(New Post) A REAL conversation about Degrassi….#tbt

I’ve always respected you ever since I stumbled upon you & Shannon but after reading this that respect has gone up.For you to say ” hey this may or may not get me in trouble” BUT I’m still going to speak my mind speaks VOLUMES. Ever since I got of age to recognize and understand the plots behind a lot of shows that have a diverse cast it seemed a lot of ” the girl that got pregnant” the boy that came from a rough home and ended up on the wrong side of the law” all these plots for people of color that did nothing but belittle and make it seem as if that’s all a black male or female could do or offer up to the world.It was sad,we have had those shows that showed the very opposite i.e ” Fresh Prince Of Bel Air,Family Matters,etc”.I don’t know the reasoning behind this thought process,this need to limit black actors/actresses in such a negative light. I can only hope time can bring up more positive changes in the entertainment industry 🙂 Thank you for having the courage to speak out,I believe a lot of people need to know this information,this side of the business.You may want to step outside the box but it doesn’t mean those around you want you to & will allow you to do so.Sometimes it takes a complete change up to get where you really truly need to be and want to be.

Wow… I’m just in shock and like you Andrea, I believe I had those thoughts also in the back of my mind. I didn’t want to see it like that and its a horrible shame this this world is like that. I would love to see so many more people of color doing the best for themselves in any way possible. No offense to anyone but people of color look better on screen anyway. Degrassi was a great show, mostly because of the original cast which definitely includes you.

At times I did feel that they made your character kind of shady which was corny because it’s like, for the people that are watching the show they’re looking at you, as a “black female actress” and probably piecing together that all of our women really act like that… When in reality…It’s them. I applaud you for speaking up and having the courage to ask about better ways to better your character on the show even though those requests were shut down, I feel that it takes a lot to even ask about that, because some people just go with it without questioning it and those with thoughts of it shake those thoughts off like its nothing. Hazel was still a great character in my eyes, and I knew you could sing even before they did that mess to your character. Our voices are better that’s why. The things they can’t handle that’s all. It’s why they have us playing roles according to how we look and try to match them with false stereotypes. Its Stupid. But, we can’t even be mad because we have people out there trying to prove them right which is sad. We need more people like you. Trying to promote the right things and standing up against things like that. “Turn a negative into a positive!”

You have so much talent and I know you’re not about to let that fade because of crappy things like that, that have already presented themselves. At least you found out when you did and I just want to wish you luck and say that you give people like me hope. Keep doing what you do best and I look forward to seeing more. I am definitely gonna donate when I get some money before the time is up!

How do you explain Liberty and Jimmy then? They are black and had tons of major story lines? I appreciate your honesty and loved Hazel I’m just wondering how it was racist if other black characters had major story lines…

Oh wow, I agree sort of but I also have to add that the show is sexist. Whenever the guy characters do something they’re in the okay, and we have to understand. Like for example if Eli does something wrong he’s bipolar. The girl characters if they do something are a bitch, slut, etc. I find it wrong and the writers really need to learn how to understand cultures and women better. It’s a shame that a good show is just now trash.

I respect you so much for just being “Real” with your fans. I was excited everytime I saw Hazel on degrassi simply because she looked like me. I love our culture and truly wish they gave your character more to say. But you’re giving Hazel a voice now. I pray that you are successful in everything you do. Continue to speak up!!!!
Much love <3 ,
Kayton

Not throwing shade but Jimmy and Liberty were definately stereotypes. Liberty was a teen mom and Jimmy was a basketball player. I don’t know if you forgot about that or didn’t watch the season all the way through but as an AVID Degrassi watcher and fan I always wondered why the black characters on the show didn’t have enough of a role and if they did it was bull. I loved when Hazel finally came out about her culture and I really thought they were going to develop the character more after that and this definately explains why I was disappointed. Still love you Andrea:)

Avid degrassi stan here……and I’m here for this. You are so right, they do so much with first generation canadian story lines on Degrassi its insane to think that Hazel, a Somali girl struggling with her identity in a post 911 world, wouldn’t have some more amazing story’s to tell. And to keep it 100 I still think jimmy was shot just for spinner to have a weird 3 season arch. Anyway Andrea you’ve more than proven to us who are here right now that you are a multi talented ingenious indivudual. Anyone who has yet to be won by you, is about to. #WinGirl

I think your post is highly out of line, there are several white cast members that have given main titles have never received a main storyline of their own. Some characters are meant to be support and nothing more. Your character was a secondary and not a main. There have been several other characters of color (and I assume your not closed minded enough to thing we as black women are the only color there is) that have been main characters with leading plots. As for the issues, it’s Degrassi, name a lead character there that hasn’t been through some type of stereotypical high school storyline? And what about Jake Goldsbie who played Toby? Surely you aren’t implying that he never got main storylines because he was Jewish? He was written as a sidekick and secondary character and remained one. Think and do your research before you post something. Do you even watch the show today? One of the strongest characters to come out this year is a black man who is praised constantly and given great storylines. Liberty was an amazing and strong female character and a personal role model of mine on tv at the time.

