The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced that it will add 13 more Black members in the near future. The HFPA, which determines the Golden Globe Award winners, said that it is committed to “making necessary changes within our organization and in our industry as a whole.” It is the first time that the organization has added Black members in nearly two decades.
“We also acknowledge that we should have done more, and sooner,” the organization stated.
“As a demonstration of our commitment, the board has unanimously approved a plan to increase membership to a minimum of 100 members this year, with a requirement that at least 13 percent of the membership be Black journalists.”
The move to add Black members did not come without public pressure. Prior to their announcement, a group of more than 100 Hollywood public relations firms released a joint letter advising their clients not to attend any HFPA events until the organization outlined a plan to address the lack of diversity within the group.
"We cannot advocate for our clients to participate in HFPA events or interviews as we await your explicit plans and timeline for transformational change," the letter reads.
The joint letter garnered support from social justice groups like Time's Up. For months, Time's Up has called on the HFPA to add more diverse voices to its organization.
“We are proud to be in solidarity with the voices of over 100 Hollywood PR firms in calling for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to radically transform the Golden Globes," Time's Up stated.
"We agree that anything less than transparent, meaningful change will no longer be acceptable. The entire world is watching.”
At this time, it is unclear as to when these new members will be added and how they will be selected.
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