In Netflix's ‘Forever,' a Love Letter to Black Girlhood
When I was growing up in the '90s, there were plenty of Black characters on TV, but Brandy's Moesha Mitchell—a writer from Los Angeles who wore braids and carried a whole lot on her mind—was the one who felt like me. I was always imaginative and ambitious but didn't know how to channel those things. I wanted to be a writer but didn't think it was possible. But then I watched Maya Angelou guest star on Moesha, and I read Still, I Rise. Suddenly, I saw myself reflected in a way I hadn't before. It was the first time I felt seen—not just as the Black girl, but as someone with depth, creativity, and something tangible to offer the world.
Years later, watching Lovie Simone as Keisha in Netflix's Forever has conjured a similar feeling. When I clicked play on the first episode of the series—producer and screenwriter Mara Brock Akil's adaptation of Judy Blume's 1975 novel of the same name—I didn't expect to be in tears at 2 a.m. But now, it strikes me as one of the best portrayals of Black girlhood I've seen in a long time. (Happily, it's already been renewed for a second season.)
There aren't many shows out there right now for young Black girls. Before and certainly after the Grown-ish era ended last year, a noticeable gap emerged in coming-of-age stories centering Black characters. (We've come a long way from the UPN days, when Countess Vaughn, Kyla Pratt, and Essence Atkins all led their own shows.) As networks have doubled down on reality TV or leaned into reboots, investment in fresh stories about Black youth has become rare. Yes, we have Euphoria, an acclaimed and wildly popular show with Zendaya as a Black teenage lead. But Rue's story is rooted in addiction, mental illness, and survival—more reflective of an adult world than the everyday experiences of Black teens.
Forever shifts the narrative, making a young Black girl's experiences with love, guilt, hope, and heartbreak feel worthy, even urgent. A teen from Los Angeles living with her single mom, Keisha is a student-athlete with her mind set on Howard University, caught in that uncertain space between who she is and who she hopes to become. She's also trying to piece herself back together after a betrayal that would hurt anyone: an ex leaks their sex tape.
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