A week into the Writers Guild of America (WGA) writer’s strike affecting various sectors throughout the entertainment industry, non-profit organization Women of Color Unite (WOCU) has decided to postpone their mentorship program.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – May 8, 2023 — A week into the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike affecting various sectors throughout the entertainment industry, non-profit organization Women of Color Unite (WOCU) has decided to postpone their mentorship program #Startwith8™ in solidarity with the labor dispute.
In its first Hollywood Edition cycle, #Startwith8™ wrapped up by the end of July 2020 and connected nearly 300 Women of Color working in the entertainment industry-regardless of career experience- to established industry mentors. Each mentor was matched to eight participants, and each participant was matched to two mentors. New friendships were forged, referrals were made, and advice was freely shared. “We knew we were onto something special,” says WOCU Founder Cheryl L. Bedford. “Women of Color Unite stands in solidarity with the WGA and due to the work stoppage, #StartWith8 is postponed until the end of the strike.”
Almost 1,700 WOC in the US, UK and Canada have received two mentors each since its launch in 2020. This has led to WOC being hired, projects getting funded and distributed. Mentors have also been instrumental in the participants receiving their WGA Cards. The next round was scheduled to launch on Juneteenth 2023 which is now a federal holiday. There have been numerous occasions in which the program matched WGA and Pre-WGA writers with studio executives. This is in contradiction to the WGA Strike rules.
ABOUT #STARTWITH8™ (https://www.startwith8.com)
#Startwith8™ is proudly presented by Women of Color Unite. The program was created in June 2020, and during its first Hollywood Edition, connected more than 250 Women of Color to 75 industry pros. Since then, the team has gone on to schedule 3,500 meetings, and has introduced 1,639 Women of Color to the industry. The initiative has changed how people think about diversity, equity, inclusion & accessibility programs in the entertainment industry.
ABOUT Women of Color Unite (https://wocunite.org)
Founded by Cheryl L. Bedford and Creator of The JTC List, Women of Color Unite (WOCU) is an LA-based social action and non-profit organization that focuses on remedying the inequities that face Women of Color in today’s entertainment and media industries. We stand for hiring parity, fair treatment, and providing resources to Women of Color content creators industry-wide.
WOCU, a collective of more than 5,800 women and growing, creates opportunities for engagement between hiring agents and our active membership of experienced women to address the indefensible precept: “I don’t know any WOC that I can hire.” WOCU focuses on fair access, fair treatment and fair pay for women of color in all aspects of the entertainment and media industries.
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