Demand Matt Damon apologize to Effie Brown!

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Matt Damon just used his status as an influential white man in Hollywood to interrupt and whitesplain diversity to a successful Black woman filmmaker, Effie Brown.

While raising concerns that an all white male directing team might not be the best choice to properly direct a movie about a Black female prostitute who is slapped by her white pimp - Matt Damon decided to cut her off and whitesplained diversity to Effie Brown. Damon told her that diversity behind the camera doesn't matter.

Matt Damon couldn’t be more wrong. The hard data and the lived experiences of Black Americans show that is absolutely not true. Who is behind the camera matters. If there were more Effie Browns in the film industry — and if she weren't interrupted by white directors — we would see not just more diversity in actors, but also more diversity in the roles that they play.

Known throughout Hollywood as a liberal activist, Matt Damon should be using his status to champion diversity and women of color, not asserting his privilege over them. Demand he apologize!

This is the letter we'll send to Matt Damon on your behalf. Feel free to add a personal comment in the space provided.

Dear Matt Damon,

As a Hollywood thought leader and an activist, we expect more from you. When you interrupted Effie Brown to explain diversity to her, you completely dismissed her lived experiences and the truth that Hollywood is dominated by white males like yourself. Diverse filmmaking requires diverse directors, producers, writers, as well as a diverse cast.

Your statement of “When we’re talking about diversity you do it in the casting of the film not in the casting of the show,” fully demonstrates the systemic problem Black Americans face in Hollywood. This statement clearly means that you don’t have to hire any diverse filmmakers on Project Greenlight as long as the director throws a few women and Black people onscreen.

True diversity will come to Hollywood only when Black people have the same opportunities to direct, write, produce, and act in major films as you do. In 2013, only 16.7% of films starred non-white actors. In 2014, less than 2% of the year's top 100 films were directed by women; only five of the directors were black. If there were more Effie Browns in the film industry — and if she weren't interrupted by white directors — we would see not just more diversity in actors, but also more diversity in the roles that they play.

You can help Hollywood change that by publicly apologizing to Effie Brown, and committing to examining your privilege as a white man, and how you can use that privilege to create a truly more diverse Hollywood.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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