Maybe The NAACP And Awkwafina Deserve Each Other

Sure Awkwafina deserves to be canceled but what about the NAACP?

Black Twitter went ballistic earlier this month after the NAACP released that actress and comedian Awkwafina was nominated for an Image Award. Twitter users quickly took the NAACP to task over the nomination — citing harsh criticism that the Asian American actress, whose real name is Nora Lum, has received over the years for appropriating Black culture and using “blaccent” while remaining obstinate in her refusal to use an Asian accent onscreen. The Marvel star is now facing backlash after being nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and the NAACP is facing even harsher criticism.

The annual ceremony presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which honors Black talent in Hollywood for their outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature, is typically seen as a highly esteemed honor. Consequently, when news broke that the 33-year old actress was nominated for “Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance” in a motion picture for her role in Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon,” Black folks weren’t having it — and rightfully so. It appears the actress has a well-established history of appropriating Blackness.