“By the grace of God, they are both still with me, and that racially motivated harassment against my father was dismissed. I can.". I actually didn’t learn about being Black and what that would mean for me until I was 7 years old.”. He recalled being racially profiled at a San Diego restaurant and accused of trying to steal tips. A fan of the show came to the family’s rescue and explained Lonnie was “a professional actor on two television series currently airing” and added he “doubted I would need to steal her few dollars”. "I can recall a time on set when I started crying listening to an actor portray a racist grandmother toward my character. At that age, Chavis said, his parents started educating him. "Her Black cousins and I were accused by a young white girl working the cash register of trying to steal the few tips in her tip cup. The lessons included “long talks” and screenings of movies like Amistad and Malcolm X. Share Share Tweet Email Comment. https://hollywoodlife.com/2020/06/17/this-is-us-lonnie-chavis-essay-racism Lonnie also revealed he was once racially profiled at a restaurant in San Diego, California while visiting one of his young black co-stars. It was a huge ordeal that almost led to police being called on us while we were with our parents—until some wonderful fan who happened to be white told them that I was a professional actor on two television series currently airing and argued that he doubted I would need to steal her few dollars," he shared. It is a show that is full of emotional roller coasters, … This Is Us actor Lonnie Chavis, who plays the younger version of Randall on the drama, has written an essay detailing the racism, intimidation and stress he’s witnessed in his 12 years of life. © 2020 E! Lonnie also recalled a moment on set of an unidentified TV show where he became emotional after hearing some lines of a script. "If you don't understand what's going on in the world, then understand this: This is what the world looks like for me. The show This Is Us has never been afraid to tackle the big topics in life. Shared on People, the 12-year-old talent also divulges very personal and traumatizing stories in which his parents have been profiled by police in his company. E! “I started crying listening to an actor portray a racist grandmother toward my character,” he wrote. "My life matters, but does it? That’s when a grandmother was cruel to his character over racial reasons.”I was crying for me. Change has got to happen for unarmed Black citizens to not live in fear of being murdered. The star then recalled an occasion on set, which could refer to the shooting of This Is Us' Season 2 episode "Still There," in which Rebecca's (Mandy Moore) mother, Janet (Elizabeth Perkins) drops by the Pearson household. Can you imagine someone thinking you are a thief just because of the colour of your skin? I thought my parents were for sure going to die going up against the police,” he recounted. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix à tout moment dans vos paramètres de vie privée. Informations sur votre appareil et sur votre connexion Internet, y compris votre adresse IP, Navigation et recherche lors de l’utilisation des sites Web et applications Verizon Media. America shows me that my Blackness is a threat, and I am treated as such. Can you imagine someone thinking you are a thief just because of the color of your skin? ", He also recalls instances in which his parents have been pulled over by police and profiled by the nice cars they're driving. In a personal essay for People, the This Is Us star described events both on and off red carpets that not every child has to experience.