NBC News: 'Harlem' star says show expands the vision of what's possible for Black queer women

In “Harlem,” Jerrie Johnson plays a fierce, queer tech entrepreneur who prefers keeping vulnerability — and romantic partners — at arm’s length.

After earning her master's degree in fine arts from the American Conservatory Theater in 2019, Jerrie Johnson decided to move from San Francisco to Los Angeles with one goal in mind: to book a series regular role on a major TV show within the next six months.

But after undergoing a four-month dry spell that left her feeling enervated and nearly drained her finances, she received two auditions that would ultimately turn her luck around in the City of Angels. The first was for a multi-episode arc on the hit Freeform drama “Good Trouble,” and the second was for a lead role in “Harlem,” a new comedy series that premieres Friday on Amazon Prime Video.