The letter, addressed to 'our allies in Hollywood,' seeks to rectify a tradition of excluding Black workers in all areas of the entertainment industry and an attitude that 'encourages the epidemic of police violence and culture of anti-Blackness.'
, who was hit by rubber bullets at a demonstration he helped organize last month, asks for five changes in the letter:"Divest from police. Divest from anti-Black content. Invest in our careers. Invest in anti-racist content. Invest in our Community.", titled"Our Juneteenth," that made similar demands with a stated goal:"We do not wish merely to modify or alleviate this racist culture. We aim to eliminate it.
Such portrayals"encourage cops like Derek Chauvin, the murderer of George Floyd" and "contribute to the killings of Black people like Deborah Danner, who was murdered by NYPD Sgt. Hugh Barry. It also includes the perpetuation of transphobic stories which are used to justify the murder of Tony McDade in Florida, Nina Pop in Missouri, Dominique Fells in Philadelphia, and Riah Milton in Ohio.
Representation as well as storytelling must change in in the entertainment industry, which the signers accuse of lacking"a true commitment to inclusion and institutional support," which has"only reinforced Hollywood’s legacy of white supremacy." It cites a dearth of Black representation throughout the industry, including agents, union representatives, studio executives, hair stylists and camera assistants.
The letter asks Hollywood to ban police from sets and events; hire Black executives with budget authority and greenlighting power; create anti-racism task forces with the power to hold studios and production companies accountable; hire Black-led and Black-owned businesses for services such as catering and PR; and invest in anti-racist content that"humanizes and advances nuanced portrayals of Black people.
"All of the racism, discrimination and glass ceilings Black people in Hollywood experience on a regular basis have direct implications on Black lives everywhere," the letter says.
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