The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has reacted to questions regarding its commitment to diversity with an email outlining its progress.
The email went out today to Academy members and addressed claims in a trade publication that talked about recent executive departures at AMPAS and the industry at large.
The letter:
Dear Academy Members:
We have heard from some of you who have asked about our Academy DEAI programs, as these efforts across our film community and other industries have been called into question. In addition, a number of Black executives in Hollywood have exited their roles, including within the Academy, and we recognize the concern this creates.
Given all of this, we want to reiterate, in the strongest possible terms, the Academy’s commitment to not only continuing, but expanding our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within our organization and the film industry at large. We have made great progress in recent years, and there is still much more work to do.
Of our current Academy executives at or above the Vice President level, 71 percent identify as women and 42 percent identify as coming from an underrepresented ethnic or racial community. And in our 2023 new member class, 40 percent identify as women, 34 percent identify as coming from an underrepresented ethnic or racial community, and 52 percent come from outside the United States.
In addition:
We have expanded our Employee Resource Groups, evolved our DEAI-focused recruiting and hiring initiatives, and continued to grow our People and Culture Department.
Our talent development programs that focus on traditionally underrepresented voices in film now extend from K-12 through mid-career initiatives.
Our Inclusion Standards formally go into effect this award year.
Aperture, our Membership Guidance program, will continue to drive diversification across all membership branches.
Our Academy Museum continues to program (and now travel) exceptional and diverse exhibitions and screenings that contextualize and challenge dominant narratives around cinema.
Moving forward, we remain committed to continuing our global engagement efforts, expanding our work with our Member Affinity Groups, and exploring additional ways to empower our employees.
Our DEAI-focused work is a continuous journey that requires sustained attention, commitment, and resources across Academy departments. We will be looking for additional ways to accomplish these efforts, and we are firmly committed to the process.
On behalf of the Academy, thank you so much for your support. We look forward to continuing this important conversation.
Bill Kramer and Janet Yang
