1. Caring About Young & Impressionable Black Minds
Kriss Kross appeared on the show, both a part of a youth outreach program Freddie Brooks was a part of. Many people would have written them off as hoodlums, but Dwayne Wayne, Colonel Taylor & Mr. Gaines made sure they received support and education.
2. The AIDS Epidemic
Tisha Campbell starred on the series as a student infected with HIV. During a class, “Josie” read an essay she’d written, revealing her diagnosis. The ignorance many of the students bestowed upon her reflected the ignorance in our society. She’d gotten it from her high school boyfriend and “looked” nothing like HIV positive. This revealed that anyone could be affected. Slowly, she gained support and love.
3. Racism
“They have no respect. They don’t care about this country at all. All they do it sit on their butt and complain…” says the White college student who tried to spray paint, “N*gger” on the hood on Ron Johnson’s car. The following speech from Dwayne tackled just how America sees us all as “just another n*gger.”
