>> JUST AHEAD ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM, A SPECIAL SEGMENT FROM THE QUEEN CITY TO SEE HOW THE OWN NETWORK'S TV SERIES DELILAH HAS HIGHLIGHTED HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS IN CHARLOTTE AND CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AND THE CITY.

STAY WITH US.

♪ >> WELCOME TO BLACK ISSUES FORUM.

I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.

A SPECIAL SEGMENT COMING UP HIGHLIGHTS THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE AND A SNEAK PEEK AT STEPHANIE MILLS' JUNETEENTH MUSIC VIDEO.

BUT FIRST, AS COMMUNITIES PREPARE FOR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNATURE ON THURSDAY, JUNETEENTH IS NOW A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.

JUNETEENTH COMMEMORATES THE DAY 6/19/1865, WHEN FEDERAL TROOPS DELIVERED NEWS THAT ALL SLAVES ARE FREE.

MONTHS LATER, THE 13TH AMENDMENT WAS RATIFIED ABOLISHING SLAVERY FOR ALL STATES.

WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT?

HERE TO SHARE HER PERSPECTIVE ON IT, I WANT TO WELCOME ANTI RACISM COACH AND JOURNALIST, COURTNEY NAPIER.

SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU COURTNEY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME DEBORAH.

>> CERTAINLY.

NOW THIS MEASURE WAS INTRODUCED BY TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE SHEILA JACKSON.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE VALUE AND SIGNIFICANCE IS OF ESTABLISHING JUNETEENTH AS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY?

>> WELL, TWO THINGS; I BELIEVE IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH CELEBRATING.

WE, OUR ANCESTORS, OUR ELDERS HAVE FOUGHT A REALLY LONG TIME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, IS LISTENING TO THE STORIES OF BLACK ELDERS THOSE BEFORE US WHO FOUGHT FOR FREEDOMS OF ALL SORTS FOR US AS AFRICAN AMERICANS.

AND SO FOR OPAL LEE, THE MOTHER OF JUNETEENTH AS SHE IS CALLED TO BE ABLE TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE SOMETHING THAT SHE FOUGHT SO HARD FOR COME TO PASS, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.

AND WE SHOULD CELEBRATE WITH HER.

>> WHY WOULD YOU SAY THIS IS A HOLIDAY FOR EVERYONE IN AMERICA TO CELEBRATE AND EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING CELEBRATED?

>> WHAT'S BEING CELEBRATED IS THE END OF WHAT WE CALL AMERICA'S ORIGINAL SIN.

THE END OF CHATTEL SLAVERY IN UNITED STATES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF SEEING THAT PECULIAR INSTITUTION COME TO AN END.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REACTIONS AND A LOT OF FEELINGS AROUND THIS HOLIDAY BECOMING A NATIONAL HOLIDAY, AND SOME BLACK FOLKS FEAR THAT IT WILL BECOME COMMERCIALIZED AND CAPITALIZED UPON, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THOSE FEARS TO CLOUD THE OPPORTUNITY THAT AWAITS WITH THIS BECOMING A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.

IT'S GOING TO BE WHAT WE MAKE IT.

IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE WHAT WE MAKE IT AND I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO CELEBRATE THAT.

>> I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT THIS IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY FOR EVERYONE TO CELEBRATE AND SOME MAY FEEL THAT YOU KNOW HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FEEL THAT I'M NOT A DESCENDANT OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE WHAT AM I CELEBRATING?

>> WELL, WE'RE CELEBRATING A COLLECTIVE DECISION, SO WHEN THE 13TH AMENDMENT WAS RATIFIED THAT WAS ALL OF CONGRESS VOTING TO RATIFY THIS AMENDMENT AND SO THIS IS AN AMERICAN HOLIDAY BECAUSE IT TOOK AMERICANS TO END SLAVERY.

AND SO YES, WE SHOULD ALL BE EXCITED.

