--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I work in comedy, journalism, media, and…" description: "\"I work in comedy, journalism, media, and technology, many of which don't have a lot of black faces in visible positions. I walk through Brooklyn with a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/baratunde-thurston-20128_black_i-work-in-comedy-journalism-media-and-te_1122878.jpg" --- # I work in comedy, journalism, media, and technology, many… ![“I work in comedy, journalism, media, and technology, many of which don't have a lot of black faces in visible positions. I walk through Brooklyn with a surfboard. It's fun to challenge and expand people's expectations.” quote by Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/baratunde-thurston-20128_black_i-work-in-comedy-journalism-media-and-te_1122878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/baratunde-thurston-20128_black_i-work-in-comedy-journalism-media-and-te_1122878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/baratunde-thurston-20128_black_i-work-in-comedy-journalism-media-and-te_1122878.jpg) > “I work in comedy, journalism, media, and technology, many of which don't have a lot of black faces in visible positions. I walk through Brooklyn with a surfboard. It's fun to challenge and expand people's expectations.” [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Visibility of minorities in media challenges stereotypes and expands expectations. **In simple terms:** Show diverse faces, break norms. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive representation. Themes diversity media stereotypes Mood inspirational optimistic Type social cultural When to use this quote - marketing - film casting - newsrooms Key Concepts representation social change Questions to Reflect On - How can you support underrepresented talent? - What impact does visibility have on youth? A Different Perspective Changing perception takes time and resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-face/) [Brooklyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brooklyn/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [I've heard that Black people and Black faces don't sell magazines, but one day you're going to beg me to be on there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-heard-that-black-people-and-black-faces-don-t-sell-magazines-but/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [The media love to cover black people on the front page. After all, when you live in a society that will lock up about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-media-love-to-cover-black-people-on-the-front-page-after-all-when/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [“After living in Smokey Hollow these three months my bearded face was darkened to a tan, and for more than a moment, I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jenkins/after-living-in-smokey-hollow-these-three-months-my-bearded-face-was/) [Peter Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jenkins/) > [Seven out of 10 black faces you see on television are athletes. The black athlete carries the image of the black community. He carries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/seven-out-of-10-black-faces-you-see-on-television-are-athletes-the/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [Everyone should walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. I did it three days in a row because it was one of the most exhilarating experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-should-walk-across-the-brooklyn-bridge-i-did-it-three-days/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love to walk around New York. Honestly, that's like the best thing, to walk over to Park Slope and go visit my friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-love-to-walk-around-new-york-honestly-that-s-like-the-best-thing-to/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I thought comedians had to have black on their faces or red beards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gish/i-thought-comedians-had-to-have-black-on-their-faces-or-red-beards/) [Dorothy Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gish/) > [In all my years in show business - on stage, clubs and TV shows - my audience has been 75 percent white. In Las…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/in-all-my-years-in-show-business-on-stage-clubs-and-tv-shows-my/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [Better have a black face than be worried about black deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/better-have-a-black-face-than-be-worried-about-black-deeds/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every morning when I wake up and look in the mirror, I see a black face and I love it. Sure, I've been to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-baszile/every-morning-when-i-wake-up-and-look-in-the-mirror-i-see-a-black/) [Natalie Baszile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-baszile/) > [I think you can be politically incorrect, but there's some responsibility with that. You've got to make sure that you are not condoning or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-baron-cohen/i-think-you-can-be-politically-incorrect-but-there-s-some/) [Sacha Baron Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-baron-cohen/) > [“...to handicap a student by teaching him that his black face is a curse and that his struggle to change his condition is hopeless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/to-handicap-a-student-by-teaching-him-that-his-black-face-is-a-curse/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [I hope there is something worthy in my writings and not merely the novelty of a black face associated with the power to rhyme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laurence-dunbar/i-hope-there-is-something-worthy-in-my-writings-and-not-merely-the/) [Paul Laurence Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laurence-dunbar/) > [“At my first neighborhood community meeting, I faced nine worn, black faces and two white ones. I was easily the youngest person there by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-foley/at-my-first-neighborhood-community-meeting-i-faced-nine-worn-black/) Aaron Foley > [Growing up, a black face on TV was really rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/growing-up-a-black-face-on-tv-was-really-rare/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) ## More by Baratunde Thurston > [I am not a yogi yet, but I aspire to have more balance in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/i-am-not-a-yogi-yet-but-i-aspire-to-have-more-balance-in-my-life/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [2010 Foursquare Mayor Of The Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/2010-foursquare-mayor-of-the-year/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [Remember something about attention. Yes, it’s possible to buy, grab, or even steal it. But it’s far better to earn it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/remember-something-about-attention-yes-it-s-possible-to-buy-grab-or/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > ["Black culture" is ready for whatever. I sense some momentum and excitement around black artists (especially in comedy, which is where most of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/black-culture-is-ready-for-whatever-i-sense-some-momentum-and/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [“Never mind that it's not owned by a black person anymore. You can still learn a lot from BET. Primarily, you will learn that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/never-mind-that-it-s-not-owned-by-a-black-person-anymore-you-can/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [You can call me namastunde or surfatunde. Either works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/you-can-call-me-namastunde-or-surfatunde-either-works/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [My family life and early political life - being exposed to the news constantly, being enrolled in an Afrocentric education program, and doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/my-family-life-and-early-political-life-being-exposed-to-the-news/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [“You will be very visible in the company photo, also the website and any other marketing materials. There's no way to avoid it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/you-will-be-very-visible-in-the-company-photo-also-the-website-and/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [ Knowing that "me" is inextricably linked to blackness, \[I try to enjoy\] the process of expanding beyond the expected boundaries set by existing culture,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/knowing-that-me-is-inextricably-linked-to-blackness-i-try-to-enjoy/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [I don't know that I'm post-anything. I'd like to think maybe I'm post-bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/i-don-t-know-that-i-m-post-anything-i-d-like-to-think-maybe-i-m-post/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [I care about the diversity of the mindset of the people creating our future, and the windows through which we see it, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/i-care-about-the-diversity-of-the-mindset-of-the-people-creating-our/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [“Like vampires and extremely rich people, black folk can sense one another. Use your Spidey Sense (Blacky Sense?). Use your blackdar to inspect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/like-vampires-and-extremely-rich-people-black-folk-can-sense-one/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [New York has been the best gift, in that the city pushes me to so many next levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/new-york-has-been-the-best-gift-in-that-the-city-pushes-me-to-so-many/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [ There's certainly a lot of noise in the hip-hop world now \[that\] I don't pay active attention to, but to the extent that I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/there-s-certainly-a-lot-of-noise-in-the-hip-hop-world-now-that-i-don/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) > [By the time I got to Harvard, I feel like I knew who I was, and my job there was to throw as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-thurston/by-the-time-i-got-to-harvard-i-feel-like-i-knew-who-i-was-and-my-job/) [Baratunde Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) [Explore all 30 Baratunde Thurston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-thurston/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. 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