While a pasty white Oscars red carpet is fully underway, countless events are happening simultaneously across the nation to represent the many actors and actresses of color who were overlooked by the Academy. Among them, the Rev. Al Sharpton took to the streets to protest the lack of diversity represented by the major categories at the Academy Awards for its second straight year. Sharpton reportedly said this would be the last time that the Oscars would be able to get away with it.
According to Variety, Sharpton led as many as 70 demonstrators in a march just a few miles from the Dolby Theatre, where the Academy Awards are being held. "You are out of time," he reportedly addressed the Academy. "…This will be the last night of an all-white Oscars."
As he marched, Sharpton told Variety that the changes the Academy has announced to diversify its membership "is a step in the right direction. The problem is, they didn’t announce anything until we came out against the second year nominations. They told us last year they would make a move and change things, and they didn’t. Then when we denounced this year’s, they called an emergency meeting. It took them a year to call an emergency meeting."
Variety adds that Sharpton's National Action Network held additional protests in New York, Washington, Detroit, Atlanta and Cleveland.
