For far too long, the erasure of multi-dimensional MENA characters has taken a toll on the MENA creative community. In a time of amplified diversity, equity and inclusion, MENA performers and organizations are using ally-ship and data to change the industry and MENA narrative for the better.

Seven years ago, SAG-AFTRA commissioned a groundbreaking study on LGBTQ performers in the workplace. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Diversity in Entertainment: Experiences and Perspectives of SAG-AFTRA Members engaged over 5,000 SAG-AFTRA members. The study reflected performers’ feelings of bias and discrimination in Hollywood that affected the careers of LGBTQ people. 

The needle has not moved on Latino inclusion on screen which has hovered around 5% for a community that’s estimated to be nearly 19% of the U.S. population. Media research company Nielsen will share how the community can turn dismal data into a driver of change, using information and metrics to start a media movement Latinos deserve and earn.

UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report Series: Connecting the Dots Between Industry Inclusion and the Bottom Line

This talk will review important takeaways from eight years of annual reports on the state of gender and racial diversity in front of and behind the camera in Hollywood film and television. It will consider the relationship between on-screen diversity and film office and television ratings, and will also consider important best practices for advancing the needle on Hollywood diversity and inclusion.

The time for change is now. Change makers will share their insights and inspiration for normalizing diversity while working to break down decades-old barriers that have traditionally limited visibility, acceptance and opportunity for the Black community.

Oscar-nominated director Kevin Wilson Jr. used a fresh lens to explore the full richness of the Black experience in a breath-taking Procter & Gamble-sponsored short film project, “Widen the Screen” – a platform that reclaims the beauty of Black life in film. Wilson shares with us how he directed the series, and insight on his experience working with a predominantly Black cast and crew. Wilson will be joined by Al-Teron Williams, one of the featured actors, for this discussion.

In this thought-provoking keynote address, The Female Quotient’s CEO Shelley Zallis will explore the steps the union can take to channel candid conversations into tangible action steps for change.

The SAG-AFTRA Native Americans Committee welcomes a discussion with IllumiNative, part of a new generation of Native American / Indigenous non-profits, to discuss their advocacy for the community by using a combination of data, resources, digital networking and vocal advocacy to ensure that the invisibility, stereotypes, and misinformation about Native peoples on screen and in our society are a thing of the past.

A conversation with award-winning, seasoned actors on how to create systemic change and greater inclusion and opportunities for senior representation that reflects the diversity of the American Scene.