Of course, the pursuit of diversity can’t stop with them. Simply placing one or two diverse writers into a room to check off a box, without thinking about inclusion from a holistic perspective, will not solve the problem. In fact, stopping there could inadvertently create more issues. In such instances, these writers are often pigeonholed and subsequently expected to be the representative voice of their entire group. Though having a multitude of voices in writers’ room is important, it is equally important to be aware that individual members of underserved groups have individual experiences and should not be expected to speak for everyone.
Not only does this create room for a variety of nuanced stories about under-represented characters and communities, but it also prevents writers from underserved communities from feeling the weight of being “the only one in the room,” an experience that comes with its own pitfalls. Such was the recent case for the sole black writer on a popular Sci-Fi show, before he chose to step down from his position after another writer complained about his usage of the n-word in the writers’ room. (To note, the usage was not colloquial; the writer was recalling a personal experience where a cop had used that specific term when talking to him.) According to an op-ed by the writer, shortly after the incident, he received a call from an H.R. representative who informed him that one of the white writers felt uncomfortable hearing the word and that it would thus be unacceptable to use it in in the writers’ room. Discomfited by the idea that someone went behind his back to report something that was entirely reasonable in context, he countered, “I am the N-word in the writers’ room.”
However, this does not automatically mean that those writers who are representative of the old guard will be or should be displaced in their chosen field. We are living in the era of “peak TV,” where there are more shows than viewers have time to watch. So while an increased focus on diversity will certainly lead to more people who have historically been kept out finally getting their deserved chances, there will still be enough room for the straight, white male viewpoint as well. Rather, by joining forces and making room for new voices, we will end up with shows that can speak more truthfully to communities of all sorts.
Malakai, director of “Postmarked.”
By Shayan Asgharnia.All it takes is one look at the short films that are being developed by the AT&T Hello Lab mentees to see just how much the AT&T Mentorship Program is doing for the future of the industry. Angela Wong Carbone and Malakai are working together on Postmarked, a coming-of-age adventure story about a 10-year-old boy (Jaylin Fletcher) that finds a trove of letters from his trans sister (Quei Tann), who was kicked out years before by their strict father (Rob Morgan). Determined to rekindle the relationship that was unfairly taken from him, the young boy sets off to find her in a quest that is as transformative as it is quietly touching. Similarly, Mechi Parada Lakatos and Cierra Glaudé have teamed up to work on Spilt Milk, a twisted romance that follows struggling single mom Ximena (Dascha Polanco) as she makes the difficult choice to return home and move back in with her parents to get some help with her young son. While battling the requisite problems that come with sacrificing your freedom in this way, Ximena also finds herself rekindling a connection with her ex-girlfriend, Lena (Zuri Adele), who is raising a child that she just so happened to conceive with Ximena many years before.
