Dear black people, it is time to end the declaration of prejudice against our race and culture with the Academy Awards. In fact, it’s long overdue.

The Oscars are about the quality of projects and performances, as African-Americans deliver quality pieces the accolades have come. However, the common opposing argument that will be thrown into the conversation will be that black people don’t win awards or get nominated unless it is regarding the Civil Rights movement, slavery or another struggle within African-American history.

While I do agree that the work of African-Americans should be celebrated, honored and acknowledged, I do not want to diminish the quality productions that came from Hollywood in order to meet a culture quota.

Almost every year the Oscars receive some level of backlash due to the lack of familiar faces and names that appear on screen during the award show’s telecast. Most recently, the planned boycott of the ceremony, that was thankfully extinguished by Selma director Ava DuVernay, spearheaded the Oscar outrage that would have casted a shadow over an amazing moment in the tear-evoking, uniting performance of “Glory” from Common and John Legend, culminating in a victory for the two black male stars and amazing culture bridging, no pun intended, speeches.