I was at DragonCon one year when Avery Brooks was on a panel, and a Black dude stood up and talked about how the year DS9 came on, he became the sole custodial guardian of his small son, and he was *terrified* and felt helpless, because he hadnβt really had a father himself, and he didnβt really know any Black fathers he particularly wanted to emulate, and no Black single fathers at all.Β He talked about how every week heβd put his kid to bed and sit down and watch Deep Space Nine, and think to himself,Β βOkay, this, I want us to be this kind of father and son,β and how, silly as it might sound, the idea that Ben could be there for Jake, all the time, successfully, and earn his admiration and trust, was the only source he really had of inspiration, the only voice that was telling him he could handle this job.Β
I swear to fuck there was a whole auditorium of people in tears by the time he was done, including both him and Brooks.Β It was one of the most beautiful moments I ever saw about the sometimes bloodless-sounding termΒ βrepresentation,β and about fandom in general, and I will never forget it.