Los Angeles is often referred to as the entertainment capital of the world, and for good reason: the city boasts ample opportunities in the radio, television, music, film, and sports industries. However, diversity and equity inclusion within these fields is an ongoing task, even in large and progressive cities.
Jaia Thomas, a sports and entertainment lawyer in L.A., founded a company named Diverse Representation dedicated to the exposure and hiring of Black agents, attorneys, managers, publicists, and financial advisers. This year, Diverse Representation hosted the 3rd annual Black Entertainment Summit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
This summit is necessary because it provides networking & job opportunities to Black corporate creatives looking to enter and/or dive deeper within the entertainment industry.
Explaining why she conceptualized this event, Jaia said, “For two reasons: on one side, I was hearing a lot of studios and networks saying they were having a hard time finding Black talent, Black employees, Black executives…but on the flip side, I heard a lot of Black professionals saying it’s hard for [them] to get in the door. The Black Entertainment Summit provides a solution for that gap.”
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This year’s event was packed with Black panelists from world-renown organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), United Talent Agency (UTA), Lionsgate/STARZ, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), William Morris Endeavor (WME), and Wasserman Music. These are companies that people work for years, even decades, to be able to get their foot in the door, so being in the room with those representatives was a substantial benefit of the summit.
Particularly captivating was the advice given throughout different panels, including a “What I Wish I Knew Then” panel with UTA, “Building a Career Within Studios and Streaming” with various attorneys from streaming companies including Amazon and Netflix, and an “Early Career Pathways to CAA” discussion.
There were five consistent messages throughout each panel that any corporate and/or creative person can find of value: act in accordance with your desired reputation, create and maintain relationships, advocate for yourself, stay ready so you don’t have to get ready, and be patiently diligent.
Doing everything possible to move with integrity, respect, kindness, and honesty will protect your reputation and could be the deciding factor in your upward mobility within a company. Panelist and corporate counsel for Amazon MGM Studios, Brittani Ojogho-Fields, said, “Even negotiating, I have to be in the midst of [it] thinking, I want this person to enjoy being in a conversation with me.” Leaving a good impression is priceless.
Multiple panelists echoed the necessary skills of building relationships, which include advocating for yourself, intermittently checking in on those you previously connected with, and focusing on vertical and horizontal movement. The last one is pertinent because it’s not only about who can get you up the ladder; it’s also about looking to your left and right toward your peers, knowing that you can build together.
Finally, you have to stay ready. Don’t wait for the moment the “right person” is in front of you and scramble to quickly put together a resume, pitch deck, script, or any other material that could position you as a committed force in the industry.
Staying diligent in your networking and ready in your preparation is your job, and the rest falls into place. As panelist Trisha Ananiades opined, “cream rises to the top”.
Make sure to stay connected with Diverse Representation, which will be hosting more events this year including National Black Women in Sports Day on July 7, activations at film festivals including the Tribeca Film Festival, and Diverse Representation Week for Black creatives.
Follow on Instagram: @diverserepresentation or visit www.diverserepresentation.com
