Importance Of Diversity To Be discussed At Variety’s Conference

Variety is set to host a conference on the importance of diversity and inclusion in Hollywood with several movie stars and executives in attendance.

Variety  announced on Monday that it will be hosting the first-ever conference on inclusion and diversity in Hollywood at The Montage hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on November 1, 2016.

The conference labeled “Inclusion” looks to promote communication and diversity awareness in the areas of ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and aging, with the help of talents and senior executives from the creative community.

It will also include crucial conversations with Black record producer and singer Pharell Williams and Universal Studios chairman Donna Langley. The conference is going to have various panels dealing with matters ranging from LGBTQ rights to Latino entertainment.

AARP and PwC are among the sponsors for the conference; with PwC’s U.S. Board Chairman Brian Cullinan set to chair a fireside talk with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

“There is no issue in Hollywood today more important and relevant than diversity and inclusion. It is Variety’s privilege and responsibility to lead an industry-wide dialogue and bring the decision makers of our community together to promote solutions to counter the lack of minority talent in film and television. This is an issue that transcends the entertainment business, and we are excited to play a role in the broader conversation,” said Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Variety’s group publisher.

The issue of age discrimination will also be discussed, as it is seen as an important matter to be tackled in Hollywood.

“Age discrimination is an incredibly important issue, not just to AARP’s 38 million members nationwide, but across all facets of society,” Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP CEO added. “We hope the dialogue at the Variety conference will lead not only to greater awareness of the issue but to more and better opportunities for talented actors, producers, directors, and others in the creative community — whatever their age.”

In the modern world, the issue of inclusion is quite urgent for all walks of life. But still, it is a shame for such a giant industry as Hollywood to deny the benefits of diversity  especially in terms of race.  We welcome the long-awaited initiative of the famous magazine and hope that the voices of the Black celebrities invited to the event will be heard by their audience.

Source: SooToday