The HFPA Addresses Its Glaring Diversity Problem at the Golden Globes

Members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association took a moment at tonight’s Golden Globes ceremony to address the fact that it has no Black members and has not had a single one for two decades. “We must have Black journalists in our organization,” representatives from the HFPA said during the televised broadcast.

In the days leading up to the ceremony, a Los Angeles Times investigation found that none of the HFPA’s 87 members are Black. And in a recent report from Variety, board chair and former president Meher Tatna confirmed that the group, which votes on Golden Globe nominees and winners, has not had a Black member since she joined in 2002.

During the ceremony, Helen Hoehne, HFPA vice president said, “Tonight, while we celebrate work of artists from around the globe, we recognize we have our own work to do. Just like in film and television, Black representation is vital. We must have Black journalists in our organization.”

“We must also be sure everyone from all underrepresented communities gets a seat at our table,” Tatna added. “And we are going to make that happen.”

President Ali Sar added, “That means creating an environment where diverse membership is the norm, not the exception. Thank you, and we’ll look forward to a more inclusive future.”

Before the awards show, actors, directors, and members of the entertainment industry brought attention to the issue on social media with the hashtag, #TimesUpGlobes. For example, Ava DuVernay, who will be presenting at tonight’s ceremony, wrote that “everyone must have balanced access and consideration so that the playing field can be more equitable for artists of all kinds, colors and cultures.”

Hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler also addressed the controversy in their opening monologue. Fey jabbed, “The HFPA is made up of around 90 international—no Black—journalists who attend movie junkets each year in search of a better life.”

Poehler joked that awards shows are “all a scam invented by Big Red Carpet.”

And Fey added, “Inclusivity is important, and there are no Black members of the Hollywood Foreign Press … you’ve gotta change that. So here’s to changing it.”

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