WE SHOULD ALL FEEL THAT WE CAN AND SHOULD BE CELEBRATING THE END OF AN INSTITUTION THAT MADE IT LEGAL TO FORCE HUMAN BEINGS TO WORK AGAINST THEIR WILL IN A VERY VERY VIOLENT HORRIBLE WAY.

THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL CELEBRATE.

>> I'M THINKING ALSO THAT IT'S A CELEBRATION OF OUR HIGHEST IDEALS AS A NATION AS AMERICANS, FREEDOM FOR ALL FREEDOM AND LIBERTY.

AND WHEN EVERYONE IS FREE THEN ALL OF US ARE FREE, AND WHEN ANY OF US ARE NOT FREE THEN REALLY NONE OF US ARE FREE.

SO CELEBRATING THAT LIBERTY AND WHEN I SPEAK OF WE TALK ABOUT THE LIBERTY OF OUR NATION AND INDEPENDENCE, HOW MIGHT THIS MOVE AND CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH CONFLICT OR STAND AGAINST.

INDEPENDENCE DAY, THE 4TH OF JULY?

>> YEAH, THAT'S IMPORTANT I THINK WHAT YOU SAID IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF OUR LIBERATION IS CONNECTED.

SO WHEN NONE OF US IS FREE AND TO ALL OF US ARE FREE AND I BELIEVE THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT YOU MADE, BUT ANYBODY WHO HAS GROWN UP IN A AFRICAN AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD KNOWS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS CELEBRATED FOR THE JOB I MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY RELEASED MANY OF US HAVE.

FOR SOME OF US IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN GOING TO PARADES AND SEEING FIREWORKS, IT MIGHT JUST HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE A DAY OFF WORK, AND LONG ENOUGH TO GATHER WITH FAMILY AND TRAVEL TO HAVE FAMILY REUNIONS AND SO FORTH AND SO AS AFRICAN AMERICANS, SEVERAL HOLIDAYS ON THE CALENDAR HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR THE REST OF THE NATION TO REALIZE THAT OUR STORIES ARE CONNECTED, BUT OUR ENTRY POINT INTO LIBERTY AND FREEDOM ARE DIFFERENT, AND WE NEED TO WRESTLE WITH THAT AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT WRESTLING FOR ALL OF US.

>> AS AN ANTI RACISM COACH HOW WILL RECOGNIZING THIS AS A HOLIDAY KIND OF FIT INTO WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE TEACHING ABOUT ANTI RACISM AND HOW PEOPLE CAN REALLY CREATE IMPACT FROM THIS?

IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A HOLIDAY, BUT I MEAN WHAT DOES THIS REALLY MEAN?

WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF JUNETEENTH FOR ALL OF US AND YOU'RE TEACHING WITH ANTI RACISM?

>> YEAH, WITH A LOT OF MY CLIENTS, THE QUESTION ALWAYS COMES DOWN AND SAYS, "I CARE", I KNOW THE HISTORY I CARE ABOUT THE HISTORY.

I WANT TO SEE YOU KNOW A QUALITY AND EQUITY, BUT WHAT DO I DO?

HOW DO I DO THAT?

AND I BELIEVE JUNETEENTH THIS BECOMING A NATIONAL HOLIDAY IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SOME TIME SIT BACK AND REFLECT, ARE YOU SOLICITING BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES?

LOOK AT THE MAKEUP OF YOUR COMPANIES YOUR CORPORATIONS YOUR ORGANIZATIONS, IS THEIR EQUITY AS FAR AS WHO'S HIRED AND WHERE?

DO YOUR POLICIES ACTUAL - THE WEIGHT OF YOUR POLICIES MATCH YOUR VALUES?

SO YOU SAY YOU ARE ABOUT EQUITY, BUT WHAT'S THE PAY STRUCTURE?

WHAT TYPES OF TIME OFF ARE YOU OFFERING FOLKS?

THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A MOMENT TO REFLECT JUNETEENTH IS A BEGINNING.

IT'S THE BEGINNING OF OUR FREEDOM JOURNEY.

IT IS NOT BY ANY MEANS THE END, AND SO WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN FURTHERING LIBERATION WHERE WE ARE.

