I am so thankful that I get to work with a platform like Netflix

Michelle Buteau, with gratitude glowing in her words, once declared: “I am so thankful that I get to work with a platform like Netflix who is so open-minded and has the license to do edgier, brighter, bigger bolder things.” Though she spoke of her craft as a comedian and storyteller, her words rise beyond the stage and screen, becoming a teaching about opportunity, courage, and the blessing of freedom. For when a voice is given a platform that does not silence but uplifts, the result can be truth told without fear and art born without chains.

The origin of this quote lies in Buteau’s journey as an actress and comedian, a woman who carved a place for herself in an industry often narrow in its offerings. In praising Netflix, she acknowledged not only her personal opportunity, but also the cultural shift that comes when a great platform opens itself to diversity, to fresh perspectives, and to “bolder things.” Gratitude and vision shine together in her words — gratitude for the stage given, and vision for what may yet be done with it.

History is filled with such moments, when a platform allowed a voice to rise beyond its confines. Consider the story of Frederick Douglass, who, once enslaved, seized the power of the printing press to speak for freedom. The press, like Netflix in Buteau’s story, was a platform — one that, when used with courage, amplified a truth that could not be ignored. Just as Buteau celebrates the chance to tell stories “edgier and brighter,” Douglass used his platform to proclaim a vision of justice and equality. Both teach us that opportunity paired with boldness becomes transformation.

At the heart of Buteau’s saying lies the sacred idea that freedom of expression is both a gift and a responsibility. To work with an open-minded platform is to be entrusted with the chance to tell stories that challenge, delight, disturb, or heal. But this trust demands courage. Too often, when freedom is given, people settle for comfort. Yet Buteau reminds us that such freedom is wasted unless it is used for daring — for creating things that are not safe, but true.

To the creators, her words are a call: do not fear the brightness of your art, nor shy from the edge of your truth. If you are given a platform, large or small, use it to say what must be said. Do not water down your vision for the sake of ease, but let your work be “bigger and bolder,” carrying within it the force of your unique perspective. Gratitude must walk hand in hand with courage, for one without the other leaves the task unfinished.

To those who grant platforms — parents, teachers, leaders, employers — the teaching is equally sharp. When you open doors for others, do not demand sameness or silence. Allow them the space to be daring, to test boundaries, to shine with the brightness of their own voice. The greatness of a community or institution is measured not by how tightly it controls, but by how freely it allows truth and creativity to flow.

The eternal lesson is this: opportunity must be met with boldness, and boldness must be tempered with gratitude. Buteau shows us that to be thankful is not to be passive, but to take the stage with courage, honoring the chance by using it fully. And so let us all, when our time comes to speak or act, remember her words: give thanks for the platform, then rise to make it edgier, brighter, bigger, and bolder than it has ever been before.