It’s time to head into a Brave New World, as the next Captain America epic soars into theaters this Friday, February 14. To celebrate the latest MCU chapter, we were fortunate enough to get to chat with Captain America himself, Anthony Mackie.

Mackie has seen his share of challenges with people accepting Sam Wilson as Captain America. The truth is, in an era where inclusivity is being targeted by people in power, and radicals are trying to do whatever they can to paint the narrative that diversity is bad for this country and entertainment, we’re finding it quite common for folks to challenge or reject the idea of Captain America being a Black man. However the fact of the matter is Sam Wilson, as a character, is the perfect successor to Steve Rogers for the mantle of Cap.

Sam is an empathetic councilor and soldier, willing to do whatever he can to fight for what’s right and what he believes in, just like Steve Rogers. He worked his ass off as the Falcon to fight off beings that were so much more powerful than him, with nothing but his wings, a pair of guns, a drone, and courage. He even decided to do all of this without taking the serum. He’s a good man. And at the core of the symbol, that’s what Captain America needs to be.

We were fortunate enough to sit with Mackie to discuss how Sam and his performance have changed in the past 10 years, and the impact of accepting Sam as a perfect role model for People of Color everywhere. Check out what he had to say right here:

Captain America: Brave New World officially hits theaters February 14!

Stay tuned to The Nerds of Color for more Captain America coverage, including our interview with Carl Lumbly and our coverage of the Brave New World press conference!