One month into 2016 and diversity is already a common theme. From the recent installments in the #OscarsSoWhite saga to DeRay Mckesson’s interview with Stephen Colbert to even Macklemore’s new privilege-checking single, discussions about race are coming to society’s forefront. But diversity and justice can’t be brought about by talk — it can only be achieved through good old action.
But tracing this January timeline requires us to start at the very beginning. And the conversations first began Jan. 14, when the prestigious nominations for the 88th Academy Awards were announced. Considered one of the most glamorous nights in Hollywood, the Academy Awards celebrate the best of the year’s films. And as many of the winners say as they accept their award, it really is an honor just to be nominated.
This year, however, the nominations were not met with same praise and acceptance. Notably, there were no people of color nominated for any Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor or Best Supporting Actress categories. Director Ryan Coogler, who is black, was not nominated for directing “Creed.” The cast of “Straight Outta Compton” was totally ignored, with the movie only getting recognized for its screenplay — written by two white people.
The nominations caused a justifiably angry response from people of color. Will Smith announced he would not be attending the ceremony — his movie “Concussion” was not recognized by the Academy. The #OscarsSoWhite hashtag trended on Twitter and other social media platforms, and “Saturday Night Live” poked fun at the controversy.
However, a number of white celebrities have also spoken out about the nominations. Actors like Reese Witherspoon, Matt Damon, Danny DeVito and more released statements admonishing the lack of diversity, with DeVito succinctly stating, “We are a bunch of racists.”
Obviously, it is necessary for these public figures to use their voices to speak out against prejudice and racism. They are privileged to have their statements made into headlines for the rest of us to read and absorb, but how far do these statements actually go? What do they actually do?
This timeline continues through Jan. 18, when activist DeRay Mckesson was a guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Mckesson explained to Colbert that although acknowledging white privilege was a step in the right direction, it is only one step.
“What you can do is extend that privilege so you can dismantle it,” Mckesson said. “You create opportunity for people.”
The segment ended with Colbert asking Mckesson to switch places with him so that Colbert was in the guest chair and Mckesson sat at Colbert’s desk, effectively reversing the power roles. The gesture was meant to be comedic, and while it was, it also stressed the impact of our actions along with the impact of our words.
Think of it like this: if I was taking an exam and I noticed someone cheating, I would essentially have two options. I could forget it ever happened and wait until I could complain to my friends about how disrespectful and irresponsible it is to not study, or I could talk to the professor and explain what I saw. If I choose the first option, nothing essentially happens. No matter how many lengthy rants I go on about cheating, nothing is stopping the cheater from doing it again. If, however, I choose the second option and take action, the professor can make sure that the cheating no longer occurs.
We live in a world where it is increasingly easy to speak our minds. We can tweet, make statuses and even utilize captions on Instagram posts. While it can be incredibly useful to use social media to spread awareness, at the end of the day, if we don’t go further than our words, nothing gets done. Besides, every time we boldly state our opinion, someone else states their opinion louder. Just ask Charlotte Rampling.
Rapper Mackelmore released a new song Friday called “White Privilege II,” which addresses the appropriation of black culture and the existence of white privilege. The song is important, but only really tells us that Macklemore is aware of injustices. It doesn’t tell us what he’s going to do to combat those injustices.
In a tweet, Mckesson told his followers that he and Macklemore had a conversation about the song and its impact. According to Mckesson, Macklemore realizes that “awareness is the beginning, not the end of the work. He will be (rightly) judged by the actions that follow.” Now that Macklemore has identified his white privilege, it is his duty to use it to make life better for those who are not as privileged. One song does not make him a social justice activist.
Luckily, the outrage at the Oscar nominations convinced the Academy to make itself and its governing body “significantly more diverse.” We’ll have to see in coming years whether or not these changes actually affect the practices of the Academy. It’s a solid start, but it’s just a start — there’s much more work to do.
I hope that the same white actors who were disappointed in the Oscar nominations realize that as well. Their words might have helped one tiny fraction of people of color who lack representation, but it is up to their future actions to create equality and justice for everyone.
If white people playing black music is cultural appropriation, aren’t black people playing in a philharmonic arrangement doing the same thing?