The New Faces of Pride: Maisie Richardson-Sellers on Diversifying the Entertainment Industry and More

You’re given the keys to your business. What’s the very first thing you do to make it a extra inclusive setting for everybody?

I might diversify the business from the prime down. Solely as soon as the studio heads, community executives, programmers, financiers, casting and present runners are various will we start to see various content material organically created from expertise, slightly than creativeness. One factor the present gatekeepers are failing to comprehend is that merely including extra POC and LGBTQAI+ characters as subplots and quirky facet kicks to bolster the storylines of white protagonists is not sufficient. When those that are creating and writing and directing the tales will not be various, we find yourself time and time once more with watered down, two dimensional and usually stereotypical illustration that misses out on a lot of the nuance and magic of various experiences.

What’s your message to future generations of queer folks, coming of age proper now? How do you need to instill hope in them?

I’m so deeply impressed and humbled by the collective openness, curiosity and the dedication of your era. Your particular person story, your fireplace, your desires are what make you a completely essential half of the cloth of this subsequent chapter. Remember that permitting your self to be weak is an indication of nice power, and that nurturing your psychological and emotional well being solely makes you higher outfitted to help others. Refuse to settle. Refuse to sit down down. Your time is now.