On Monday, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Cheryl Boone Isaacs issued a statement saying she is “both heartbroken and frustrated” by the lack of diversity in the Oscar nominations. She’s responding to the fact that this year’s nominees do not include a single woman director or black actor despite great work by diverse filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, and cinematographers. And we couldn’t agree with her more.
After all, this year’s lack of diversity is nothing new. The Academy Awards has consistently lagged behind the population on issues of representation. Since the Awards started in 1929, only 6.7 percent of acting nominations have gone to “non-white actors.” And only one woman has ever been named “Best Director.”
That’s why this week, we encourage you to check out this infographic from TIME and share it whether on Twitter, Facebook, or by sending this message to a friend. This is not to say the people or work nominated don’t deserve to be celebrated. However, let us remind Academy voters and the entertainment community in general that our population is so much more diverse than meets their eye. Together, we can raise awareness and challenge the outdated and harmful status quo perpetuated by The Academy Awards and Hollywood.
Onwards,
Jennifer Siebel Newsom & The Representation Project team
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