I’m sorry if you felt that your potential as an actress was showcased the way you wanted but perhaps you were cast as the wrong character. I respected you greatly before this but you have lost it. When will we stop pushing ourselves back by constantly playing the race card? The world is not out to get us, we are strong black women, not victims.

I will preface my comments by saying that you absolutely have a case for saying that there is a type of racism in how people of colour are treated/used in the industry. Absolutely. Of course. But as a fan of Degrassi who has watched Degrassi Junior HIgh, Degrassi High, and most of the 12 seasons of Degrassi/TNG (AND I am a fan who is mixed-race, by the way), I think your allegations are bordering on slander. Actually I think they more than border on slander. I won’t go into all of my reasons, but one thing you said that completely baffles me is that whole bit about how they only give people of colour stereotypical storylines involving “teen pregnancy, petty theft, basketball, broken family homes etc” – Are you seriously watching the same show? Are you even on the same planet? I can name multiple white characters who have had all of these storylines. That is the essence of Degrassi. That everyone, no matter their ethnicity or background, goes through the same crap in adolescence. For goodness’ sake, Degrassi goes out of its way to make sure that most of their main characters of colour are portrayed as clean-cut and no different from any white characters in any offensive way. NEXT: I can also name a plethora of white characters (as well as non-white characters) who have been billed as “starring” but who are backburnered for most of their multiple year runs (for who-knows-what reasons). Because it happens. If you truthfully believe that this has only happened with black characters (because it seems like you’re not even really considering other characters of colour on the show), then you are not watching the same show I am.

but both Liberty and Jimmy were from well to do homes. Liberty’s parents were lawyers, and Jimmy was the one who had his ipod stolen.

Anyway i’m not trying to defend Degrassi because I think even watching the show growing up, I always subconsciously knew Hazel was the ‘token black friend’. Its just such a shame because the reason fans never really liked Hazel was because she was a background character, and never got the development she needed. Hazel wasn’t the only one either, Kendra and Leia later on never got sufficient character development either, they were just there to add a few Asian faces to the show.

Ok, so are you talking about just Degrassi when you were on? Or current Degrassi too? If you watch i dunno..

*shrugs*

Aubrey had plenty of story lines, and was always involved in main plots.

So did Cassie Steele.

Neither are White (I think Cassie is half white though so..)

Not saying they aren’t racist, Degrassi is horrid at this point so who cares.
But isn’t Ali a main character now? She’s had many many storylines.

Well, darlin’. Can’t say I disagree with you there.

I’ve been a long time viewer of the show from 2002 til ’11. and I noticed the obvious dating back to the Liberty pregnancy storyline circa ’05. The way it concluded in Together Forever wasn’t B-plot worthy when it should’ve been on the forefront or at least make the episode a two parter ,but alas, the Gary Stuing of Craig Manning at the time prevailed. Bloody shame. Keep on shining, gorgeous. Don’t let the buggers get you down

Andrea,

I thought you were fantastic on the show. I actually have written to the writers begging to give Hazel a larger role on Degrassi. The one response I got was that “it didn’t fit with the current stories–it wasn’t the right time.” I knew something was wrong with that statement because there were so many storylines they could have done. They wasted great talent and I am so sorry to hear how you feel. I just wanted to let you know that you were great and I am proud of you!

It’s hella shady that you asked to sing and they made your character a bad singer. If you were doing an album at the time, that’s just rude of the writers. It wasn’t until I rediscovered you TGAW that I realized you actually COULD sing, so I know that had to have stifled your singing career a bit. It probably because you’re a better singer than the girl who played Ashely, and DEF a better singer than Paige.

Some of these comments say that you may be quick to play the race card and are citing examples from the show as backup to why the show wasn’t stereotypical. Firstly, I hate that term, the ‘race card’: people being discriminated isn’t a game. The thing is, as mere viewers, we have no clue what went on behind the scenes of Degrassi. So maybe we should respect her reflection on her experience, because she spent seven years of her life on set

Here’s my take on it. The reason Hazel, as well as other characters, didn’t get many story-lines centered on her is because she was designed only as a black character. They wanted a black female character, so they made one. The problem is, they didn’t develop her beyond that role and as a result, didn’t know what to do with her. So, that brings me to Liberty.

My take on Liberty is that her character was conceived as white or with no race in particular and only happens to be black because Sarah Barrable-Tishauer nailed her audition for the role. Her character is more developed because she was well-developed before she was cast. It’s also worth mentioning that Sarah is half-white, as is Drake, who played Jimmy.

And to everyone naming other characters of color on the show who received more attention and story-lines, the fact that they did a better job with other non-white characters doesn’t mean they haven’t done a poor job with the ones who are black.

I know it’s a mouth-full, but those are just my thoughts.

This is out of line. Calling the entire franchise racist because YOUR character didn’t get many storylines is just petty and like someone said above, it’s kind of slanderous. Hazel’s purpose was not to generate a fanbase or break boundaries or do anything other than provide for other characters. (Jimmy, Paige, etc.) There’s a place for every character in the Television world, Hazel just happened to be the sidekick.

You introduce dimension from the beginning; Hazel was always flat and just there, and downright mean for the majority of her time. If she were to do anything else, it would have been out of character.

