Hollywood’s DEI Rollbacks Hit Black & Latine Creators Hard

Hollywood’s tightening budgets and declining support for diversity efforts have had a negative impact on projects by and for people of color, according to Charles D. King, founder and CEO of MACRO, one of the largest media companies centered on Black entertainment.

Speaking at Bloomberg’s New Voices event, King discussed the industry’s economic challenges and highlighted how these factors have strained the viability of diverse storytelling in Hollywood.

Job Cuts and Funding Challenges in an Evolving Industry

With the shift in viewing habits towards streaming, coupled with rising production costs and economic constraints, Hollywood has seen significant job cuts. 

King pointed out that these changes have led to greater instability for projects involving underrepresented voices. 

“It impacted everyone in the industry,” he explained, “but the diverse community feels it even more.” 

Projects featuring emerging Black, Latine, and other diverse talents face an uphill battle in securing funding, especially as investors and studios recalibrate their focus in light of evolving consumer demands and algorithm-driven content.

Pushback Against Diversity Initiatives

The reduction in funding for projects by and for people of color is part of a broader rollback in corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which are seeing increased scrutiny and resistance. 

King noted that DEI initiatives, which only recently saw momentum in Hollywood, are now at risk of being scaled back. 

He remarked that individuals from diverse backgrounds who were “last hired” are often the “first to lose positions” when cutbacks occur. 

He believes diverse narratives appeal to a wide audience, though the industry remains “in an education process” to understand the value of these stories. 

Feature Image Credit: Bloomberg