In The Latest Representation Of Underrepresented Careers
Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd, Lawrence Saint-Victor, Crystal Lee Brown, and Summer Crockett Moore lead the cast of The Accused, a gripping new thriller now streaming on BET+.
The film centers on a brilliant Black female plant geneticist whose life is turned upside down when she is falsely accused of murdering her fiancé. Forced to flee, she must use her intelligence, scientific expertise, and physical resilience to uncover the truth and prove her innocence before time runs out.
The narrative is not only suspenseful but also highlights the rare presence of Black professionals in elite scientific roles—especially women—bringing much-needed visibility to an often-overlooked demographic in STEM-related fields.
In real life, the character of a Black female plant geneticist is not far from fiction in terms of representation. Plant genetics, like many other science and tech-based fields, has historically lacked racial diversity. According to the National Science Foundation, Black professionals make up only about 6% of the science and engineering workforce in the United States, despite comprising roughly 13% of the U.S. population. In highly specialized roles such as plant genetics, representation drops even further, often falling below 2%.
More broadly, the top five career fields with the lowest representation of Black professionals include:
- Plant Geneticists & Agricultural Scientists – Less than 2% Black representation
- Engineering (especially aerospace and nuclear) – About 3%
- Architecture – Roughly 2% of licensed architects in the U.S. are Black
- Finance (especially executive and investment roles) – Around 2.5%
- Technology & AI Development – Less than 5% of tech roles are held by Black professionals, with even fewer in leadership
The Accused not only delivers thrilling entertainment but also subtly challenges the status quo by portraying a Black woman in a role that defies statistical norms. It’s a reflection of both what is possible and what still needs to change in America’s professional landscape.
Check out the trailer below that will stream on April 10:
