In response to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy at the heart of last year’s diversity debate, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences reaches out to the largest number of new members ever. Of the 683 new invitees, 46 percent is made up of women, while people of color account for a solid 41 percent.
“The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership, said Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs—a woman of color herself—earlier this year. “In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond.”
As part of its promised effort to expand multiplicity among ranks, the Oscar-granting organization on Wednesday issued invitations that included a cluster of Latinos from rising stars like Dear White People’s Tessa Thompson to vets like Oscar Isaac, America Ferrera, Luis Guzmán and Michelle Rodriguez, among many others.
Musicians Mary J. Blige, RZA, and Will.i.am, and renowned directors Carmen Cuba and Abbas Kiarostami are just some of the names included in this year’s eclectic mix. “In 2016, the mandate is inclusion in all of its facets: gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation,” added Boone Isaacs.
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