Actors Tessa Thompson and Kendrick Sampson joined with Black Lives Matter co-founders and over 300 other Black Hollywood artists and executives to call for systemic changes in the entertainment industry, and to divest from police and anti-black content. In the wake of worldwide protests against police brutality sparked by the violent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, people have come together to demand justice and advance anti-racism practices in many aspects of our daily living.
The letter comes just three weeks after Kendrick Sampson was hit by a cop and shot seven times with rubber bullets during a protest in Los Angeles that he co-organized. Sampson, who was taken to the emergency room, said the officer pointed a gun directly at him, and things could have been even worse if the LAPD didn't know there were cameras around. The Los Angeles demonstration is only one of many examples of police brutality against protesters within the past month. The letter penned by Thompson and Sampson reiterates the message that the culture both directly and indirectly influences police brutality in Hollywood.
Per Variety, actors Tessa Thompson and Kendrick Sampson (better known for their roles on Thor: Ragnarok and The Flash), alongside Black Lives Matter co-founders Patrisse Cullors and Melina Abdullah, wrote an open letter to Hollywood executives demanding studios divest from stories that misrepresent the legal system and the glorification of police corruption and violence. These stories, the letter states, contribute to the criminalization of Black people. The open letter is also signed by over 300 Black Hollywood names, such as Chadwick Boseman, Idris Elba, Viola Davis, Danai Gurira, Octavia Spencer, Laverne Cox, Michael B. Jordan, Billy Porter, and many others.
If the demands stated in the open letter are put into practice, viewers can expect a big shift from stories focused on police too much higher investment in narratives that enhance the Black experience in America, as well as anti-racist content. Studio leadership would also go through a significant overhaul, opening space for prominent Black creators to rise into positions of authority. Studios would also increase diversity hiring.
In recent years, Hollywood creators and executives have been receiving a public push to increase diversity, and the changes already in place have contributed to much more diverse storytelling. However, that's not enough. Hollywood needs to fight back against old stereotypes, let Black creators take control of the narrative and allow those same creators to decide how the Black community is represented. The old "good guy with a gun" stereotype is not only outdated but dangerous. Time and again, it has been used as a way to excuse and cover-up violence and corruption. Divesting from police and investing in anti-racist narratives will open space for more Black voices to be heard, and true equality achieved.
Source: Variety