June 2, 2020
The office of the Writers Guild of America, East overlooks New York City’s Holland Tunnel and when commuters head into the tunnel, they’ll now see signage that reads BLACK LIVES MATTER.
The Writers Guild of America, East stands in solidarity with the protesters and activists fighting to end police violence and the systemic oppression of black people. On Friday the Guild issued a statement on the death of George Floyd, and today we are sharing links to organizations who are leading the fight to end white supremacy and provide assistance to allies and activists fighting on the front lines to eradicate racism.
We as a Guild, like our movement as a whole, must recommit to the struggle against racism in the economy, in civil society, and in our industries. Our union has taken the lead in fighting to make film, television and news (broadcast and digital) more inclusive.
We spent nearly a decade fighting for television diversity legislation in New York State, which Governor Cuomo signed into law last year. The Guild co-created two fellowships, the Made In NY Writers Room and the New York Screenwriters Workshop, aimed at supporting diverse writers as they begin their careers. We also demanded and won contract gains at digital media outlets and other companies that transform recruitment and hiring practices. In addition, WGAE contracts have mandated the creation of diversity committees and pay equity studies.
We still can do more. We will do more. We must do more. Lives depend on it.