In response to the protests that broke out in the U.S. in 2020, corporate America responded with unprecedented financial donations and diversity and inclusion commitments. This was the first time that business leaders were willing to go beyond their usual lip service and take concrete steps toward addressing the country’s diversity issues.
Two years later, many of the initiatives that were supposed to help address the country’s diversity issues have failed. According to Orion Pictures’ president, Alana Mayo, many people hoped that the government would immediately implement a comprehensive solution to the issue. She also noted that many of the initiatives that were supposed to help address the issue have not materialized.
Following the murder of George Floyd, which led to widespread protests in Hollywood, the industry became more aware of how it has affected the public perception of police officers and African-Americans through the portrayal of violent and unsettling images in movies. In response, many prominent individuals in the film industry became more involved in addressing the issue.
According to Mayo, the increasing number of people who are involved in addressing the issue is a shocking figure. She noted that she moved to Los Angeles 16 years ago, and the amount of people who were given money and represented in the industry is also staggering.
There are no easy solutions to the diversity issues in the film industry, which has a long history of racial and cultural homogeneity. However, some of the actions taken by executives and companies in 2020 were considered short-term fixes. Some of the actions taken by the publishing industry in 2020 included hiring new people to diversify its ranks. This was seen as an inappropriate approach to addressing the issue.
During a panel discussion about the publishing industry’s diversity issues, Tracy Sherrod, an executive editor at Little, Brown, and Company, noted that the industry requires people with the necessary skills to be successful in their field. She noted that people who want to be successful in the industry need to have the necessary skills to produce a book and convince a potential buyer to give them a million dollars.
