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Jada Pinkett Smith Calls for Oscar Boycott

VIDEO DISCUSSION: Actress Janet Hubert calls Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's Oscar outrage self-serving

It is the video that has gone viral. Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith said that she will boycott this year's Academy Awards due to the lack of diversity in actor category nominations.

The video has gotten over 5 million views. Pinkett made the call after the academy failed to nominate any actor of color for an award for the second year in a row.

Actress Janet Hubert, who worked with Will Smith, Pinkett-Smith's husband, on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air jumped into the fray. Referring to Pinkett Smith as "Miss Thing," Hubert opens her video by asking, "Does your man not have a mouth of his own with which to speak?" before launching into her thoughts on the controversy that has drawn so much attention.

"I find it ironic that somebody who has made their living and has made millions and millions of dollars from the very people that you're talking about boycotting just because you didn't get a nomination, just because you didn't win?" said Hubert. "That's not the way life works, baby."

Black Twitter, using the hashtag #oscarssowhite, also called for a boycott after Pinkett's husband, actor Will Smith was snubbed for Concussion and actor Idris Elba for Beast of No Nation. The movie Creed only received recognition for best supporting actor, Sylvester Stallone, and none for best director or actor.

The critically acclaimed picture, Straight Out of Compton, did not receive a nod for best picture. But actor and rapper Ice Cube said: "It's the Oscars. They do what they do, but I can't be mad. The movie grossed over $200 million."

 

Matt Damon Gives His Lesson on Diversity and Inclusion to Black Woman Filmmaker

On HBO's Project Greenlight, Matt Damon tells Black woman Filmmaker diversity and inclusion is only in front of the camera

Did actor/director/producer Matt Damon just step in it or what!

The producers of HBO's Project Greenlight released a clip featuring Matt Damon interrupting a Black filmmaker to school her on diversity.

On Sunday's episode of Project Greenlight -- the show where Damon and Ben Affleck help promising directors get their first break in the film business by getting attached to a project-- the exercise was to choose a director for a comedy in which the only black character happens to be a prostitute. Damon, Ben Affleck, the Farrelly Brothers and Effie Brown, a black filmmaker, who has 17 feature films to her credit including Dear White People, had to make the decision as to who gets to direct the comedy.

Brown thought it was important to have diversity among the filmmakers so the character could be accurately and sensitively portrayed. The finalists consisted of several white guys, an Asian man, and a white woman.

"I would want to urge people to think about—whoever this director is, how they're going to treat the character of Harmony," Brown stated, "the only black character who's a hooker who gets hit by her white pimp."

Damon interrupted her and pooh-poohed, saying diversity should only go so far.

"When we're talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show," he said, referring to why he felt Brown's choice of diverse directors wasn't important.

"Hoo. Wow. OK!" Brown responded.

Going by this exchange, it appears that Damon thinks diversity and inclusion are good things to see on the big screen, but it's not really necessary in decision-making roles.

Of course, the Twittersphere is exploding and this one clip just might "break the Internet".

It's only a clip, but what are your thoughts? Is Matt Damon for real, or is this a publicity stunt to get more people to watch Project Greenlight?

D.A. Abrams: Using Diversity and Inclusion as a Strategy for Growth

D. A. Abrams has spent most of his career, and probably his life, in tennis. As the United States Tennis Association's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Mr. Abram's primary focus is to use the strategy of diversity and inclusion to grow the sport of tennis in United States.

The USTA recognizes that there is a demographic shift happening in the United States and that there are more people of color living here currently and the numbers are projected to grow rapidly. Smartly, the USTA is not resting on its laurels. The organization is employing a top-down, "all hands on deck" approach to diversity and inclusion to grow the organization and the sport of tennis. Abrams knows that if more people of color are doing well in the sport of tennis, more people of color will be attracted to the sport.

"The mission of the United States Tennis Association is to promote and develop the growth of tennis," D.A. Abrams told What's The 411Sports host, Glenn Gilliam during the U.S. OPEN 2014. "So the way in which I like to describe what I do is making tennis look like America and we have an all-hands-on-deck approach, to how we intend to make that happen. We have a strategic direction of six different pillars which... it really covers everything, not just young kids playing tennis. Everything from the volunteers, to the staff, to supplier diversity, you name it, we're trying to touch it all."

The six pillars that undergirds the USTA's strategic approach to growing tennis through diversity and inclusion are:

• Human Assets

• Image

• Supplier Diversity

• Sections and Community Engagement

• Strategic Partnerships

• Training and Development

Abrams, a native of Philadelphia, grew up playing tennis through the National Junior Tennis & Learning system in Philadelphia. He credits Arthur Ashe for his motivation to play tennis after seeing Arthur Ashe playing tennis on television. Abrams didn't turn pro, but much to the delight of his parents, he was good enough to receive a tennis scholarship to pay for his college expenses. Abrams' first job out of college was with Control Data Corporation in St. Paul/Minneapolis. However, working as an accountant with a supercomputer company just didn't feed his soul and when the first opportunity to work in the tennis industry presented itself, Abrams was on the first train back to the world of tennis. Abrams' life in tennis in the community and his career with the USTA spans several operational areas making Abrams the best person to serve as its Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

Thanks to D.A. Abrams, USTA, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for allowing Glenn Gilliam to conduct a wide-ranging interview.

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