Jimmy, Liberty, Manny, Marco, Alli, Dallas – all characters of color who have incredibly prominent roles.

If I remember correctly, most of the stuff you listed (teen pregnancy, petty theft, basketball, broken family homes) has been given to white characters too. And you’re really throwing basketball in there? 98% of the Degrassi population has played basketball at one point or another.

I’m really shocked that you posted this, actually, and you’ve definitely lost a lot of respect.

The way I see it:
This is bold, very personal and brave. Opinions are a matter of perspective. I think Andrea is shining a light on something that she sees as a condition in entertainment and she’s working towards change. That is valiant and commendable. This post is an account of a personal experience regarding her career, the things she has seen and felt. The intent is that there be more choices for minority actors, who would like to empower and relate to the public through their characters and make a living through their talent and passion. This intent has brought Andrea to a place where she decided to become a creator and take control of her circumstance and, in the process, counter the current condition. Instead of succumbing, she is rising above it. Not only is this an extremely amazing thing to accomplish, it serves as an example to the rest of us that we can change our roles from reactive to proactive.

Andrea, I applaud and support you every step of the way. Thank you for sharing something so personal despite the knowledge that there would be backlash. And I am so looking forward to this web-series!!!!!!! 🙂

Hey Hazel,

I really enjoyed your blog and commend you for speaking out. Which so many are afraid to do. Have you ever considered starting your own series of shows? You don’t necessarily need the entertainment or media industry for this. I say this because, I’ve been on the same journey and trying to break-in to an industry that is over saturated with similar talent is quite hard, but there is no giving up in this journey. And I know you haven’t either. You will have the opportunity to tell all types of stories and people will be able to say, now I see her purpose. You and I and many in this world can create our own story, we do not need them.

she was actually on from season 1 – 5…

As one of the executives Andrea is referring to, I need to set the record straight.

To start, this “insider” she is referring to, does not exist. There is no director on the show who fits this description. Degrassi – like all TV shows – is run by writers and producers. Directors have literally zero input on scripts or character arcing. Television is a writers medium, and directors are never consulted on important issues like characters or storylines. This director she is referring to as an insider with insight into creative matters does not exist. Period.

Degrassi is highly democratic. Almost every actor/character on Degrassi is given a chance to shine. Often given more than one opportunity, in fact. Its up to the actor to nail it, and if they do, they’re given more. It’s just that simple. Most characters on Degrassi were conceived as sidekicks or love interests – JT, Jimmy, Darcy, Ellie, Spinner, JT, Manny, Danny, Derek, Eli, Alex, and many others – were all sidekicks or love interests at first. Darcy is a perfect example. She was given one line in the car wash episode and jumped out immediately as a star and was brought back to do more and the character of Darcy grew and grew. Spinner is another perfect example of a sidekick who was so awesome we just had to give him more and more. It would surprise the fans to learn that almost every big Degrassi character came about in this accidental way. Toby, Terri, Emma and Ashley were supposed to be the leads of the show and they were all pushed aside by the sidekicks of JT, Paige, Manny, Jimmy, Spinner, Ellie and on and on. That’s how the show works. If you’re awesome, you’re given more to do. If you’re lame, you’re given less.

Andrea was given a strong A plot to run with in second season. Her performance was flat and the episode ‘Don’t Believe the Hype’ was a dud. Of course some people loved Hazel, but the average fan did not t clamour for more Hazel eps. If they had, we would have delivered them.

In contrast, Jimmy was a character who was given a chance to shine. At first he wasn’t great. I was one of the insiders who pushed to keep him alive and give him more to do. And over time Aubrey grew as an actor and started killing it. Look at Jimmy in season one and again at Jimmy in season three and it’s night and day. The actor worked at his craft and improved and was rewarded. Andrea did not work at her craft. But still, she was given a few chances to shine and she didn’t. She never knocked it out of the park, and if she had, she would have had many more storylines. It’s just that simple. If you’re awesome and the fans love you, you get more episodes. If Andrea is bitter, she can blame the fans who never wanted more of her.

I know it is easier on the ego to blame racism than to admit your own shortcomings. What Andrea needs to know is that as an actress she didn’t kill it. She always seemed to think she deserved to be the star at all times, and could be very difficult on set. Andrea was by no means the only diva on set, but she was among the most disruptive. A number of directors – hell, all of them – complained about how disruptive she was on set. And her bad attitude could make it more difficult for other actors to focus and perform. If she was a spectacular actor all of this would be forgiven – as bad behaviour often is forgiven. But if you’re a subpar performer playing a character that few fans like, AND you have a terrible attitude and are disruptive on set and are selfish and egotistical and a total diva… Well, Andrea has nobody to blame but herself.

And if she is truly so brilliant as an actor/performer where has she been in the last seven years? Her costar at the time, Drake, has done rather well for himself. Many of her costars have gone on to find fame elsewhere. But Andrea has done nothing.

Finally, as an insider on the show during Andrea’s years I can’t stress enough how sensitive we were to issues of cultural diversity. Indeed, Degrassi has won many awards for its sensitivity, from mutliple Glaad Media Awards to a recent Peabody Award, which is the highest honour for television. Our record stands for itself.

