Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) chiefs at three major studios (Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery) and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences all lost their jobs over a period of 10 days last month.
All of them were African American women: Vernā Myers was the first person to serve in the role at Netflix — for five years; Latondra Newton was a six-year veteran at Disney who designed a platform to identify underrepresented voices; Karen Horne was at Warner Bros. Discovery for three years; and Jeanell English stepped down at the film academy after having the role for less than a year.
“There are studies suggesting that DEI executives … don't have enough money, they don't have enough support from the leadership, and they don't have enough time. … DEI is a tagged-on thing. … It really needs to be incorporated in every part of the organization and not as an afterthought,” says Sharon Knolle, TV reporter for The Wrap.
She notes that after Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd in 2020, many companies expressed a commitment to DEI, but now that dedication seems to be fading. And it’s happening in other industries too, including tech and academia.
“There is a more conservative wave affecting not just the judicial branch, but almost every aspect of American society right now. … There's just a lot of emphasis on … ‘let's go back to the good old days before things were woke,’” Knolle says.