>> AND JUST A FEW SECONDS LEFT WHEN DO YOU THINK THAT THIS FEDERAL HOLIDAY WILL MEAN FOR EFFORTS TO CONTROL WHAT HISTORY IS TAUGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONFLICT.

WE NEEDED THIS CONFLICT, I BELIEVE IT WAS A POWER PLAY ABSOLUTELY A POLITICAL PLAY BY THE SENATE, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT CONFLICT NOW WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO SAY WE AREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH OUR FULL HISTORY.

BUT NOW WE HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH THE MEANING OF JUNETEENTH.

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW IT'S DEALT WITH.

BUT WE NEEDED THIS POINT OF CONFLICT IN OUR SITUATION RIGHT NOW.

>> WELL COURTNEY NAPIER THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHTS AND FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME DEBORAH, ALWAYS.

>> IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, DURING THE SUMMER OF RACIAL RECKONING, THE QUEEN CITY PLAYED HOST TO THE FILMING OF A TELEVISION SERIES BY OPRAH'S NETWORK OWN.

"DELILAH" IS A DRAMA ABOUT A BLACK WOMAN LAWYER WORKING AND RAISING A FAMILY IN CHARLOTTE.

TO BRING IT TO LIFE AUTHENTICALLY, SERIES CREATOR CRAIG WRIGHT TAPPED AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER WHO NOT ONLY CALLED NORTH CAROLINA HOME BUT WHO ALSO BELIEVED STRONGLY THAT REPRESENTATION MATTERS.

I VISITED CHARLOTTE AND SAT DOWN WITH E-P CHARLES RANDOLPH-WRIGHT AND OTHERS TO FIND OUT HOW HE PURSUED REPRESENTATION AND CREATED ACCESS WITH DELILAH AND CONTINUES TO DO SO.

♪ >> WHY WAS CHARLOTTE CHOSEN AS THE DESTINATION FOR THIS PRODUCTION, BUT ALSO AS THE THE REAL LIFE CITY IN THIS DRAMA?

CRAIG PICKED CHARLOTTE BECAUSE HE'D BEEN READING ABOUT IT AND ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS CITY, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NORTH CAROLINA AND WENT, "CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, CHARLOTTE?"

>> AND THEY SAID, "YES", AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHERE I'M FROM, RIGHT?

THAT'S MY HOME."

WELL, I GREW UP IN YORK, SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF CHARLOTTE, SO CHARLOTTE WAS MY CITY.

CHARLOTTE IS WHERE I SAW MY FIRST BROADWAY SHOW, MY FIRST CONCERT EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING I DID WAS HERE, I WORKED AT CAROWINDS IN THE SUMMER, SO IT WAS MY HOME, AND THEN I WENT TO DUKE UNIVERSITY.

SO I'M A CAROLINA MAN IN SO MANY WAYS, AND I KEEP SAYING TO PEOPLE IT'S SO THRILLING NOW TO BE PROUD OF MY STATES BECAUSE FOR SO LONG ABOUT HAD TO APOLOGIZE ABOUT FROM WHENCE I CAME BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING, AND NOW TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE TURNING, HOW THINGS ARE CHANGING, IT'S VERY EXCITING TO BE A PART OF THAT.

>> WE ARE COMING INTO OUR SELF AS THE 15TH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, THAT THIS IS A SETTING THAT PEOPLE ARE BECOMING MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH, NOT JUST IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.

THE FOLKS OVER AT WARNER BROTHERS, THE FOLKS OVER AT OWN OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK, I THINK WERE WISE ENOUGH TO SAY, "HEY, THIS IS AN UP-AND-COMING MARKET," AND THIS IS A NEW SETTING THIS IS A NEW CHARACTER AND TO TELL STORIES WITH AND FROM.

AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON.

WHY THIS SERIES AND HAS BEEN SET HERE.

IT'S A VERY, AS CHARLES SAYS "A BLACK BE BLACK CITY", BUT PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IT'S IT IS VERY VERY LAYERED.