But Liberty got pregnant and Jimmy’s dad cheated on his wife, but never told her. Jimmy also played basketball. So Andrea’s right.

I think you’re wrong.

“If you’re lame, you’re given less.”

This could have been worded differently. You don’t fight fire with fire. You are an adult and should respond as one. Two wrongs don’t make a right. You can prove your points, but if you do so at least don’t stoop down to a lower level. Just saying.

Well, whatever the truth may be, just for the record, I enjoyed “Don’t Believe The Hype”. I liked Hazel and wanted her to have more major storylines. I hope we get to see Andrea Lewis on another good show soon, that would be wonderful! <3

Thank you for dismissing her real experiences on the show during her six year run. I’m sure she’s more aware of her behind the scene struggles than you are. But, really thank you for being that guy. That guy that takes a very personal statement and makes it all about YOUR feelings. Here’s the problem: there didn’t NEED to be a “temporary veil” on any of those characters. It’s pandering. It’s insulting to viewers. Could the writers have been more creative? Absolutely. Could they have avoided the usual old stereotypes to create dynamic characters? Absolutely! Could they have been more original when developing these characters? Absolutely. But they weren’t, and it’s a shame.

People try to say systematic racism doesn’t exist in Canada, if this doesn’t prove how real it is over there then I don’t know what will. But I am not surprised none of the black characters really had their stories developed, if you are black in hollywood your job is to bring some diveristy. Your job is to help the leading white character, to be their support system or their enemy. Your job isn’t to shine, isn’t to gain a terrible amount of fans, we are simply the back drop and it is infuriating!
Hazels only developed storyline was when she talked about her culture, but that is not good enough, black characters are more than their culture and more then just problems..like theft or pregnancy. well andrea you are a beautiful human being, if i had wrote this I would be cussing up a storm and damning every writer there, you’re a lot classier then i am.lol

Unless I’m mistaken since it’s been a while since I’ve seen the past seasons- didn’t Jimmy and Liberty come after Hazel, for the most part (if not entire part)? Everything she is saying can be true even if these characters are better representation. What she’s saying about Degrassi is true for her experience during that long stretch of the show, it won’t necessarily be true for Degrassi 5 years from now, or whatever.

I think it could be fair to say Degrassi got somewhat better over the years (though again feels stagnant in this current season of super-majority white characters), but during the time Hazel was a character they were definitely not being fair and good in their efforts to be inclusive.

Not to mention that when she finally gave birth it was in the B-plot and the majority of that episode dealt with Craig pursuing his music career. It is very sad that this is the world we live in. And to this day they continue to do it, the least developed characters in Degrassi are Dave, Connor, Marisol and Mike Dallas.

“The “black” characters with the major storylines also happened to be biracial (Lucy, Jimmy, Liberty, Dallas etc…). ”

I just had to comment on this part of your post as I found it not only offensive, but completely unfair, derogatory, and no better than the unprofessional behavior that made up what Degrassi Insider (By the way, if @DegrassiInsider does work for Degrassi, he/she should be fired/demoted for the clear lack of professionalism shown here. You should have just left this to the shows legal department and others. Now, you’ve only helped support Andrea’s claims by behaving the way you did.) said. You put black in quotation marks as if because those people are biracial they are less than black and they don’t count as black characters with major story lines. It’s offensive, it’s insulting, and it’s disrespectful. That’s not to say what you say about the industry is not true, but the way you went about making your point can be and would be seen as insulting to many biracial people. I’m sure you’ll attempt to say that wasn’t your intent, but then why bring up the point in the first place?Why put them in quotation marks? For that matter Andrea herself is multiracial.

As for Andrea and this whole post, I have NO DOUBT that there is some truth to her experience on Degrassi. These are her experiences and she has no reason to lie or make up these things. She could have done this years ago if she really had some ulterior motive. The entertainment industry is still biased towards many stereotypes, despite the fact that actors of all races continue to shatter those expectations everyday. Race is still an unresolved issue all around the world. That’s clearly evident by all the comments on this post.

At the same time, I agree with other people that this is slander, and she may have just set herself up for a lawsuit should Degrassi/Epitome choose to act on it. I also think that some characters are just bit characters and nothing more. Hazel was clearly one of those characters from the beginning. Not everybody is going go get a leading role. There are numerous examples of characters of all races being exactly that type of character on the show. Heck, some of them even only appear in one episode. All in all, I really didn’t enjoy her as a character on the show ( She seemed whiny, and annoying, and I just didn’t think she was that great of an actress. With the one exception being her reaction to Jimmy’s shooting on the show) but that doesn’t mean she could not have played a bigger role, or become a more important character, or become a better actress had she been given more to do and more chances to develop.

wait… are you really trying to tell her when she was on the show? are you really that arrogant? AND IT’S CALLED LIBEL NOT SLANDER YOU DUMBASS.

Thank you for sharing your experience, Andrea. I know actors and actresses of color across the board appreciate hearing your voice and have had similar experiences.

