Known for movies like Just Mercy, Black Panther, Creed, etc. Actor Michael B. Jordan, in a protest in Century City, Los Angeles, on Saturday, called on Hollywood to hire more Black creators and to bring diversity to its storytelling while protesting. Jordan stood against police brutality and inequalities in the entertainment industry while marching in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement which took shape after the death of George Floyd.
“I want us to invest in Black staff,” Jordan said. “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 and all these buildings we stand in front of to do the same,” he added.
The protest in Century City, Los Angeles, on Saturday, was organized by the Big 4 agencies (CAA, UTA, WME and ICM Partners) and took place outside the ICM building. Jordan is not the only celebrity to stand up for Black rights. Other Hollywood actors like Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Selena Gomez, and many other actors along with streaming giants like Warner Bros and Netflix stood in solidarity against racism in the U.S.
“You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020. Where is the challenge to commit to Black hiring? Black content led by Black executives, Black consultants. Are you policing our storytelling as well? Let us bring our darkness to the light. Black culture: the sneakers, sports, comedic culture that you guys love so much. We’ve dealt with discrimination at every turn. Can you help fund Black brands, companies, cultural leaders, Black organizations?” said Jordan.
As protests continue throughout the city calling for police reform and racial justice, the actor also stressed on the importance and need to vote for a better state and future.
“We got to vote,” Jordan said. “Everybody says it’s a very easy thing to do. I hear it and I respect it. But voting has never been more important than it is today.”
The death of George Floyd is not the first case of a man suffering because of his race in the U.S. The number of police killings in the US affects African Americans. Despite them only making up 13% of the US population, Black Americans are two-and-a-half times as likely as white Americans to be killed by the police.
The protests across the country come as hope for a better and safer tomorrow in the U.S.