WE'RE A CITY THAT HAS HAD THE ABILITY FOR BLACK PEOPLE TO BE LEADERS FROM AN ELECTED POSITION.

I'M GRATEFUL THAT I'M NOT BREAKING ANY CEILINGS.

MAYBE OUR MAYOR IS.

BUT I'M NOT BREAKING ANY CEILINGS BY BEING A BLACK COUNCILMEMBER, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS USED TO, SO WE HAVE FOLKS FROM THE GRASSROOTS TO THE GRASS TOPS.

>> NOTES OF THESE HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS ARE WEAVED THROUGHOUT THE TV DRAMA, DELILAH.

THE BIG LAW FIRM WHERE DELILAH'S BEST FRIEND TAMARA PRACTICES WAS FILMED IN UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, ALSO CALLED SECOND WARD, WHICH WAS ONCE THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD BROOKLYN.

DOCTOR WILLIE GRIFFIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LEVINE MUSEUM OF THE NEW SOUTH HAS STUDIED CHARLOTTE'S HISTORY EXTENSIVELY.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF BLACK COMMUNITY BUILDING AROUND UPTOWN CHARLOTTE.

BROOKLYN STARTED OFF AS LOGTOWN.

BROOKLYN WAS WHAT THE PROBABLY THE LARGEST BLACK COMMUNITY IN NORTH OR SOUTH CAROLINA.

AND PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THE TERMS URBAN RENEWAL IF THEY'RE AFFECTED CITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY BLACK COMMUNITIES, AND FOLLOWING THE DESTRUCTION OR RAISING OF BROOKLYN IN THE 1950'S, YOU BEGIN TO SEE THIS STRING OF BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS THAT BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALONG THE WEST SIDE OR WHAT WE CALL THE WEST END CORRIDOR.

ALONG BEATTIES FORD ROAD, >> THE WEST END AREA IS NEAR WHERE DELILAH'S FATHER-IN-LAW, THE POLICE CHIEF LIVES.

THIS PART OF CHARLOTTE IS CONSIDERED THE SEAT OF THE CITY'S CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AS IT WAS THE HOME OF DOROTHY COUNTS, THE FIRST BLACK STUDENT TO INTEGRATE MECKLENBURG COUNTY SCHOOLS, AND THAT OF JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO LED THE CITY'S FIRST SIT-IN.

BUT THE CHARACTERS FROM DELILAH, BY PROFESSION, BY SOCIAL STATUS, AND ATTITUDE VERY MUCH REFLECT THE CHARACTER OF THE AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO SETTLED THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.

DOCTOR GRIFFIN SAYS THE STORY OF URBAN RENEWAL HELPS CONNECT THE DOTS.

>> WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE HIGHWAYS THAT WERE BUILT AS A RESULT OF URBAN RENEWAL, THEY CUT THROUGH OTHER BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS, BLACK COMMUNITIES LIKE GREENVILLE, AND MCCROREY HEIGHTS.

MCCROREY HEIGHTS WAS A UPPER MIDDLE CLASS BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD STARTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF JOHNSON C SMITH, AND WHEN URBAN RENEWAL HIT, IT CUT THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF MCCROREY HEIGHTS AND SO THESE WERE HOMES OF AFFLUENT AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO HAD MEANS TO SORT OF PUSH BACK AGAINST WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

AND YOU HAD AT LEAST 4 OF THOSE HOMES THAT WE'RE IN MCCROREY HEIGHTS ORIGINALLY, THE OWNERS WAY ABLE TO PHYSICALLY MOVE THEIR HOMES SEVERAL MILES DOWN ON BEATTIES FORD ROAD AND STARTED HYDE PARK.

HYDE PARK IS FOUNDED IN THE 1960'S, MID 1960'S AND IT IS TO DATE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL, AFFLUENT BLACK COMMUNITY IN THE CITY, FULL OF LARGE RANCH HOMES, A LOT OF THE HOMES WERE DESIGNED BY HARVEY GANTT, SO YOU HAD ARCHITECTS, LIVING ARTISTS LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY.

