On Sunday night, Chris Rock called the 88th Academy Awards the “White People’s Choice Awards,” and an entire audience erupted in laughter. Sometimes the truth is eerily easy to swallow. It was an entire night of inconvenient truths. But what do we do with all this truth?

As the trophy extravaganza neared, the question for many became “would Rock go all the way or would he disappoint us?” Us as in the Black community. The ones who’ve been there every step of Rock’s career, and also the ones dealing with the effects of Hollywood and social justice. It turns out, Rock went all the way. It got hot and uncomfortable.

Similar to any of his standup, Rock spoke the facts, especially when he quipped, “if they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t even get this job.” There are moments of silence that fill his breaths, and it’s the single greatest sound ever.

It’s the sound of racial injustice. It shows up in the latest Beyoncé video, or at the latest video recording of a deadly shooting, or more appropriately here, at the reveal of no Black Oscar nominations. You almost can’t get away from it. At points, it becomes unbearable to hear “Black Lives Matter” talked about. But in other moments, it feels like a relief, like a chance to be heard in the world.

At least, that’s what last night was like for me. Having worked in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles in the entertainment industry, I know what it’s like to be looked at differently than your peers. Not because you aren’t qualified, but because of how people think about you.

It’s an ugly feeling to be discounted before opening your mouth. It’s a reality, and when Rock speaks, it’s almost as if he’s speaking for me and friends of mine. So in a way, I thank him. I thank him for sharing the struggle with those who may not think twice about it. I also know how annoying it gets. But truth is truth.

I imagine this is how it feels when any person with a voice speaks for a traditionally silenced community. The truth isn’t always easy to deal with.

When it comes to entertainment, agents and filmmakers and hiring managers might go back to making the same decisions. But maybe just one of them will realize their bias, and entertain diversity. Maybe someone in that crowd or at home will one day make a new decision. I have hope that the world, or our world, will become more open.

While Rock made many of us cringe, it was equally gratifying to see Leonardo DiCaprio finally take home the gold. But that was also sad because it’s the end of an era: All of the DiCaprio “No Oscar” memes will have to come to an end. That’s a future I’m not really looking forward to.

But I am looking forward to a future where more people have more opportunity. One of the most uncomfortable bits of Rock’s set came when he mentioned a conversation he had with President Obama at a fundraising event.

“Mr. President. You see all these writers and producers and actors. They don’t hire Black people.” A hush flew over the crowd as people were forced to reckon with the truth, or at the very least, Chris Rock’s truth and the way Hollywood is experienced for many.

Chris Rock isn’t the only one who imagines a better world. I can remember when I packed my bags and left Brooklyn for Atlanta as a freshman in college. I had one goal: To become “the next Spike Lee.” All that meant is that I wanted to create art with a purpose. That whatever I did would create opportunities for others.

Maybe “Black Lives Matter” or “Oscars So White” isn’t the message. Maybe the real message is that all of us have the power to leave this world better than we found it. Tall order, but not impossible.

Kareem Taylor (@KareemTaylor) leads strategy and partnerships at Substance Global, a London-based digital agency with new offices in Los Angeles. He is also the author of “Get Your Life!,” the orange book that teaches creatives how to turn their ideas into a career. He is an optimist (see above for proof) and writes popular blogs on marketing, sales and leadership at KareemTaylor.com. A graduate of PromaxBDA and Santa Monica College’s Promo Pathway, Kareem counts CNN, Taco Bell, Sony Pictures Television and AT&T as his clients.

[Image courtesy of ABC]

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