Yesterday, we started our discussion on Hollywood's diversity issues featuring three creators—producer Debra Martin Chase, writer/producer Devon Shepard, and casting director Tracy "Twinkie" Byrd—by talking about just how far behind the industry is in terms of racial equality. "I had been a lawyer at major law firms, [where] there were a few partners of color, or senior executives at that time, so I just assumed when I got here that Hollywood would be on a par," Chase told us. "And, instead, really it was like ten, fifteen years behind. When I walked in the room it was like, 'Are you the secretary? You must be the secretary.'"
Today, in Part 2 of "Racism in Hollywood," the conversation examines how Hollywood's inherent racism manifests itself in the depictions that appear on our movie screens and televisions. It's true that there needs to be far more black stories and black roles in film and TV, but the tenor of these stories and roles is just as important. Hollywood has the power to influence public perception, a responsibility that needs to be considered—and embraced. "It's the ability to make us human," Shepard says of filmmaking.
Watch Part 2 above, and to see more on "Racism in Hollywood," click here.
