Even before joining Onyx, Holland was advocating for the production of series and stories focused on people of color. She understands that diversity in programming isn’t merely airing shows with diverse individuals cast in leading roles—it’s about telling stories that have an authentic point of view. She recently oversaw Onyx’s multi-year, first-look development deal with Mexican writer-director-producer Manolo Caro and Woo Films’ co-founders Rafael Ley and Maria José Córdova.
Has the internet created more inclusion or exclusion? Both. The internet created a democratization of content and connections that have definitely made the ability to create and connect with others formerly out of reach much easier. But with increased supply and contracting demand there are overwhelming amounts of images and formats to choose from and now the barrier to entry is greatness. What’s getting excluded now is what’s “good” or “small” or “niche” and the expectation is that stories are excellent and relevant to a broad audience (millions).
What do you think is the biggest misconception about diversity within your industry? The biggest misconception is that diversity is a genre of programming, and that diversity is the “hook” or “category” of story rather than something that enhances storytelling. Diversity is not a storytelling genre. People who categorize the story as a “black story” have missed the point, and in many cases, they have done the story a disservice and reduced it to something that will likely feel thin, derivative, and rely exclusively on race/culture to be the punchline of every joke. Diversity is about point of view, authenticity and specificity of character/place/experience/etc. And you could have two stories with black characters that are telling a different kind of story despite the race of the protagonists. It is not a substitute for genre.
Advice I would give a recent graduate: Who you work for at the early stages of your career matters more than the company you work for. Look not just for mentors, but also for sponsors who are people that have enough currency within your company to actually impact your trajectory there.