As a white, female fan of Degrassi (well, former fan) I know I have no responsibility or control over what other fen say, but good lord I am embarrassed and ashamed of the majority of comments here.

Stay strong. <3

Andrea,

This is a brilliant post and I applaud you for speaking out about the obvious problematic portrayals of minority characters on Degrassi — a fact which is sadly constantly ignored. I was only a fan of Degrassi up until the seventh season, but it was awful how the minority characters were always shoved into stereotypical storylines (if given storylines at all). Every character of color, if they were given anything to do, was given negative or stereotypical traits. Every LGBTQ character revolves around their sexuality and the stereotypes that embodies it. Disabled characters are virtually non-existent. On Degrassi, it was always about the white, heterosexual, able-bodied characters. Minorities were the sidekicks, the ones saved for a single Very Special Episode, and then shoved into the background to be ignored or forgotten. And if they ever rarely got their own storyline, it was always about how it affected the white, heterosexual characters. The show is rampant with sexism and misogyny too, as a poster above me pointed out. We’re meant to accept the excuses they make for the male characters, meant to forgive them for the awful things they do (and they did some awful things in the years I watched). But when it comes to the female characters, well, they were just a “slut” or a “bitch” who “deserved” the consequences they suffered.

And, of course, I see in the comments people who want to defend Degrassi, to act like the show isn’t like this. It’s sad, but not unexpected. Not sorry to say though — they’re wrong. And I think tthey know, deep down, that Degrassi is completely problematic, but they feel the need to defend it in order to placate themselves. Which is just sad, really.

I always enjoyed watching Hazel on the show and was sad when she was never given anything significant to do on the show. As a huge Palex fan, I particularly love the episode where Alex and Hazel learned to respect each other; it’s one of my favorite episodes ever, because it rang true and gave Alex and Hazel a chance to shine outside of Paige. It’s still disappointing to think about how Hazel was never given a chance to be the awesome character she could (and should) have been.

whoever is accusing andrea of pulling the so-called “race card” (seriously, this term needs to fucking die) needs to turn their manifest destiny all the way down (yes, including other black people trying to disregard her experience).

now, i never was a fan of hazel’s character, but that episode with her struggling with her muslim identity made my eyes lit up. finally, a dark-skinned black girl getting a plot that doesn’t center around a stereotype or just a token character. here we have a muslim girl who transferred to degrassi in a post-9/11 world and everyone is alienating her because of it. hazel was in the midsts of conforming with her friends and struggling with her identity. at the end, she put on her hijab to show solidarity with the muslim girl, and that was beautiful. i was hoping that there would be more of her struggling with her identity, but that never came up. she went back to being paige’s side-kick.

andrea, your acting is phenomenal. it showed true promise in that episode, but since you were paige’s mean side-kick, it never fully showed it seems. it was very one-dimensional and of course not everyone’s going to love it (i was amongst the majority).

now to all the people who’re saying “but what about liberty, jimmy, etc”. the answer is simple: c-o-l-o-r-i-s-m. i highlighted hazel being a dark-skinned black girl, because being of a darker tone, you do not get a lot of opportunities in the acting industry and you have to literally claw your way up or just leave hollywood all together. so many dark-skinned black women went through the samething andrea went through and the cycle is still continuing.

liberty and jimmy were both half-white AND light-skinned. the lighter you are in hollywood (and this really goes for anything), the more opportunities you will have. let’s compare halle berry to viola davis. in my opinion, viola davis is a much more phenomenal actress, but besides the help (which is a horrible movie plotting around a white girl feeling guilty and writing about the experiences of black women who were maids and were treated as shit), she never had a decent break. however, from all the movies i’ve seen her in, she takes my breath away every time. halle berry, on the other hand, is an okay actress. she’s always type casted as the beautiful woman with a shallow character development (hello, catwoman?), but she’s always casted in so many movies. why? she’s light-skinned. she’s pleasing for the white audience to look at and not feel any disgust or annoyance when they look at her.

same happened to hazel vs. liberty and jimmy. liberty and jimmy both came from both stable homes, and yes, jimmy was a basketball player but his story line was further developed since he was shot. yes liberty got pregnant, but her inner turmoil was still developed throughout the series. they weren’t shafted as tokens or stereotypes (even though they do seem so on the surface), because they were both pleasing to the eye to watch. let’s be honest, if hazel’s character had shine, so many people would’ve gotten annoyed. no one wants to see a dark-skinned black woman get a main role that doesn’t center around a stereotype. i’ve seen it time and time again (everyone and their grandmas hate martha from doctor who even though she’s the best character on the show).

that’s why during the later seasons, all the dark-skinned black characters (like chantay and danny) were shafted to the side even though they were considered part of the main cast…and now we’re seeing it done to marisol as well.

andrea, your feelings are completely valid and i whole-heartedly believe you. your experience isn’t unique at all. i read so many stories of dark-skinned black women in particular being shafted or written up as a stereotype time and time again (even on movies who’re directed by black directs *ahemtylerperryahem*). this isn’t about throwing the “race card” around, folks. this is completely real and will continue time and time again.

