Kerry Washington says Hollywood is ‘still centering whiteness’ and must ‘do better’ for diversity: ‘There’s so much that needs to be re-examined’
Kerry Washington has said showbiz is ‘still centering certain kinds of people’ and must ‘do better’ with regards to diversity.
The 43-year-old Scandal superstar appeared on the Hollywood The Sequel podcast to talk about racial dynamics in the entertainment industry.
When the subject of race in the entertainment industry was raised, Kerry noted: ‘We look at ourselves to get better and do better. Like, that’s the practice of self-reflection is to ask ourselves how we can do better.’
Her view: Kerry Washington has said showbiz is ‘still centering certain kinds of people’ and must ‘do better’ with regards to diversity
Kerry is a Broadway alumna, having starred in the original Broadway casts of the David Mamet play Race and the Christopher Demos-Brown play American Son.
The Little Fires Everywhere actress added: ‘So I mean, you know, even the language of inclusivity and diversity, right? When we say that we’re committed to diversity, it’s diverse from what?’
Kerry explained: ‘We’re still centering whiteness as the most important thing and allowing or inviting diversity around that. Or when we talk about inclusivity, there’s still an in and an out.’
She continued: ‘So we’re still centering certain kinds of people and, you know, in tiny fractions allowing or admitting other people to the table. So there’s just so much of it that needs to be re-examined and looked at.’
Making her view known: The 43-year-old Scandal superstar appeared on the Hollywood The Sequel podcast to talk about racial dynamics in the entertainment industry
Amid the Black Lives Matter movement she said that ‘what I hope comes out of it is a lot of good. I hope that we can see each other better and have courage to make room for each other.’
As regards society generally Kerry said that ‘I think what people are realizing is that it’s not enough to just not be racist. That because our institutions were built in the fabric of racism, because our country was born with Black Americans being designated a fraction of a human being, like, it’s not enough to just not be racist.’
She declared: ‘We have to be actively anti-racist, and for that desire to come from a deep understanding that we all deserve full rights of humanity.’
Kerry allowed: ‘Yes, all lives matter, but accepting to be in an anti-racist society, we have to affirm that Black lives matter. I think that’s where we’re at.’
‘The practice of self-reflection’: When the subject of race in the theater was raised, Kerry noted: ‘We look at ourselves to get better and do better
The Confirmation star shared: ‘I think people are finally kind of understanding that and our institutions need to understand that, not just interpersonal relationships.’
She acknowledged: ‘It’s important we’re having these conversations at our dinner tables, in our classrooms, but also at the highest levels in our systems of government, in our systems that are supposedly built for public safety. Like, we have to ask ourselves, who do we deem the public and who do we deem the enemy?
‘So I’m hoping that. I’m hoping that this, all of this new revelatory reflection lends itself to transformation, not just of hearts and minds but also institutional practices.’