Melissa Harris-Perry, #Nerdland
I was so angry the other night when I started thinking about Melissa Harris-Perry’s show being ripped off the air that I was compelled to write about what her show meant to me and so many of her viewers.
The closest comparison that came to mind was the movie The Color Purple. My mind quickly thought about Mister, one of the characters in the film, and how he forcefully separated sisters Nettie and Celie from each other. In an emotional scene from the film, Mister throws Nettie off of his property and orders her to never return. It was Mister’s attempt to break a bond between two sisters who had a relationship so close that an ocean could not separate them. In similar fashion MSNBC, the channel that aired Melissa’s show, sent her packing and into the world without her television family.
Since the Melissa Harris-Perry Show has been cancelled there has been a void in my life. I’m sure those of you in Nerdland, the name coined by Melissa to describe the community of followers from her show, would agree. Watching the Melissa Harris-Perry Show was my weekend ritual. My guilty pleasure was to sit down on my couch with a cup of coffee and be engaged by her guests each week.
I consider the Melissa Harris-Perry Show to have some of the smartest followers of any television show on the air. It was privilege to watch Melissa host her panel of experts discuss the hottest topics from the previous week. Whether it be the water crisis in Flint, MI or student advocate groups like The Dream Defenders talking about their movement, a variety of diverse guests gave their perspective each week. We gathered together faithfully on Saturday and Sunday mornings, for two hours, to be inspired, educated, challenged, and entertained by our sister and our friend. And as an added bonus, we would have an equally engaging conversation on Twitter with other fans of the show using the hashtag #Nerdland that kept the conversation going throughout the panel discussions and into the commercial breaks.
Each week we received a syllabus of topics to be discussed for the day and waited patiently to witness the cast of all-stars who would grace her panel. We were inspired by a show that was like nothing else on television. Everyone, including professors from some of the top universities in the country, to community leaders, to public officials, and everyday people could be found sitting at her table. Even the next generation of young leaders had a place at the table. No one was ever left out of the conversation.
What Mister, excuse me, MSNBC didn’t know is that Nerdland is bigger than a television network. Nerdland is still intact to this day and ready to pack up and move wherever Melissa goes next. Even though the Melissa Harris-Perry Show is off of the air, we still chat on the weekends using our Nerdland hashtag to dialogue with one another. Nerdland is a family that refuses to let distance separate us. We know that wherever Melissa goes she will find a way to bring light to issues often hidden in the dark and be a voice to those who cannot speak.
It’s hard not to feel a little used when you think about how much the network benefited from the diverse demographic and high ratings from the show. The way it all ended is just wrong. No warning. No good-bye. No nothing. So what do you do with Nerdland now? Aren’t we important to your network or are we supposed to just disappear like Melissa?
So in true Nerdland form, I’ve decided to take a page straight from Melissa’s show and pen a letter directly to her.
Dear Melissa,
Thank you for being real. Thank you for being honest. Thank you for being true to yourself. You are always a champion for others, especially for those individuals and causes that are often overlooked. Today, I want to let you know how much you mean to me and Nerdland. You are our shero. You bring that special #BlackGirlMagic that only you know how to give.
Today, I went online and watched a clip of your show from 2013 where you introduced poet Nikki Giovanni who would recite one of your favorite poems, Ego Tripping. You smiled as you described how her words inspired you as a young woman in your 20’s. I thought to myself, who wouldn’t feel a sense of pride and confidence hearing the line, “I’m so hip even my errors are correct.” Your infectious smile took over my screen as I watched you relish in a moment that is not often seen on television. For me, that moment symbolized the uniqueness of the space you’ve created within Nerdland that viewers don’t often get to see. This space you’ve created allows so many people from all walks of life debate critical issues and be educated at the same time.
It takes courage to do what you did each week. I appreciate you for speaking your truth and not succumbing to the pressure to quietly go way. You are strong. You are educated. You are a force to be reckoned with. You are fearless! However, just as Kendrick Lamar said on his album To Pimp a Butterfly, “We gon’ be alright.” Nerdland has your back and we’ll be here for you when you return. Thank you for an amazing four years. We love you.
Sincerely,
Nikkole
The Kole Chronicles 
Awesome Nik
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