Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1339678
45 W I N T E R Q 4 I S S U E G R O U P I N T E R V I E W firm, to advise on issues of JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.) Elevate's Natasha Tony and her team coached Guild Board and staff members in a series of sessions devoted to the issues. In December, Tony led a Zoom group discussion to further the discussion. J o i n i n g h e r o n t h e c a l l w e re C a t h y Repola, the Guild's National Executive D i re c to r, a s we l l a s m e m b e rs B o b b i Banks MPSE, Lillian Benson ACE, Sabrina Gimenez, Dorian Harris ACE, Maysie Hoy ACE, Charles Little, Ruben Navarro, Tricia Rodrigo, and Rosanne Tan ACE. An edited version of the conversation follows. Q Natasha Tony: Whose respon- sibility do you think it is to do more to advance diversity and inclusion? T r i c i a R o d r i go : I t h i n k i t 's everybody's responsibility. We're in a shared world. The world we create is with each other. Charles Little: I feel that the responsibility lands on whomever has the ability to effect the change in the moment. I served in the United States Navy, and we have a policy where we all take care of our certain sections of the ship so that the entire ship functions as a unit. If I'm walking through a passageway and I see something amiss, it is now my respon- sibility to fix it. Solely because I saw it. Solely because I can. It's the responsi- bility of those who are in the position to actually effect the change. Rosanne Tan: I feel that it's very important for editors, producers, show- runners and the department heads to take a close look at their own crews. Because oftentimes, it's very much about who you know. And if your crew is not di- verse to begin with, and if you keep hiring the same people all the time, then change is never going to happen. In the past, the case has been that minorities and people of color haven't had the privilege or been given the chance to move up. So I think people should want to make a change. And if and when they have the opportuni- ty to recommend or hire someone of color or minority for a position, they should consider making a conscious effort. B o b b i B a n k s : I w a s go i n g to s a y almost the same thing regarding our industry. I feel that producers and execs should make an effort to look for people that qualify for various positions and also contribute to having a more inclu- sive crew. I also think that we should be mentoring others that are coming up, which is very important. Going out to high schools and underserved areas and to educating them on various areas that they otherwise might never have known existed. And so, I think the responsibility is actually on everyone. I would also say with that, though, I also strongly feel that there should be unconscious bias training at the studios and guilds -- and thankfully, that has started for some. Dorian Harris: The one thing that really is apparent to me, having been in this industry for so long, is that there hasn't been that much change in what we're talking about with diversity and inclusion. And, for me, personally, the responsibility that I feel about it is that now that I'm in the later phase of my career, it's really important for me to give back to this business in some way. Maysie Hoy: In terms of hiring, I mean, we seem to put it on the producers and the directors. But we as editors, we're head of our department, you know? And I think a lot of it is up to us to create a diverse situation in our cutting rooms. The showrunners, they keep hiring the same people. I think it's the comfort factor and reliability, it's that you don't go too far out of your bubble because, God, it's such a high-pressure situation that you need people that you can count on. But I think that, more than anything, it's just taking a chance on people. Giving them opportunities. I mean, that's how I got into this business. Sabrina Gimenez: It requires empathy, I think, on an individual basis. So, you know, as a white male editor, you can hire a Black assistant editor, but if you're not go i n g to u n d e r s ta n d w hy t h a t Black assistant editor chooses to go to a Black Lives Matter protest i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e d a y o v e r something picture-editorial-wise, that to me is a disconnect in what it truly means to be an ally for your community. Natasha Tony: If we just pull out diversity, it becomes tokenism, often, and it doesn't ensure that we are in a culturally safe environment, which is the inclusion piece of it. So you hear me talk about JEDI. It's short for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. What you're diagnosing in your workplace analysis is that diversity alone doesn't work and that we need the inclusion piece of it. Q What is your vision for an equitable workplace? Rosanne Tan: My vision for an equita- ble union workplace is a place where I feel 'When you're the only person of color and a woman, there's definitely bias.'