With the ever popular topic of diversity and with so many companies attempting to focus on diversity but unbeknownst to them falling short by making assumptions about the issue, I found this article about director Ava DuVernay by Wired magazine to be refreshing. DuVernay is the director of A Wrinkle in Time staring Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon. With Ms. DuVernay being the first African-American women to direct a $100 million-plus movie, the article put a light on diversity in the film industry from DuVernay’s point of view.
In her directorial awareness, Ms. DuVernay, has put a focus on diversity both in front and behind the camera. I’m excited to see an African-American woman break barriers. However, whenever I see the term, “THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN” anything, it makes me sad to still see this in 2018. Progress has simply taken much too long. In short, while I’m relishing in the triumph, a piece of me is unhappy. As the chairperson of RSJ Book Lovers’ Convention tasked with promoting diversity in literature, related to the publishing industry and its lack of equality and inclusion.
The Article Touched on Points of Diversity such as:
- Hiring a racially diverse crew.
- Casting a book to film movie with multicultural characters even when the book written by Madeleine L’Engle has not.
- And embracing others with her own vision for a better, more inclusive environment in the film industry.
All-in-all, per the article, DuVernay believes putting black, brown, and Asian people onscreen is essential—but so is challenging the systems that led to their exclusion and we at RSJ Book Lovers’ Convention agree. DeVernay is also the founder of ARRAY, an LA-based arts collective dedicated to the amplification of films by people of color and women founded in 2010. Two thumbs up for director Ava DuVernay who remembered her journey in the mist of her own greatness. To learn more about Ava DuVernay, visit: www.avaduvernay.com
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Be sure to comment below.
(To read the full article in Wired Magazine by Angela Watercutter, Click Here)
Escape to the RSJ Book Lovers’ Convention, where we’ll be discussing the book industry and multicultural authors. Learn how to develop stories and how your favorite books make it to your bookshelves. You as a reader have the tools of technology at your fingertips to help make positive changes in the publishing industry. At RSJ Book Lovers’ Convention, we will show you how much power you have. RSJ is a book lover’s event committed to the magnification of multicultural books and characters.
View a promo VIDEO of the RSJ Event discussion on this topic, Click Here
UPDATE: The 2018 RSJ convention is now open for registration. This is a writers and readers event geared for promoting diversity in literature. Will you be the next Emma Award winning author? – LEARN MORE ABOUT RSJ
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