--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like anyone else in television, I like to…" description: "\"Like anyone else in television, I like to explore my life experience. And I don't think African-American artists see doing shows or art about African-A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/salim-akil-10564_art_like-anyone-else-in-television-i-like-to_1051943.jpg" --- # Like anyone else in television, I like to explore my life… ![“Like anyone else in television, I like to explore my life experience. And I don't think African-American artists see doing shows or art about African-Americans as something 'less than.' I think maybe the industry sometimes does. We don't get as much attention, we don't get critical acclaim and so…” quote by Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/salim-akil-10564_art_like-anyone-else-in-television-i-like-to_1051943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/salim-akil-10564_art_like-anyone-else-in-television-i-like-to_1051943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/salim-akil-10564_art_like-anyone-else-in-television-i-like-to_1051943.jpg) > “Like anyone else in television, I like to explore my life experience. And I don't think African-American artists see doing shows or art about African-Americans as something 'less than.' I think maybe the industry sometimes does. We don't get as much attention, we don't get critical acclaim and so on.” [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights that African‑American creators often face less recognition and critical praise, not because their work is inferior, but due to industry bias and limited exposure. **In simple terms:** Black artists get less attention and acclaim because of industry bias. Key Takeaway Advocate for equitable visibility and support. Themes representation bias media culture equity Mood reflective determined hopeful Type observational call‑to‑action When to use this quote - film festivals - award campaigns - media interviews - community outreach Key Concepts systemic bias visibility critical reception Questions to Reflect On - How can audiences amplify under‑represented creators? - What steps can networks take to ensure fair recognition? A Different Perspective Industry bias can be subtle and entrenched, making change slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experience/) ## Related quotes > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [For too long, I think the African-American community has been taken for granted by one party and completely ignored by the other. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-navarro/for-too-long-i-think-the-african-american-community-has-been-taken/) [Ana Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-navarro/) > [There are so many families who do not come up in a traditional household. African Americans, Latins, and, I'm sure, whites as well, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/there-are-so-many-families-who-do-not-come-up-in-a-traditional/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [Michael Schultz's 'Cooley High' is a classic. Oftentimes, we don't get to see films about coming of age, especially for young African Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/michael-schultz-s-cooley-high-is-a-classic-oftentimes-we-don-t-get-to/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [Americans think African writers will write about the exotic, about wildlife, poverty, maybe AIDS. They come to Africa and African books with certain expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/americans-think-african-writers-will-write-about-the-exotic-about/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Perhaps sooner than we think, African innovations will help the rest of the world create lasting social and economic value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-van-houten/perhaps-sooner-than-we-think-african-innovations-will-help-the-rest/) [Frans van Houten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-van-houten/) > [I realized that you cannot think European and want to write or create something African. You have to think African in everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-kuti/i-realized-that-you-cannot-think-european-and-want-to-write-or-create/) [Fela Kuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-kuti/) > [The art, the greatness of the music, the experience of the music is what I'm about. I think most African artists have destroyed their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-kuti/the-art-the-greatness-of-the-music-the-experience-of-the-music-is/) [Fela Kuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-kuti/) > [“I do not think the African, Caribbean, and Blacks have studied to any degree and depth and seriousness the rise of modern Japan. Went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-not-think-the-african-caribbean-and-blacks-have-studied-to-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My message was 'Think African. Make schools read African history.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-kuti/my-message-was-think-african-make-schools-read-african-history/) [Fela Kuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-kuti/) > [African-Americans are as fair as any other group, but they bring their life experiences to bear as just as whites bring their experiences to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/african-americans-are-as-fair-as-any-other-group-but-they-bring-their/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) ## More by Salim Akil > [Jefferson Pierce is the epitome of what black men are: He loves his wife, his children, and the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/jefferson-pierce-is-the-epitome-of-what-black-men-are-he-loves-his/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [Michael Schultz's 'Cooley High' is a classic. Oftentimes, we don't get to see films about coming of age, especially for young African Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/michael-schultz-s-cooley-high-is-a-classic-oftentimes-we-don-t-get-to/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [As an artist, I write and I do what I know and what creatively comes out of me, and I think that other artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/as-an-artist-i-write-and-i-do-what-i-know-and-what-creatively-comes/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [Every time I get an opportunity to do what I love to do, it's huge. It never gets old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/every-time-i-get-an-opportunity-to-do-what-i-love-to-do-it-s-huge-it/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [When you're young, taking a risk doesn't necessarily feel like a risk because you're young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/when-you-re-young-taking-a-risk-doesn-t-necessarily-feel-like-a-risk/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [I don't walk around all the time thinking of myself as African American, but oftentimes in Hollywood, you are reminded of that in ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/i-don-t-walk-around-all-the-time-thinking-of-myself-as-african/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [It's a wonderful thing to see 'Wonder Woman' directed by a woman. That did have an affect on the character, the , and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/it-s-a-wonderful-thing-to-see-wonder-woman-directed-by-a-woman-that/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [There are so many families who do not come up in a traditional household. 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Death has always been a constant companion of black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/america-has-a-strange-relationship-with-its-racial-memory-death-has/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) [Explore all 64 Salim Akil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. 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I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. 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