DENTISTS, LAWYERS, A LOT OF JUST THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE CITY MADE THIS THEIR HOME.

>> NANCY WEBER IS A REAL LIFE RESIDENT OF HYDE PARK.

>> WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL TREES.

AND THE SWEET PART ABOUT HYDE PARK TOO, IS THERE'S STILL NATURE THERE.

BECAUSE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S NO HOUSE THE SAME.

THEY'RE ALL A CUSTOM BUILT.

AND THEY WERE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE THAT WERE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO LIVE.

EDUCATORS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, AND SOME JUST REGULAR PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY PARTICULAR PROFESSION.

BUT THEY WERE GOOD PEOPLE WHO WERE LOOKING FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD PASS ON TO THEIR CHILDREN.

I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY CHOSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DO SOME OF THE FILMING, BECAUSE WE'RE LIKE... WE ARE LIKE A HIDDEN JEWEL THAT EVERYBODY DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT.

>> ALSO SOMEWHAT HIDDEN IS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BLACK HISTORICAL ROOTS OF CHARLOTTE.

IT'S TRUTH BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE MODERN SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT.

>> IN 2016 AFTER THE DEATH OF KEITH LAMONT SCOTT, WE HAD A WEEK OF DEMONSTRATIONS.

AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LED THAT MOVEMENT DECIDED IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO DEMONSTRATE HERE IN UPTOWN CHARLOTTE.

IT WAS A PLACE WHERE THEY DIDN'T FEEL WELCOMED.

THIS PLACE WAS REALLY BUILT - IT FELT LIKE -- FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS IT FELT LIKE AND STILL DOES FEEL LIKE THAT THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR YOUNG BLACK FOLKS.

AND SO AS WE WERE WALKING THROUGH THE STREETS, BREVARD, 3RD STREET, TRADE AND TRYON, YOU KNOW WE WERE YELLING, "WHO STREETS?

OUR STREETS!

WHOSE STREETS?

OUR STREETS!"

WHEN I STARTED DOING MY RESEARCH, WHEN I STARTED TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WAS DOING IN THIS MOVEMENT AND WHAT WERE THE FORCES THAT I WAS FEELING, IT WAS LIKE A LIGHT BULB WENT OFF.

THAT WASN'T RHETORIC, IT WAS REALLY TRUE!

THESE WERE THE STREETS THAT WE BELONGED ON, BUT WE HAVE BEEN PUSHED OUT.

AND THAT INERTIA, DOESN'T GO AWAY, YOU KNOW?

THAT FEELING OF BEING PUSHED OUT BEING MOVED AWAY FROM SOMETHING THAT CALLS TO YOU, IT'S SOMETHING THAT EXISTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL AROUND CHARLOTTE TODAY.

AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AGAIN FEEL THAT.

>> THAT SPIRIT OF RECLAMATION REAWAKENED THE SUMMER DELILAH ENTERED PRODUCTION WITH THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS AND INTENSITY OF COVID SPREAD.

>> I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WE HAVE 2 PANDEMICS WE HAVE A HEALTH PANDEMIC, AND A RACE PANDEMIC, AND THEY THEY'VE INFLUENCED EACH OTHER IN WAYS BEYOND ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.

AND SO ALL OF OUR WORK NOW HAS HAPPENED IN A REFLECTION OF THAT.

INTERESTINGLY, I'M WORKING ON A PROJECT ABOUT THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE AND THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE HAPPENED AFTER THE PANDEMIC IN 1918, AND PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED THE WAY ART EXPLODED OUT OF THAT THE ROARING 20'S HARLEM RENAISSANCE THAT HAPPENED AFTER A PANDEMIC.

SO I FEEL THAT WE ARE DUE AN EXPLOSION BEYOND WHAT WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE, AND WHAT GEORGE FLOYD DID, ESPECIALLY IN OUR INDUSTRY, IS CALL OUR OUR INDUSTRY.

BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO WHO WE ARE THAT THIS WORLD OF OF ENTERTAINMENT IS VERY LIBERAL AND OPEN AND IT'S NOT.

