Diversifying Hollywood From the Ground Up
Despite years of progress, Hollywood is still majority white, male, and able-bodied, especially in leadership. A new effort is trying to seed the industry with more disabled people, especially disabled Black women creatives.
by Jonita Davis for yes! –
t has been eight years since the #OscarsSoWhite campaign began to call attention to the systemic barriers to diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. Even in 2023, at the 95th annual Academy Awards, Black women actors, directors, and their films were snubbed, even as the Asian American feature Everything Everywhere All at Once took almost all the top awards. There were no women in the Best Director category, and social media was afire about the snub of Viola Davis’ directorial debut Woman King.
Director Cashmere Jasmine (Oreo, Project CC for Disney’s Launchpad Collection) was disappointed, especially to see Davis walk away without any awards. “There was both relief and a deep, deep sadness when I heard Viola Davis speaking on The Breakfast Club [podcast] about just getting people to do hair and makeup, and that it was always going to be a fight, and that you’ll always have to push, no matter who you are or how high you go.”
Jasmine was one of many panelists in a recent webinar featuring Black disabled filmmakers. The event was organized by RespectAbility, a group focused on fighting stigmas and providing guidance for creators with disabilities in the entertainment industry, policymaking, leadership positions, and faith communities. Jasmine is a Black woman who is disabled, and she says the barriers to entry in the entertainment industry are real, and they become apparent early in the process—even at the point of pitching a film.
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