Which part can’t she be, the African part or the American part? I have no idea what Liberty’s family’s country of origin was supposed to be (and it is a good point that many black people have roots in Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic or Haiti or South America more recently than Africa, but a lot of people A) can’t tell a person’s specific ancestry just from looking at them and B) don’t realize that “black” is a more acceptable term these days — it used to be considered politically incorrect — so, without knowing someone’s exact national heritage, they use “African American” in an attempt to be as polite/inoffensive as possible).

But if you’re saying she can’t be American because she’s Canadian, that is false. Canada is part of North America, and thus Canadians are also Americans. So are Mexicans. For that matter, people from Argentina or Paraguay could also be described as American, as they live in South America — in fact, a lot of Latin Americans do identify as just “American” and get very irritated by the misappropriation of the term to refer only to residents of the United States, thus excluding all other parts of the Americas. (In Spanish, there’s actually a word to describe a resident of the United States separately, which unfortunately we don’t have in English, hence the use of “American” because nobody ever bothered to come up with something more specific.) I know many Canadians hate being associated with the US — especially abroad, where the US doesn’t have a great reputation — but until Canada finds a way to remove itself from the continent of North America, the broad term “American” will still apply to its residents. Anyone from any part of the New World, aka the Americas, aka most of the Western Hemisphere (North America, South America, and both continents’ associated islands such as the Caribbean islands) can be considered “American” under its original definition.

You are an idiot. You just compared stereotypes of high school to stereotypes of actual real human beings. I sincerely hope you find a hole and bury yourself in it because your “opinions” are a danger to anyone around you.

Also I want to add that for those who don’t know anything about television production the director runs the entire show, a show’s director sets the course, and it is the writer’s and actor’s job to bring the director’s vision to life. The so-called Degrassi insider is a liar that is very ignorant of televison or theatrical production.

Thanks for sharing. I’ve always watched Degrassi. The things you wrote here make sense and I’m sorry I never thought of it before because I’m one of those people who are like, “I don’t like Hazel, she’s pretty much useless” but I should have known. The light-skinned black characters got some storylines, pretty stereotypical, while you were left in the dust and now that Degrassi has gone more “hollywood” there are hardly any dark skinned people on there at all. Thanks for reminding us about the world we truly live in. It can be so easy to forget.

You’re missing the point. Those storylines are a problem because they are the -only- storylines characters of color are allowed to have. It doesn’t matter if white characters had those storylines too or not because they were also allowed to flourish OUTSIDE of those storylines. Characters of color during her time on the show were not allowed this equal privilege to be more than just a stereotype.

Someone needs to brush up on their understanding of racism. Racism isn’t a yes or no type of concept, there are varying degrees from severe things such as hate crimes, to smaller things such as stereotypes and assumptions.

Also just because degrassi throws people of color a bone once in a while by covering African American topics, doesn’t suddenly absolve the show from wrongdoing. Having many viewers doesn’t absolve it from wrongdoing either, if anything that just makes it more important for the writers to do right by their impressionable viewers.

You’ve also missed her point by deviating your argument with a bunch of logical fallacies. You, as and outsider, cannot invalidate her personal experiences with racism, as she has lived them.

Finally, it is entirely possible for Degrassi to be racist, despite covering african american subjects. Especially if those african american subjects, are handled from a narrowminded pov.

I have newfound respect for you after reading this post. I must admit, when i was kid, i didn’t really like your character (thought i loved the one about hazel’s culture), but i’ve grown up and now realize the reason why: the directors didn’t really care for the world to like black girl’s character on tv. They always give the better storylines to white characters, then to dark skinned guys, and then finally to black girls (i say black girls, because alli is brown and has had some interesting storylines lately, but chantay is legit the most hated character on the show, and marisol is well-liked but her min storylines re her relationships with boys and with her white best friend). It’s upsetting.

I noticed they let a lot of black males take le-ad :instead of the Girls. You made an impact on the show though! I always loved your style. You go girl !

I was shocked to read this. In retrospect, I don’t know why I’m so shocked. Media, especially entertainment media, are still dominated by white faces. For some reason, when white people think “diverse,” they…think of other white people. Characters who aren’t white tend to fit into a one-dimensional, predetermined role based on suppositions about their race. And yes, I know there are exceptions to every rule. I stopped watching Degrassi once I grew up, but the Degrassi I watched did not have many exceptions to this rule. Not nearly as many as they should have.

Andrea, I don’t remember much about Degrassi. What I do remember is (a) I wanted to punch Spinner and Sean, (b) I wanted to punch Emma, (c) Hazel was cute and sweet and spunky and after a while she faded into obscurity and I could never figure out why. I swear, I can’t remember a single Degrassi episode by plot–EXCEPT for the one where we find out Hazel is not who we think she is. It was so powerful. It went a long way in teaching kids not to judge a book by its cover. Sadly, it sounds like Degrassi forgot their own lesson. At least during your tenure. I didn’t watch much when the show started bringing in Jay and Alex and all those other brats. Never cared for them.

