Actor Terry Crews Sends Message of Support to Family of João Pedro

Note from BW of Brazil: It must have been quite a pleasant surprise to the family young João Pedro to receive a message from popular African-American actor, Terry Crews. It doesn’t take away from the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Crews’ message of solidarity. 14-year old João Pedro was another of the thousands of young black males who have been killed in the so-called guerra às drogas (war on drugs) in Brazil’s poor communities on the part of police agents. Pedro’s death happened shortly before the murder of the American, George Floyd, also black, in the city of Minneapolis in the United States. 

I wondered what made Crews record this message. The genocide of black youth in Brazil, for the most part, hasn’t received anywhere near the publicity of the murder of black people in the United States. But then, we must remember that Crews does have somewhat of a connection with Brazil.

The program Everybody Hates Chris, known as Todo Mundo Odeio o Chris in Brazil, of which Crews played the father of the main character, was an enormous hit in Brazil. Actress Tichina Arnold, who portrayed the mother on the program, made a trip to Brazil several years ago and the main actor, Tyler James Williams, was getting more messages from Brazilian fans than he could deal with. 

The series even inspired illustrator Rafael Gandine, from the state of Minas Gerais, to transform the Todo Mundo Odeia o Chris characters into a cartoon. The portrait even attracted the attention of the actors of the series. Gandine drew Julius (Terry Crews), Drew (Tequan Richmond), Rochelle (Tichina Arnold), Chris (Tyler James Williams), Tonya (Imani Hakim) and Greg (Vincent Martella). The illustration was published in October of 2018 and went viral when the cast itself shared the image.

Terry Crews was the first to comment on the drawing. The actor posted the drawing and became interested in the idea of animation. “What a great idea! Please do the Everybody Hates Chriscartoon”, commented the actor. Tequan Richmond was also excited. “Can we make it happen?” he commented, which prompted Crews to respond, “I’m sure we can do it.” Actress Imani Hakim also expressed interest in the idea. 

Of course, there’s nothing any of us can do to bring João Pedro back, but Crews should be commended for reaching out…even though he’s certainly getting his share of shade from the African-American community these days, but that’s another topic. 

Actor Terry Crews sends message to João Pedro’s family

Courtesy of Terra

American actor sent message to relatives of young man shot in Military Police operation and mothers of victims and black Brazilian activists;

Actor Terry Crews, immortalized as Julius of Everybody Hate Chris, shown in Brazil as Todo Mundo Odeio o Chris, sent a message to the family of João Pedro, a 14-year-old teen who was shot dead in a Military Police operation in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, on May 18, 2020.

“I would like to show my solidarity with João Pedro’s family. I stand by all of you in the fight against injustice and the fight to end of police violence here in the United States as well as in Brazil,” he said.

“I support Brazilian black activists, the people who live in the favelas (slums), the mothers of the victims and all those who fight against racism and violence. Thank you very much,” he added.

The video was aired by the organization Favelas na Luta.

The struggle of mothers who are victims of violence and the Favelas em Luta movement has gained significant international reinforcement today. @terrycrews, actor, ex-football player, activist, sent a message of solidarity to João Pedro’s family and to all black and favela activists who were on the streets last Sunday vying for ways to build a future that is not full of inequalities. _ The uprising is global and echoes throughout the black and favela bodies that don’t deserve to die either from gunshots, from Covid or from hunger. _ We want to live!? _ For the approval of PL 2568/2020 For the creation of a cabinet to monitor compliance with the STF injunction _ We are going together, Terry! _ #VidasNegrasImportam #FavelasNaLuta #BlackLivesMatters – A post shared by Movimento Favelas na Luta (@favelasnaluta) on Jun 9, 2020 at 4:49 pm PDT

The actor has been using his social media to criticize racial discrimination around the world after a black man, George Floyd, was asphyxiated to death in Minnesota, USA, by police officer Dereck Chauvin.

Source: Terra