Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1498689
Why did you create Black Beauty Roster? I created Black Beauty Roster really out of frustration, and wanted to make change. Time and time again, we have read stories and tweets of actors and actresses sharing their heartbreaking stories on set of having to bring their own products, waking up two hours early to get their hair done or having their hair damaged on set. Speaking up is sometimes viewed as being a ''diva'' or difficult to work with, when, in actuality, Black talent is looking for the same level of hair and makeup support as their peers. On the other side, talented beauty professionals who have the skillset but do not have the network struggled to gain access to on-set opportunities. After hearing countless stories and [having] my own unfavorable hair and makeup experiences, I realized it was important to help lead the change many of us were asking for, and BBR was born. Our mission is to bring more meaningful diversity into beauty behind the camera through opportunity, education and advocacy. How does it work? You can sign up for free at bbrportal.com. You can post a beauty request for services and review all of the information on the interested service providers in one place: their portfolio of work, resume and any other general information, such as if they are union, IMDb and more. You can also browse through a database of great candidates and reach out based on your preference. It is a community of vetted union and non-union beauty professionals that can safely support beauty needs on set, to press tours and more. What kind of feedback have you received? We have been humbled by all the great feedback we have received thus far. People have reached out and thanked us for creating BBR and the BBR portal. They found it easy to navigate and quickly find talent for their hair and makeup needs. Some shared that they felt for the first time they had a resource they could point producers and other industry executives to for diverse hair and makeup support on set. They felt seen and heard, and that makes the work we are doing worth it. Industry executives have really liked our Diverse Hair and Makeup Allyship training because it helps decision-makers better understand textured hair, darker complexions and how they can be an active ally to talent of color. How can producers find talent through BBR? They simply sign up at bbrportal.com, post a job and have applicants apply where they can review all of their information in one place. They can also access our database of professional hairstylists and makeup artists trained in all textures and complexions. We believe representation goes both ways, and we are proud to highlight that our community of hairstylists and makeup artists have demonstrated the ability to work with all textures and complexions, especially textured hair and darker complexions. What advice do you have for talent who want to work with qualified professionals? Use your voice as much as you can and as early as you can to share your needs for hair and makeup in a preproduction consultation. Share them with the decision-makers and also make them aware of resources like BBR that make it easier to find and hire qualified professionals. We find sometimes time and fear can be the hindrance to progress, but if you help champion solutions to make everyone's life a little easier, I think it will be a win for everyone. Q&A WITH MAUDE OKRAH Members Urge Fairness in Stunt Hiring D iscrimination has been historically rampant in the hiring of stunt performers. When a male stunt performer substitutes for a woman, or when a performer substitutes for a person of a different race, it denies a job opportunity to those underrepresented groups. The stunt community has dubbed these acts as "wiggings" and "paintdowns." SAG-AFTRA's member-led Task Force on Ensuring Fair & Equitable Hiring Practices Within the Stunt Community has created a guide, which you may view on the following pages, that examines these problematic practices. These are just a few of the union's many initiatives in this area. Listen to the SAG-AFTRA podcast, which includes numerous episodes on diversity initiatives, and visit sagafta.org/videos to watch recordings of presentations and livestreams. Inclusion and representation remain core to SAG-AFTRA's mission. Utilizing all the resources at their disposal, member leaders, staff and industry allies will continue to focus on creating a more just and equitable world. PUT AWAY THE WIG See the guide on the following pages. sagaftra.org | Spring 2023 | SAG-AFTRA 77