This Creative Counts 015, we highlight the inspiring journey of Celeste O'Connor, a black, queer, nonbinary actor, and producer who captured the spotlight with their breakout role in the indie feature *Selah and the Spades* (2019). Celeste, a Johns Hopkins University graduate with a degree in Public Health, has since shared the screen with industry icons like Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman in *A Good Person* (2021). When asked about balancing thinking and creating, Celeste shared: "When it comes to thinking versus creating, it ebbs and flows. I feel like I spend about 60% of my time thinking and 40% making, though it might be closer to half and half. Each audition is an opportunity to create a character, and every script helps me develop how that character comes to life." Celebrating thinkers and doers—innovation thrives with both!
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📚 Why do Black female artists still have to fight for respect in Hollywood? 🌟 💪 Despite their immense talent and contributions, Black female artists continue to face systemic barriers and marginalization in the entertainment industry. This article explores the ongoing struggle for respect and recognition in Hollywood. ✨ The representation of Black female artists in film and television remains disproportionately low, with limited opportunities for lead roles and authentic portrayals of their experiences. This lack of representation can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and reinforce existing biases. 🚀 The article highlights the importance of diverse storytelling and the need for industry leaders to support and champion Black female artists. By dismantling institutional biases and fostering inclusive environments, Hollywood can truly embrace the talent and perspective these artists bring. 🔍 The article calls for increased accountability and proactive efforts to address the systemic issues that hinder the progress of Black female artists. Recognizing their achievements and amplifying their voices will not only benefit individual artists but also contribute to a more representative and diverse entertainment industry. 👩🎨 Black female artists have long been at the forefront of pushing for change and challenging the status quo in Hollywood. Let's join their fight and ensure they receive the respect and opportunities they deserve. #BlackFemaleArtists #RepresentationMatters #DiversityInHollywood Link:https://buff.ly/48Gl3yT
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DEI Disruptor | Creative Change Catalyst | Helping companies design innovative cultures & product
Black women are subjected to range of stereotypes ranging from resilient and self-reliant to angry and uppity. While some of those stereotypes may seem affirming, they all result in a monolithic vision of Black womanhood. In doing so, they diminish our common humanity, reinforcing a historical caricature and failing to recognize the intersectional nature of identity. We’ve all seen the consequences of folks in authority drawing conclusions because they can’t hold space for multiple identities within a single individual. Whether it’s a workplace interaction, an encounter with law enforcement or our own internalized biases, it’s incredibly damaging to all parties involved. 🎥: IG via @neurotatical, stitched with @daturajonez [Video description: Looking directly into camera, two Black women discuss their experience of the intersection of autism, Blackness and womanhood.]
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Voguing is not a crime
A QUEER BLACK MAN WAS MURDERED FOR VOGUING AT A GAS STATION. This was a hate crime. He was killed for being himself. He was killed for dancing. He was killed for doing something he loved. I’m so angry. We are still being murdered in the street for being ourselves. For doing what we love. For being authentic. This could have been me and it’s terrifying to think about being targeted for expressing movement through my body. Voguing is a huge part of my life. It’s my favorite style of dance. It’s liberating. Electrifying. Beautiful. And O’Shae Sibley was murdered for doing just that. I’m posting this video in memory of him. He was part of the ballroom community which is a subculture in gay culture that has allowed for black and Latino queer people to come together as a community to feel safe, sheltered and to be our complete and whole selves. I’m proud to be a Queer Afro-Latino man. And I won’t allow hate to stop me from expressing myself. It is scary. And we risk more than looking ‘unprofessional’ on a platform like LinkedIn. We are risking our lives. REST IN PEACE O’SHAE SIBLEY. This is why I continue to yell on here about queer black and brown people. We need to protect each other. We need to be there for each other.
