Essence gu™
  • FASHION
    • FASHION NEWS
    • ACCESSORIES
    • FEATURES
    • FASHION WEEK
  • BEAUTY
    • SKIN
    • MAKEUP
    • HAIR
    • NAILS
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • GU JAMS
    • FILM
    • TV
    • RADIO
    • BOOKS
    • TECH
    • SPORTS
  • WELLNESS
    • RELATIONSHIPS
    • SEX
    • HEALTH
    • FOOD
    • ASTROLOGY
  • BUSINESS
    • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    • MONEY
    • CAREERS
    • ADVICE
  • FEEDBACK
    • NEWS
    • IDENTITY
    • ACTIVISM
    • POLITICS
    • LET’S TALK ABOUT IT
  • SHOPPING
    • FASHION
    • BEAUTY
    • TECH
    • LIFESTYLE
  • Videos
  • GU Summit 2024
  • ESSENCE.COM
  • SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Subscribe to Trending News

Our weekly newsletter with the latest celebrity news, fashion updates, interviews and exclusive offers!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. By supplying your cell phone number, you consent to receive marketing messages from ESSENCE. Please note that standard messaging rates apply from your provider.
  • FASHION
    • FASHION NEWS
    • ACCESSORIES
    • FEATURES
    • FASHION WEEK
  • BEAUTY
    • SKIN
    • MAKEUP
    • HAIR
    • NAILS
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • GU JAMS
    • FILM
    • TV
    • RADIO
    • BOOKS
    • TECH
    • SPORTS
  • WELLNESS
    • RELATIONSHIPS
    • SEX
    • HEALTH
    • FOOD
    • ASTROLOGY
  • BUSINESS
    • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    • MONEY
    • CAREERS
    • ADVICE
  • FEEDBACK
    • NEWS
    • IDENTITY
    • ACTIVISM
    • POLITICS
    • LET’S TALK ABOUT IT
  • SHOPPING
    • FASHION
    • BEAUTY
    • TECH
    • LIFESTYLE
  • Videos
  • GU Summit 2024
  • ESSENCE.COM
  • SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
Home • TV

'Abbott Elementary' Praised For Featuring Black Muslim Girl In Colorful Hijabs

Quinta Brunson's show just doesn't miss - and it shows.
‘Abbott Elementary’ Praised For Featuring Black Muslim Girl In Colorful Hijabs
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY – “New Tech” – When a new computer program is introduced at Abbott, Janine is excited to finally help Barbara out with something. However, Barbara is reluctant to accept change and finds herself in a tricky situation when she decides to lie about her students’ results rather than admit defeat. Elsewhere, Melissa surprises Jacob when she offers up a friend to assist with his lesson on unions, but she ends up teaching Jacob an important lesson herself on “Abbott Elementary,” TUESDAY, JAN. 18 (9:00-9:30 p.m. EST), on ABC. (ABC/Gilles Mingasson) QUINTA BRUNSON
By D'Shonda Brown · Updated May 1, 2024

When it comes to television and film, it’s important for us as a community to feel seen both on and off-screen. With Quinta Brunson’s skyrocket-rating Abbott Elementary, the former Buzzfeed star is using her platform to ensure that her community, especially in her hometown of Philadelphia, feels properly represented from the teachers down to the students.

In a recent tweet by actress and comedian Janelle James, who plays principal Ava Coleman in Abbott Elementary, the cast is shown posing for a flick to promote the new episode streaming on Hulu. Though fans were excited for another night of side-holding, knee-slapping dry humor, certain Twitter users couldn’t help but notice one thing in particular. There was a young Black girl in the episode who allowed many audience members to feel represented – a Muslim Black student with a hijab.

“A young Black Muslim girl in hijab! We love to see it,” Twitter user Imani Bashir tweeted in excitement. Another user by the handle @Akitron thanked Brunson for her ability to represent the Black Muslim community in Abbott aside from the stereotypical demonstration of a single hijab with no color variety. “Big thank u to @quintabrunson for putting this little Muslim kid in the starter presewn hijab in different colours, this is true life and I love 2 see it,” they tweeted.

Take a look at more fan reactions below!

A young Black Muslim girl in hijab! We love to see it 🤩 https://t.co/d29KpGDljP

— Imani B. (@SheIsImaniB) February 24, 2022

Big thank u to @quintabrunson for putting this little Muslim kid in the starter presewn hijab in different colours, this is true life and I love 2 see it

— autumn cs @ PCF TABLE 45 (@Akitron) February 23, 2022

as small as it was, i loved to see the black muslim girl on abbott elementary. never truly saw myself represented on tv and i truly think this is the first time i saw a black hijabi 😭 i love this show truly for giving me that representation as well 💗

— 💗 (@loveyonces) February 23, 2022

Just to see Muslim kids especially Black Muslim kids enjoying themselves on this show and wearing different colored hijabs …. Quinta is beyond brilliant #AbbottElementary is everything 👏🙌✨ pic.twitter.com/6P1XEeP53a

— Mihrimah|FS |Free Palestine🇵🇸 |🪬🤲 (@Mihrimah_FS) February 23, 2022

Hijab representation. This show is really hitting all the marks! #AbbottElementary https://t.co/0mJbbzKu9s

— . (@JoVoiceofreason) February 22, 2022

#AbbottElementary including not one but two hijabis. Actually changing babygirl’s hijab instead of having her wear the same one throughout. More Ava. “I applied to Morehouse.” Gregory wanting pizza for Janine’s sake. Him liking the structure part of the show. “Lori Leftfoot.”😩🥺

— Shayera Hol(d my tiddies) (@ConfusedBurger) February 23, 2022

Brunson’s Abbott Elementary has been making waves across the sitcom world with her half-hour, single-camera brainchild. The mockumentary follows Janine Teagues, a second-grade elementary school teacher in Philly, as she navigates through the underfunded school while trying to positively change lives one student at a time.

“The way she cared for her students beyond just teaching them how to read, she became so many different jobs and roles,” Brunson recalled in an interview with ESSENCE about being inspired by her mother’s own 40-year career as a teacher in the Philadelphia school district. “That really is what inspired me to go there, because I just felt that it was such a rich world that hadn’t really been tapped into yet.”

According to Deadline, the second episode of Abbott, which premiered on January 4, 2022, has amassed nearly 9.0 million total viewers, making the episode “ABC’s strongest comedy telecast of new or returning series in nearly two years, since the April 8 2020 series finale of Modern Family.” Alongside Brunson and James, the sitcom also stars Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Everybody Hates Chris‘ own Tyler James Williams.

Abbott Elementary airs Tuesdays at 9:00 ET/8:00 PM Central on ABC.

Photo Credit: Gilles Mingasson/ABC

TOPICS:  Muslim Quinta Brunson
Stacey Abrams Talks Trump’s Futile Attempts To Overthrow Georgia Election Results

COMPANY
INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY
CONTACT US
JOB OPPORTUNITIES

SUBSCRIBE

NEWSLETTERS
DISCOVER MORE EVENTS
Follow Us

MORE ON
ESSENCE GU™

HOME
RELATIONSHIPS
BEAUTY
HAIR
FASHION
EVENTS

ESSENCE GU™ is part of ESSENCE Ventures

ESSENCE GU™ may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Ventures. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms