, no. I want to be a room parent, Barbara.

See, when you call it a "room mom,"

you're perpetuating the stereotype

that dads can't be good moms.

This sounds like it's gonna go great.

Here you go.

Oh, that's so much added sugar.

Here, try this.

Oopsie-doopsie, we've made a spill.

Why use paper towels

when we can clean up spills with these reusable rags?

Less trash in the landfills, thanks to this room parent.

Oopsie-doopsie.

Is he always like this?

Every day.

Really got this... zipper... stuck.

Oh! There you go.

See that, Barbara?

Now he doesn't need to "throw it away," like you suggested.

You do realize that you're bragging

about unzipping a child's jacket?

Oh, Barbara, come on.

You're really not noticing any of the power I'm taking back.

Because what you're doing isn't special.

- Our room moms do... - Room parent.

Our room moms do that stuff every day.

Look, I just want you to see

that there are plenty of great dads

that drop their kids off at school,

that help them with their homework,

that make them custom keychains for their unique names.

Like, look at this great dad, dropping off his kid.

Hey, is that Jerry? It is.

Go, go, go! I'm late!

- Hey, Jerry. - I'm late!

You forgot your lunch!

Hey, Paul.

I barely know Jerry.

But the facts are very clear.

My client was at the Ruby Tuesday

when he slipped in the bathroom.

Objection.

Stupid.

Stupid?

See, my Mom had every right to go upside this man's head,

but she knew so much more was at stake.

Allow Doctor Rainbow to explain again.

Remember when Obama got beaten by Romney

in their first debate?

I've had that experience. I don't just talk about it.

That's because he knew if he came off as an angry black guy,

there would never be another black President.

Was that fair? No.

Was it true? Probably.

See how dangerous stereotypes are?

Objection.

Counsel isn't being very nice.

How about we take five?

Sure.

Hmm.

What the hell is wrong with you?

You're supposed to be my shark.

So, now you want the angry black woman?

I want to win this case, and if you can't bring it,

I'll bring in somebody else who can.

I thought about what a black girl

stereotypically would never do,

so I joined the swim team.

Oh. I'm surprised to see you here.

You shouldn't be.

I swam in the pond all the time on the commune.

In fact, I'm probably better at swimming than running.

I can't wait to change the way the world sees black people.

Okay. Good luck.

In a few moments, my name was about to be spoken

with the likes of Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson.

Swimmers, take your mark.

And Arthur Ashe, Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, Maya Angelou,

Hattie McDaniel, George Washington Carver.

I was crushing it,

like Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Wilma Rudolph, Muhammad Ali,

Angela Davis, Harriet Tubman, a...

Hey, you finally finished.

What are you doing here?

I thought you dislocated your kneecap.

Yeah. But...

And here I was, thinking we were friends.

Next group, on your blocks.

Breathe, girl.

Your big butt's gonna come when it's ready.

You ain't gotta do all that.

Coach says we should carbo load for the swim meet.

Swim meet?

What happened to track?

I heard you talking about how we should fight stereotypes,

so I quit.

What'd you do that for?

I wanted to be like Jackie Robinson

or Carl Lewis or Harriet Tubman.

Lord, look at what you guys have done to this poor girl.

Got her wasting her time worrying about some stereotypes.

Thanks, Dee. We got it from here.

The hell you do.

You two are the ones that got her twisted up in the first place,

thinking she can fight stereotypes.

Everybody believes them.

Like I believe every man named Gerald wears a hairpiece.

You're making less and less sense.

Hear me.

Every day, music, articles, pieces of art

allow someone else's bias to get in your head,

but if you sit around saying, "I'm-a change their mind,"

all you're doing is letting that stereotype

have power over you.

Trust me... I know it's not my job to change ignorant minds,

but...

I wish black women had the privilege to be passionate

without anyone calling it something.

But you're right.

All I can do is be the best version of me

and forget the rest.

So, I'm confused.

Should I run track even though everyone's gonna think

it's because I'm black?

Do you like track and your new friends?

Yes.

There's your answer.

And if we let other people's opinions stop us

from doing the things we like,

then we're the ones losing out.

Thanks, Aunt Denise.

You're welcome, baby.

Mm. I had no idea you were so enlightened.

Well, if there's one thing Dee-Dee knows something about,

it's stereotypes.

I went to Berkeley, too.

Extension.

- You didn't. - It's fine.

- But that's fine. - That's fine. That's fine.

In the end, my family just decided to be ourselves.

Today, I'd like to start with...

Actually, I'll start.

Yesterday, you made an offensive objection.

I'd like you to withdraw that.

You want me to withdraw my objection from yesterday?

Unless you want to go on the record

as saying my argument was stupid.

Because if that's the case,

then I'm happy to go on the record

to talk about your four DUIs and three illegitimate children.

Withdrawn.

She's back.

This isn't your victory.

And sometimes, we chose to be better versions of ourselves,

because at the end of the day,

the only hearts we cared about changing were our own.

Good to see you, Barbara. Have a great day.

Everyone wants to belong to something,

and sometimes belonging to a group

might reinforce a stereotype.

Sorry I lied to you.

Have you ever tried to change the world,

but only ended up sacrificing something you love?

No.

Come on. We have some running to do.

But you can't make decisions

just to prove someone's idea about you is wrong.

You have to follow your heart.

And when you do, you'll find your group,

your clique, your peeps.

In your face, Darnell.

And you'll be part of something you love

for all the right reasons.

I'll go grab some Bagel Bites. You just wait here.

Okay.

What's your name, again?

Tamika.

Yours?

Denise.

Synced & corrected by kinglouisxx www.addic7ed.com

Um, are you guys okay?

- She's cool. - I like her.