Inclusion and Equity Dashboard Dashboard

Department Head: Tery Lopez
Main Line: (323) 782-4589
Email: Inclusion and Equity
FAQ: Inclusion and Equity FAQ

The WGAW Inclusion and Equity Department works to encourage positive change in hiring practices of Black, Latinx, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American and Indigenous, women, older writers, LGBTQ+ writers, Middle Eastern writers, and disabled writers. The department also works to promote a more positive image of historically underemployed writers and to increase awareness of the unique obstacles often faced by these writers.

Charged with building cultural bridges between industry executives, producers and writers that are demographically underrepresented—both within the membership as well as those who work in areas not yet covered by the Guild—the Inclusion and Equity Department coordinates and attends meetings with studios, networks, production companies, agencies, and sister Guilds to discuss inclusion and equity issues, statistics and plan joint projects.

The department also works with WGAW member Inclusion and Equity committees to develop events which range from panel discussions on various aspects of the craft of writing to networking opportunities with industry producers and executives. The department participates in numerous events with external organizations including discussions at film festivals and industry conferences with a focus on improving the status and the image of diverse writers in film and television.

In addition, the department works with studios and networks on their individual access programs, such as The Walt Disney Studios and ABC Entertainment Writing Fellowship, which serves to discover and train culturally and ethnically diverse writers in the feature film and television arenas.