Diversity as a Lifestyle

Osei Kakari, Founder & EP at Contrast Eye, has diligently advocated for further diversity and inclusion in the industry for as long as he has been a part of it. Not the kind of diversity that looks great on paper, but real, true change that is a lived experience as opposed to a trend. In a series of posts for SHOOT Online, Kakari shares that although the weight of change may feel like it rests upon one set of shoulders, it will take all of us to make a difference. Step one is to collectively acknowledge the racial disparities that have existed and will continue to exist without a proper discussion, while step two gets a bit trickier. When facing lack of opportunity, limited access to the best film schools, and job qualifications that are erased by skin color, a shared mindset is essential.

“Everyone in the industry has to concede to the lack of opportunity, then do something about it,” says Osei. “You. Me. All the production companies and all the ad agencies. We have to realize and acknowledge that the cream doesn’t always rise to the top, because sometimes it’s never funneled into the bottle to make it happen. That great talent is not always developed, sometimes it’s wasted.”

On to the tricky part. Agencies and production houses alike have made strides toward becoming a more varied community, but it seems that creatives have been focused on granting long awaited opportunities to the title of director. Inclusion should cover the advertising industry as a whole, from high level executive producers to coffee-grabbing production assistants. Let us go beyond the film scholarships, internship programs, and mentorships. Effective change requires the ability to see oneself on all fronts and in every room.

“We all feel powerless in many ways,” Osei admits. “Whether you’re a white veteran Jewish executive producer, a young Black director, or a female cinematographer, we all feel at times ‘minoritized.’ Isn’t it amazing that some days we all feel like an underdog?”

To loosely quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we are responsible for the choices we make during times of change and controversy. Don’t allow the moment to pass.