I'VE BEEN HIRED ONLY IN MY CAREER OF DECADES BY 2 PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, AND THAT WAS BARRY GORDY AND OPRAH WINFREY.

WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN YOU DON'T SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU, IT MAKES YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE NOT BEING SEEN.

WHAT THIS DID FOR ME, SHOOTING IN CHARLOTTE, WAS I WAS THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO BE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE SEEN.

SO IN THE SHOW OF DELILAH ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN IN THAT AND THE MEN THAT PUT THE WOMEN THAT TO MAINLY ABOUT THE WOMEN WHERE WOMEN I KNEW.

THEY WERE WOMEN WITH WHOM I WENT TO COLLEGE THEY'RE THE WOMEN IN MY FAMILY, AND YOU DON'T TYPICALLY SEE THAT.

AND AS SOUTHERN BLACK WOMEN WE'RE TYPIFIED IN WAYS, SOUTHERN BLACK WOMEN AND MEN IT'S THE WAY WE ARE DEPICTED IS OFTEN VERY NEGATIVE IT'S OFTEN IN THIS REALM OF TRAUMA, IN THIS REALM OF DEGRADATION, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THIS PANDEMIC I WANT TO FIND JOY AND YOU CAN FIND JOY IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS.

>> AND CHARLES FOUND JOY CLOSE BY, BY INTENTIONALLY CHOOSING NORTH CAROLINA TALENT TO FILL CHARACTER ROLES LIKE DELILAH'S NEPHEW DION CONNELLY PLAYED BY KHALIL JOHNSON OF PINEVILLE DELILAH'S FRIEND MACE BY ACTOR JOE HOLT OF RALEIGH.

AND DELILAH'S DAUGHTER MAYA PLAYED BY NEWCOMER AND CHARLOTTE NATIVE KELLY JACOBS.

>> I WAS SO THRILLED IN THE OPENING OF DELILAH THE MOTHERS TRYING TO GET READY FOR WORK AND GET HER KIDS READY TO GO TO SCHOOL.

THERE'S A DAUGHTER WHO'S 16 WHO'S PLAYING VIOLIN AND FROM THAT VERY FIRST PAGE I WAS IN LOVE.

I THOUGHT THIS IMAGE IS AMAZING AND I THOUGHT I HAVE TO FIND THIS VIOLINIST IN CHARLOTTE.

♪ >> WELL DID YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH CHARLES RAY?

>> OF COURSE I FEEL LIKE, HE IS THE MOST ENCOURAGING I KNOW.

[LAUGHS] HIS WORDS ARE...

SO INSPIRING EVERY SINGLE DAY AND HE JUST MAKES ME WANT TO >> DO BETTER.

[LAUGHS] >> HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CITY CHARLOTTE?

I WOULD SAY AMBITIOUS.

I WOULD SAY AMBITIOUS.

THE PEOPLE HERE, SO TALENTED.

ME AND MAYA, I WOULD SAY THE ONLY THING WE HAVE IN COMMON IS THE VIOLIN, BUT OTHER THAN THAT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH OPPOSITES.

BUT NO, MAYA SHOWS AMBITION, SHE SHOWS DETERMINATION AND THE EFFORT SHE PUTS INTO FOLLOWING HER DREAM IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY REPRESENTS MY GENERATION MY UP AND COMING GENERATION A LOT THESE DAYS OF REALLY PUTTING FORTH THE EFFORT AND GOING THROUGH HARDSHIPS TO ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANT.

>> FILMING IN CHARLOTTE PROVIDED A WAY FOR KELLY TO EXPLORE ACTING AT HOME.

DELILAH ALSO DREW BACK TO HOME, JOE HOLT, WHO HAD LEFT NORTH CAROLINA TO PURSUE HIS DREAMS IN NEW YORK AND L A.