To all of you trying to shame Andrea into recanting her statements: Shame on you. You have not walked in her shoes. You have not worked with the writers and producers she has worked with. You were not there when she was cast in the role. You do not know what the producer was or was not looking for when he cast her. You do not know what was going on through ANY of those individuals’ minds. Only Andrea does–because, as she said, a former member of the staff sat down and talked to her and TOLD her what was going through their minds.

You all like to think racism is a thing of the past. But when studies show that employers would rather hire white employees with criminal records than black employees without; when studies show that white people make the majority of drug users but black people make the majority of people doing jailtime for drug possession; when surveys show that people of color make the majority of moviegoers, but Hollywood still insists on whitewashing stories that are supposed to be about minorities (Fargo, The Impossible) and casting all white leads in their rom-coms and chick-flicks; when you have all these stats staring you in the face, the only way you can deny your society’s ongoing system of racism is by looking the other way. White people get to look the other way. People in Andrea’s position do not, because the issue smacks us in the face every single day.

To close a VERY long post…lol…Andrea, you are talented and beautiful and fresh and I’m looking forward to Black Actress. Good luck!!

Sarah actually auditioned for Manny…

I really appreciate this post and it’s so true. Many of the black characters and other persons of color on this show have been sidetracked and really never heard from again.

I am an avid fan of Degrassi (Always have always will) and they have done the same thing with Marisol. She is basically Hazel. She is on the cheer squad, she comes from a unknown background (I think her parents are rich) She was with different guys, but there was never pain or sorrow or more understanding of her, and now she is graduating and I have no idea who she really is. She is just a friend to Katie, and that is what she truly became.

I think they have done slightly better in the range of pushing minority characters in the spotlight, or at least side characters that have just been dead this whole season to have a storyline…

I think that is a consequence when we are following a lot of people and have just a short time to know them all, but even this excuse isn’t reasonable. I mean Eli/Clare had like half this season (and other seasons) and Drew/Bianca had another season, I mean what gives?

But anyway, thank you for this!

I remember when I watched Degrassi I was always pissed with the way Liberty’s pregnancy storyline was shafted, pushed to a b-plot and made almost entirely about JT and her other white friends instead of her. I was in middle school so it never really occurred to me that part of that probably had to do with the color of her skin. Really the only people of color the show did justice to in its first seven or so seasons were Jimmy and Marco. Both guys. Unsurprising, as guys are generally allowed to be complex characters regardless of skin color, a privilege women of color are not often afforded.

In fact until I read this I had forgotten that Hazel was around for so long. She literally had no other role but to play Paige’s sidekick. It makes sense now that you’ve written about the reasons why.

I find that calling out racism tends to make white people unreasonably angry and bitter. They don’t like the underlying assumption that they are part of the problem. So they belittle your experience or explain it away. They look for one or two outliers that don’t corroborate perfectly with your story or spin wild tales about how what you said couldn’t possibly be true because of some obscure thing they know from a friend about show business. Anything to put the blame on your shoulders so they don’t have to reflect on their own bigotry.

That’s why I think it was incredibly brave for you to come out about this. Women of color always get bashed when they share their stories of discrimination, especially stories about discrimination in show business. It’s 2013, and people still aren’t ready to listen to us. But don’t let that stop you from telling the truth. Thank you, for sharing.

Thank you so much for sharing, Andrea. I remember watching you and Aubrey and wondering why we didn’t see you more aside from that one story line about Hazel being from Somalia and a Muslim. Jimmy and Liberty may have gotten prominent storyline but it was all so stereotypical. Jimmy the athlete and Liberty getting pregnant. And even now, same thing is going on. Dallas is clearly the new Jimmy and we just learned he has a baby. Marisol is the new Hazel, she’s only around to prop Katie or her boyfriend and we hardly see Dave.

I grew up with degrassi, and I already noticed that hazel never had major story lines.. yet she was still my favorite. Jazel ended up messed up! It bothered me how that storyline was written. I loved Jazel. And I hated how Hazel was a ‘hidden’ Muslim… No offence against any muslims. But in my opinion it just didn’t fit.. That episode could’ve been just cut out of the season.. it wouldnt make a difference to hazel’s storyline anyway… pfff sucks reading this, but Im happy you posted it, it sheds some light on the show and that racism is still present this days.

I’ve always suspected that something wasn’t right about Degrassi and Sarah confirmed it. Thanks!

When it comes to Black characters, Degrassi didn’t fully develop them properly nor did I feel that they were interested in doing do. You could tell it: Something tragic (like what happened to JT nd liberty), make them seem boorish, or make their characters unattractive to the point where no guys would approach them… the suspicions where there. Much as I like Mike Dallas, it seems that the writers/producers made him tainted by making him a teen dad.. another way of decreasing any White girl chances of dating him on the show.

I agree with Sarah, it seems that Degrassi really do try to make their Black characters be lame as possible. I hope that she will be able to find work on TV..like being a Black female lead on there. Degrassi do seem unrealistic with their characters and you can only do that so long before the show becomes lame.

That’s cool but when are the Black female characters going to be in predominate roles? Ali and Cassie are women of color but are not Black. To be truly diverse means that all of the main characters should shine. As a whole, the Black characters are not predominant on the show. Just to prove my point can you name any Black female characters that stand out on the show? Honestly, I can’t. Sarah came close but no I can’t but the guys I can name.. mostly White.

