Director Ava Duvernay Talks the Problems with "Diversity"

Director Ava DuVernay sat down with Fast Company at the Fast Company Innovation Festival on Wednesday to speak about diversity in Hollywood.


DuVernay first admits that she doesn't like the word diversity and prefers inclusion. "It's come to stand for something thats very medicinal and its an obligation. I think its a word that's tossed around that's not fully understood."

She then tells a story about being at the Academy and watching a short video on the art of screenwriting. She says she was offended because not one person of color was in the video."The fact that that video goes out from a body that is supposed to be thinking about inclusion and diversity is an example of the fact that we're not thinking about inclusion in a way that it's first thing you see when it's missing."

"When we’re talking about diversity, it’s not a box to check," DuVernay says. "It is a reality that should be deeply felt and held and valued by all of us."

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