>> JOE HOLT AND I DID A PROJECT, A STAGE MUSICAL YEARS AGO IN NEW YORK AND I HAD SEEN JOE IN A LONG TIME AND SO WHEN THE ACTORS CAME IN, WE WERE AUDITIONING, AND HIS TAPE CAME IN AND I WENT, "OH MY GOD, JOE HOLT!"

SO FROM THAT SECOND ON I WAS DETERMINED HE HAS TO DO THIS ROLE.

>> I WALKED IN THE DOOR ON THE FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING HE'S LIKE, "COME HERE YOU!"

AND I'M LIKE, "WHAT'S UP MAN?".

ASIDE FROM HIS DUKE HERITAGE, HE'S A GREAT GUY.

HE'S HAD MULTIPLE EXPERIENCES IN EVERY PHASE OF ENTERTAINMENT, HE'S BEEN AN ACTOR PRODUCER DIRECTOR SO YOU FEEL A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRUST AND SUPPORT.

>> IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE HE'S THIS DETECTIVE TYPE AND IT'S SO... THAT DETECTIVE TYPICALLY YOU SEE IN FILM NOIR.

IT'S THAT KIND OF GREAT CHARACTER THAT WE DON'T EVER GET TO PLAY.

>> I NEVER THOUGHT OF PLAYING MACE AS A CERTAIN KIND OF GUY.

I SAW THE WORDS ON THE PAGE AND I SAW THE THINGS THAT HE DID AND THAT CREATED A PERSON TO ME THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

I THINK OF MACE AS A DETECTIVE THAT HAS LIKE A BOURBON BOTTLE IN HIS DESK.

AT THE END OF THE DAY HE'S HAVING A COUPLE OF SLUGS GOING OUT TO A GIN JOINT.

LIKE, THAT'S WHO MACE IS.

>> JOE GOT TO BRING THIS CHARACTER AND BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE SHOW.

I HATE TELLING HIM THAT.

BUT HE BECAME A FAN FAVORITE BECAUSE HE JUST HAD THIS QUALITY THAT YOU DON'T SEE.

>> NO LAND ROVER?

>> NO, BUT THERE IS AN AMBULANCE LEAH MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING DEE.

>> WHY?

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> GARY SHEA'S DEAD.

>> EVEN THOUGH I SAID THE 4 WOMEN WERE THE LEADS THE MEN WERE VERY POWERFUL AND DIFFERENT AND IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THEY WERE THE MEN THAT I KNEW.

>> MY CONNECTION TO NORTH CAROLINA IS THAT BOTH MY PARENTS ARE FROM RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

I HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY FROM NORTH CAROLINA GOING WAY BACK.

MY SISTER WHO YOU MAY KNOW WENT TO ST AUGUSTINE'S >> STOP IT!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, JOE'S MY BROTHER.

>> AND MY SISTER TOLD ME NOT TO LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA, SO THAT WAS REALLY USEFUL.

>> BUT I CAN DO IT BECAUSE I'M THE PRODUCER YOU'RE THE PRODUCER AND I'M NOT SO I CAN'T DO THIS.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTORS OF COLOR IN GENERAL?

>> IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THE PLAYING FIELD IS MORE LIMITED FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR.

JUST LOOK AT YOUR TV AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, ALTHOUGH THAT'S IMPROVING AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPEFUL ABOUT.

I THINK THE LARGER PROBLEM IS THE WAY THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE SEEN, IS STILL VERY STEREOTYPICAL IT'S STILL VERY KIND OF CLICHED AND WE NEED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY ALL KINDS OF CHARACTER.

THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.

THIS BUSINESS IS NOT AN ALTRUISTIC ONE, IT'S A MONEY BUSINESS, AND THAT'S WHAT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT WE NEED MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN HIGHER POSITIONS, WE NEED MORE SHOW RUNNERS WE NEED MORE AND MORE CREATORS OF COLOR SO THAT WE CAN START TELLING THOSE STORIES.

TO GET A JOB WORKING IN MY HOME STATE WAS...

I WAS JUST INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL GIFT TO COME MY WAY WHICH WAS AS MOST THINGS IN THIS BUSINESS, SOME COMBINATION OF EARNED AND LUCK.

