When you have the ability to soar, there are people who want to keep you grounded or, worse, see you fall. Tari Wariebi’s We Were Meant To is about a birthright being held down by those who do not wish to understand or see Black men fly both figuratively and literally. Every time I have seen this film, the final moments give me absolute chills.
Tim Johnson Jr.’s Akil is waiting for his wings to sprout as he trudges through high school, and, one morning, they spring to life before class. The smile on his face is truly infectious. Now that this new bit of puberty has presented itself, he can start attending flying classes. First, of course, are the practical lessons where Akil and other Black students have to takes copious notes of the do’s and don’ts of taking flight. I was nervous to take my first driver’s test, and I was still on the ground–so I can’t imagine the mixture of nerves and anticipation these guys are experiencing.
Black men, exclusively, have the ability to fly, and finding that first flight is its own rite of passage. Akil gets pressure from his friends and his sister teases him. His mother is concerned but she won’t say it (when Akil asks her to sign the release form, she says, ‘Have your dad sign it’), and Akil’s father no longer has his wings. During his classes, Akil and his fellow classmates are told that they need to respect the No Fly Zones, but it appears that more and more signs keep popping up all over the neighborhood. Wariebi’s film is a creative coming-of-age. His characters anticipate new, thrilling potentials but are aware of this country’s hideous history as society feels threatened by thriving young Black men.
Where would you go if you could fly? Would you pounce through the skies with your friends or would you take slight solo and see something in a completely new way? The opening shot shows Akil laying in bed as he stares as a graphic poster for a comic called The Ones Without. Indeed those “without” will try to take away your power, confidence, and history by denying you every way they can. We Were Meant To is about embracing who you were born to be and never settling for anyone standing in your way.