When I think about diversity I think that everybody should have equal interactions and story lines on the show which is not what I’m seeing on the show. Marisol should have been able to hook up with Drew or to learn about who she and some of the Black characters on there. We know the most of the non Black characters on there but not the Black ones nor do they stay on the show very long as were seeing on here.

Who’s Sarah? Do you mean Andrea?

Really? What’d she say and where can I read her comments? It’s one thing if just Andrea has that complaint, but if Sarah said the same thing, it’s pretty damaging to Degrassi’s reputation.

Ehh.. When I was younger.. about 13 (2007) when I seen the show, I never really took thought into that. However, I am starting to notice the subtle amount of racism that was embedded into the show whether you believe or not.. It took Chantay, FOREVER.. nearly 3 seasons to get a role. She started in Season 4 (2004) and got a main role 4 years later in Season 8 (2008)?! Not to mention they somewhat had her as the loud mouth “Sassy” gossiping girl. Shanice appeared in Season 10… And was the earliest black female to get a main role after one season.. And one of the earliest to leave. They got rid of her after Season 12. Eeep! Andrea, they pretty much portrayed you as the quiet, “non-threatening” black female. Honestly, we can see this is the 21st century, but not pretend like its still racist.

Ohhh. And if anyone mention the roles of Liberty, Jimmy, Dallas.. please remember they’re “half black” therefore they get a role, but they will never amount as being equals as well either. Heck.. Liberty was a teen mom, Jimmy was almost every stereotypical black career, basketball rap, dad cheating on mom.. Dallas, angry, aggressive.. Was a bully, made poor decisions.

Andrea, I was just like you.. I didn’t want to believe it, I wanted to pretend it was a hallucination.. I’m really glad you opened up, and stated your opinions. The way you and the other black females were treated did not surprise me, but honestly disappointed me.

I liked Hazel but honestly she didn’t really have any great story lines just a couple here and there so i totally can see what yo saying. I loved the story when she admits where her family comes from and also I like the dentition episode is one of my fave and so happy you as Hazel were part as well as Jimmy (Drake) Ellie (Stacey), Sean and Toby. I felt this episode actually was showing characters that we didn’t get a whole alot of at first. I think you did amazing with what they gave you your entire run. And unfortunately you didn’t get alot but I still remember your character and though not my fave still one I enjoyed. And you were awesome even if the writing didn’t make Hazel likable all the time. But will say I don’t think they gave Terri (Christina) much either and I love her character too which was disappointing. Wish we got more of both of you.

Every single character you named was given multiple,A-plot story lines. Besides getting shot, the only main story lines Jimmy had was turning down basketball to be an artist and rapping with Ashley…Not stereotypical at all….

Andrea,

You rock. And to “Degrassi Insider” (if that’s your real name) Degrassi sucks now. Be gone.

I’m literally 3 years late but this makes a lot of sense. Especially after reading a response from one of the producers (though I’m not 100% sure if it was real). They were so damn defensive and resorted to calling you a bad actress and saying you were difficult and your character was unlikeable. IF ALL THAT WAS THE CASE, WHY WERE YOU AROUND FOR 6 SEASONS? God knows they’ve blackholed other characters without giving any explanation. Why not do that with Hazel? Admittedly, I never really thought about your character much, but I ALWAYS wondered what was going on with Chantay. Homegirl didn’t get ANY DAMN PLOT LINES and she was on the show for sooooo freaking long. The one plot line she did get was shared with Danny and it lasted one episode. And I don’t know if you’re watching Degrassi: Next Class but I’m not liking the way they’re handling race there either. Thanks for sharing, Andrea

You played one heck of a Carla in Cadet Kelly.

YAS!!!

When I re-watch Degrassi TNG ( as well as all the deleted scenes) I feel the character Hazel got the short end of the stick. By season 3 onward, Hazel’s only purpose was to be Jimmy’s girlfriend.

I think what is most telling is how in season 4, they explored how most of the charters were effected by the shooting or dealt with the shooting… ( Craig’s bi-polar storyline, Emma’s time in the Ravine, Sean leaving, JT and Toby’s struggling friendship, JT and Liberty’s Dracula storyline, etc.) Even storylines that were not a direct result of the shooting can be seen as the characters attempt to move on from the shooting ( Paige dating a teacher, Ashley leaving, Marco attempting to graduate early and move in with Dylan).

The ONLY character…literally the ONLY character, whose struggle with the shooting was not explored was Hazel’s. Which is ridiculous considering the person who was shot was her boyfriend. All we know about Hazel and the shooting is that she did yoga to de-stress. Even that “storyline” was really used as a means to give Paige a storyline about crushing on a teacher.

As someone who stood by a partner who had cancer, I can tell you the writer’s missed an amazing storyline opportunity in Hazel in season 4. If they wanted to develop the character, this is when they should have done it.

By Season 5, all Hazel became was Jimmy’s girlfriend and Paige’s best friend. Jimmy and Hazel broke up, and Paige began dating Alex. This left Hazel’s character with no where to go.