THE NEED FOR BLACK MEN IN DECISION MAKING POSITIONS IN HOLLYWOOD

ATTENTION MY TALK SHOW PRODUCER PEEPS and ENTERTAINMENT EXECS - particularly those in positions of power and/or hiring authority. Look around your shows. Look at your staff. Look in the development arm of your production company - your syndicator - your studio. Are there African American MEN on your production staff? Are they represented?

The main reason there is a lack of understanding about what MEN of color go through is because there isn't a space for black and brown men to be HEARD. I get that "talk programs" primarily have a female demographic - but what talk is supposed to be is a forum for ALL voices - and that should include black men.

Here's the truth - in the 15 years I was at "Oprah" I was the ONLY African American man on the production staff for 13 1/2 of those years. That meant I was the lone voice that could bring a black man's perspective on the biggest daytime show of all time. What's worse is nobody there even noticed. It didn't cross anybody's mind that I was the only one and thus our voices, our perspective was not being included. I'm not saying that was by design. I'm not blaming anyone. I'm not suggesting anybody did anything wrong or accusing anyone of anything. I'm simply saying you've seen get us shot, brutalized, bludgeoned, arrested, jailed and murdered in plain sight. You've seen our anger - our frustration - our rage - but have you REALLY seen US? Have you really HEARD from us? Do you care to?

At "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" - I stood as the only African American standing firm against the network, the production company and even my own colleagues on a racially charged issue of which I won't go into detail. My EP kept pulling me aside during that time and saying, "I see your light dimming by taking this on." "I see you changing over this issue..." While I appreciated his leadership, his compassion in that moment - I sat on that incredibly uncomfortable black leather couch in his office and thought, "The weight of this shouldn't be on me alone. I shouldn't have to stand firm on this issue by myself." But I did. I had to - because I was the only one there.

Now - in all fairness - it's unrealistic, perhaps even unfair to expect those who aren't black and male to think about what it's really like to be black and male in America. It's understandable that those thoughts aren't going to just pop into your mind - but that's also all the more reason why those in positions of power need to advocate for hiring black men in spaces where news, talk and conversation is being produced because that's the only realistic way our voices, our perspective and our experiences will be incorporated into the broader conversation. It's the only way the narrative that fuels the racism that results in us being killed in the streets will change. Black men need to be included in decision making positions - at the level where the narrative is being shaped, determined, created and presented. Without that - you're just continuing the problem because you're perpetuating a narrative without our perspective, involvement and thus without our voice - and that's how we got here in the first place.

The smart, intelligent men and women I've worked with, learned from, admire. Those rock stars who make amazing television on a regular basis would never allow someone to speak for them. They wouldn't stand for their voices to not be included, to not be heard. So why should we? Truth is - the reason black men aren't given the benefit of the doubt, the reason our lives are viewed as disposable is because we aren't seen as HUMAN with feelings, goals and dreams - and you cannot change that narrative without our involvement.

I can't tell you how many times I've walked into the offices of a production company, a network, a syndicator or studio for an interview or general meeting and the only other black men in the office were those emptying the trash - delivering the mail - mopping the floor, standing guard as security or parking the cars.

So - look around at who is on your staff. Who's helping you make decisions? Who is shaping the narrative on your programs? Who is helping decide what gets on the air? If you don't have a black man at the table - that's part of the problem.

Bottom line - don't be about the business of TALKING about change because that's what's trendy or in vogue at this moment - be about the business of making real, lasting change.