AND I WAS JUST THRILLED.

>> YOU ARE NOT FINISHED WITH CHARLOTTE, AND YOU ARE HERE AGAIN FOR A VERY SPECIAL PURPOSE TELL ME THE CONCEPT BEHIND YOUR VIDEO AND WHY YOU WANT TO DEBUT IT THE WEEKEND OF JUNETEENTH.

>> STEPHANIE MILLS IS AN ARTIST WHO OF COURSE WE ALL ADORE AND STEPHANIE MILLS IS A FRIEND OF MY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE.

>> AND SHE SAID, "OH I'M WORKING ON SOMETHING", SO SHE SENT THIS SONG TO ME CALLED "LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING".

IT FLOORED ME.

AND I THOUGHT THIS IS AN ANTHEM.

♪ LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING, ♪ ♪ YEAH, YEAH, ♪ ♪ WE ALL WIN IN THE END, OH YEAH ♪ >> I NEVER WANTED TO REALLY COME OUT AND RECORD AGAIN.

I HAD SAID I WASN'T GOING TO RECORD AN ALBUM OR SINGLE, SO, BUT I WAS SO INSPIRED BY CHARLES AND MARCUS AND WORKING WITH HIM.

I WAS INSPIRED TO DO IT AND I JUST KEPT WRITING AND WRITING AND WE HAVE LIKE 7, 8, SONGS NOW.

>> SO SHE'S WRITTEN ALL THIS MUSIC NOW, SO THIS WEEKEND WE'RE SHOOTING A VIDEO FOR HER SONG "LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING" AND I WAS INSPIRED BY ALL THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PAINTINGS ALL OVER THE WORLD, WHEN THEY PAINTED THE STREETS, SO I'M USING FOUR LOCAL ARTISTS IN THIS VIDEO WHO ARE ALL PAINTING THEIR IDEA OF STEPHANIE AS SHE SINGING THIS ANTHEM.

>> WE'VE BEEN TERRORIZED FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS AND ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR AND A HALF WITH THE PANDEMIC, AND HAVING ANOTHER PERSON IN THE WHITE HOUSE, AND THERE'S NO WAY I COULD NOT WRITE A SONG ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR WORLD.

SO THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND I FEEL LIKE AS OUR COMMUNITY, THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR US, AND STOP LOOKING TO OTHERS TO HELP US, TO PULL US UP.

WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR US.

>> YOU KNOW ON JUNETEENTH, LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING, STEPHANIE MILLS RETURNING, SHE SAID SHE'S WALKING INTO HER PURPOSE BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE, WE ALL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

WE CAN'T JUST SIT BACK AND LET WHAT HAPPENS HAPPEN.

WE HAVE TO SHIFT, WE HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS, AND AS STEPHANIE WROTE IN THIS WE HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

WE DO.

>> EACH OF US.

>> YES.

>> EACH OF US.

♪ WE ALL WIN IN THE END ♪ ♪ WE NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING, ♪ ♪ THERE'S NO NEED TO FEAR ♪ ♪ WE HAVE THE STRENGTH TO FIND ♪ I WANT TO THANK TODAY'S GUESTS AND ESPECIALLY THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS AND BROOKLYN COLLECTIVE FOR HOSTING US IN CHARLOTTE.

WE INVITE YOU TO ENGAGE WITH US ON TWITTER OR INSTAGRAM WITH THE HASHTAG "BLACK ISSUES FORUM", WATCH ANY TIME ON PBSNC.ORG/BLACKISSUESFORUM, OR LISTEN BACK ON APPLE ITUNES, SPOTIFY, OR GOOGLE PODCASTS.

FINALLY, WISHING EVERYONE HAPPY JUNETEENTH, AND TO ALL THE DADS A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.

FOR BLACK ISSUES FORUM, I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.

THANKS FOR WATCHING!

♪ >> QUALITY PUBLIC TELEVISION IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU WHO INVITE YOU TO JOIN THEM IN SUPPORTING PBS NC.