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Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo Secures $1.25 Million Investment to Support the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report

For immediate release:
Wendy Carrillo (AD-51)

LOS ANGELES, CA – Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) commemorated the signing of a $1.25 million state investment in the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, a key diversity initiative, which enables research done by the UCLA Division of Social Sciences to examine the relationship between diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. The report aims to bring attention to the need for greater equity in the entertainment industry for below and above the line workforce. 

“This $1.25 million investment will support the state legislature with data needed to move forward public policy in California, and is on a parallel track to create equity and inclusion with investments being made California’s Film & TV Tax Credit and other projects funded with public dollars,” said Assemblywoman Carrillo. “Census numbers reflect that California is 39% Latino, 37% white, 16% Asian American and 6.5% Black, yet, figures from a report by the California Film Commission reflect the workforce is majority white and male.”

“Diversifying the workforce means bringing equity to California’s most famous and influential industry. People of color, specifically Latinos, make up California’s minority-majority population, yet only a dismal percentage in the entertainment industry, the research is critical to ensure that communities of interest are not subsidizing their own erasure and help the entertainment industry address disparities in representation.” 

Led by co-authors Dr. Darnell Hunt and Dr. Ana-Christina Ramón, the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report aims to accomplish three goals:

  • To generate a comprehensive research analysis of the inclusion of diverse groups in film and television among the following employment positions, actors, writers, directors, and show creators;
  • To identify and disseminate best practices for increasing the pipeline of underrepresented groups into the Hollywood entertainment industry; and
  • To advance existing industry efforts to catch up with and better serve a diversifying America.

“We’ve seen a lot of progress over the last 11 years of data, but women and people of color still have a lot of ground to make up in writing, directing, show creator and studio executive positions, which are key jobs when it comes to making content that resonates with an increasingly diverse demographic.” said Dr. Ana-Christina Ramon, Director of the Entertainment Media Research Initiative at UCLA. This support from California lawmakers will help us maintain and expand our rigorous data-collecting standards that help keep track of progress and keep moving the industry forward, especially for Latinos who remain very underrepresented in Hollywood. TV and film are major vehicles of cultural awareness and visibility in America and consumers of color are a critical part of the industry’s ongoing prosperity. We're very grateful for Assemblywoman Carrillo's leadership and support of our work."

The report’s research team consists of lead research scientists and graduate students who use quantitative and qualitative methods to gather industry diversity data. They produce a database that includes information from primary, (e.g., samples of on-air programming for qualitative analysis) and secondary sources (e.g., Studio System, Variety Insight, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Box Office Mojo, MPAA reports, Nielsen ratings, Talk Walker (social media ratings), and Comscore data for quantitative analysis).

Assemblywoman Carrillo has been a champion for diversity in the entertainment industry. In the 2021-2022 Budget, she led the effort for a $500,000 budget allocation to go towards the UCLA Asian American Studies Center in partnership with the Asian Pacific American Leadership Foundation, to create a curriculum based on the documentary, “The Race Epidemic,” which addresses institutional racism, hate, lack of representation, and violence against the AAPI and other communities of color. The funding will also support screenings and facilitate anti-bias civic engagement workshops and training seminars across California. 

““The Latino Film Institute is a proud supporter of UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report because it’s the only way we can make studios and networks accountable for the constant lack of representation” said Edward Olmos, founder of the Latino Film Institute and world renowned actor and film director. “This industry needs to reflect the diversity of our nation, both in front and behind the camera.” 

Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo was elected as the representative of the 51st Assembly District in December of 2017. She is currently the Chair of Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration, and a member of the Assembly Committees on Appropriations, Budget, Health, Housing and Community Development, and Utilities and Energy.

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