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Reflecting on my recent cross-programme interaction with the BBC, I proposed changes to drama that aim for a more accurate reflection of life. I envision programmes showcasing the dynamic beauty of Black and People of Color, transcending the traumas we face. Picture whole Black families at the centre, held together by two Black parents, where love and laughter thrive in diverse relationships, including same-sex and trans partnerships. My concern arises from the worry that the displayed images and stories often portray Black families as displaced and incapable of love. This becomes particularly pronounced when most portrayals depict Black men in relationships with white women or individuals of lighter shades of brown, inadvertently reinforcing colourism and Misogynoir tropes. Despite these concerns, the meeting was positive, and I eagerly anticipate witnessing progress in the next two years following our discussion and being heard. How do you think we can collectively continue pushing for positive changes in media representation? Share your thoughts. #DiversityandInclusion #MediaRepresentation #PositiveChange @bbc
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Represent to resonate. 🔊 Mainstream #audio culture thrives on the innovative work of Black creators. Bringing community members into the fold and spotlighting Black artists can help #brands connect and get in on the ground floor. Download our latest #infographic for the insights you need to craft campaigns that foster brand affinity and loyalty. –> https://bit.ly/48ytKub #Blackpride #diversityandinclusion #diversityinmarketing #authenticmarketing #culturalinsights #brandmarketing
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As a Black, queer creative, there’s nothing more difficult than securing funding for content creation. Before the media industry experienced this downturn, it was already difficult enough to get a meeting with anyone with enough power and interest in Black-targeted media to help scale our work. My partners and I were lucky enough to figure out how to grow our brands without any help or even a dollar for marketing. It was a slow climb, but we built shows that resonated with Black/BIPOC millennials and gen z all over the world. Today, as DEI is viewed as a nuisance rather than a necessity, the media industry has become more antagonistic towards Black creatives. I’ve had executives steal my ideas, repeatedly ask me why I think my work has been successful as if it’s a fluke, and I’ve had to prove over and over again that Black people are intellingent and deserving of authentic programming that speaks to our actual realities. It’s a battle every single day. If you are a Black/BIPOC media executive or if you are an ally, hold the door open even as you see your colleagues slamming them in our faces. We must stick together and prioritize helping one another at such a time as this. Stay encouraged, y’all! 🫶🏾
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Where are Black people safe? Where are Black people safe in the United States of America? Where can we experience psychological safety? Where can we be assured of our physical safety? Where can our children play, shop, eat, live without fear? Where can our mothers, grandparents, cousins, and friends exist fully and freely? When Black folks in your workplace say you aren’t doing enough, things aren’t changing quickly enough, your statements aren’t honest enough, your actions aren’t intentional enough, your leadership isn’t brave enough… listen to them. Do more. Do better. Engage past the 9-5. Make our desire to live long and well part of your life’s work. Make our survival part of your mission. Make our lives matter more because they do… they matter and we deserve to live. Sending love to my people. Sending strength to my people. Sending power to my people. Sending healing to my people and for those of us still stuck… I hope for y’all a path to divest in the project of white supremacy and patriarchy… it won’t save us and even if you don’t see it yet, it’s destroying you. ———————————————————— Venmo: @itsdrbu Cashapp: $itsdrbu PayPal: [email protected] You contributions support the living of unemployed Black queer/trans individuals, intergenerational decendents of U.S. chattle slavery and presently colonized Boricuas. Photo description: Image reads “how do you look terror in the face and still muster the courage to love?”
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To kick off our #BlackDisabledFuturesMonth features, Haben Girma has an important message about social media #accessibility and how it impacts the inclusion of Black disabled advocates who are shaping the future. Descriptive Transcript: Haben, a Black woman with long, straight, dark brown hair, wearing a gray quarter-sleeve top and white and gray patterned skirt, stands in front of a blue wall and talks to camera. [Airy, reflective music plays] Haben: Remember when people were saying Helen Keller wasn't real? [Purple and black title card reads “How Does Accessibility Shape the Future?”] Haben: People have a hard time imagining DeafBlind people existing because we rarely appear on feeds. If more social media was accessible, it would be more common to have stories by and for DeafBlind people popping up on our feeds. If you're a creator, add transcripts to your videos. I can't see videos, I can't hear videos, but I can read transcripts. Once we have widespread accessibility, it'll be easier for DeafBlind people to share our stories and also participate in conversations. I love learning from lives different from mine and in order for me to do that, I need transcripts. I look forward to reading all your transcripts. [Purple and black title card reads “Support Black Disabled Futures.”] [The white LaVant Consulting logo slides in on a black background]
