Actor Michael B. Jordan, who played Killmonger in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” has called upon Hollywood to “divest from the police” and stop promoting authorities that hurt black lives.
Partnering with the activist group Color of Change, Michael B. Jordan contributed to a list of four demands for Hollywood executives to execute in the pursuit of racial justice:
- Divest from Police
- Invest in Anti-Racist Content
- Invest in Black Talent and Careers
- Invest in Black Communities
To #ChangeHollywood, the industry needs to:
1. Divest from Police
2. Invest in Anti-Racist Content
3. Invest in Black Talent and Careers
4. Invest in Black CommunitiesRead COC's and @michaelb4jordan’s roadmap to real change: https://t.co/AAIoUt51wn pic.twitter.com/7AR0dIV0bc
— ColorOfChange (@ColorOfChange) July 23, 2020
“Hollywood must not use its economic power to prop up local police departments and other authorities who threaten and exploit Black lives, or promote anti-Black practices,” the list states. “Instead, where you have or can build the power to do so, advocate for alternatives and for reinvestment in Black communities.”
The steps to achieve this divestment from police advise Hollywood to do the following:
- Hire independent security firms, instead of using police departments, for security at events and on sets. Stop all contributions to police unions.
- Do not rely on police or any other authorities who promote content that normalizes injustice to shape or vet content about the criminal justice system.
- Insist that local governments manage permitting, traffic coordination and other production-related activities through civilian agencies, not police departments.
- Where you can use your voice, keep up the pressure on local governments to reduce spending on police and prisons, to adopt transformative changes in the criminal justice system, and to shift investments to Black communities.
The list of demands then call upon Hollywood to invest in black talent by offering them pathways to successful careers.
“Hollywood must use its economic power to create pathways for all Black talent to rise in the industry, to ensure a fair and inclusive work environment, and to support Black businesses and talent that are typically excluded from the industry,” the list says.
See the full manifesto here.
When the Black Lives Matter protests erupted in early June of this year, Michael B. Jordan called on Hollywood to “commit to black hiring,” demanding they invest in “black staff” and focus on black stories.
“I want us to invest in black staff,” said Jordan. “I’m proud to have an inclusion rider and all that good stuff and I use my power to demand diversity, but it’s time the studios and agencies — all the agencies, all these buildings that we’re standing in front of — to do the same.”
“You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020, where is the challenge to commit to black hiring?” Jordan added. “Black content led by black executives, black consultants. Are you policing our storytelling as well?”
Going forward, Jordan called on the industry to shine more light on the discrimination that black cultural leaders have faced.
“So let us bring our darkness to the light. Black culture. The thinkers, sports, comedic culture that you guys love so much — we dealt with discrimination at every turn. Can you help form black brands, cultural leaders, black organizations?” Jordan continued. “A great agent doesn’t have to be a great organizer, but a great agent could advocate for relationships with organizers. Will you support a non-profit that’s working to solve problems of our industry, that our industry created?”
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