Color of Change Hollywood
An advocacy initiative pushing for accurate and humanizing portrayals of Black people in entertainment
Overview
Color of Change Hollywood is a branch of the larger Color of Change civil rights organization, focused specifically on transforming how Black people are portrayed in film, television, and digital media. The initiative works directly with showrunners, writers, and studios to improve representation.
The organization publishes annual reports analyzing racial representation in television, providing concrete data on trends in casting, storytelling, and behind-the-scenes hiring. These reports are widely cited and have influenced industry practices.
How It Works
For Black actors, Color of Change Hollywood represents an advocacy ally working to ensure that the roles available are multidimensional and humanizing. The organization challenges harmful stereotypes and pushes for stories that reflect the full range of Black experiences.
Color of Change Hollywood's resources, reports, and advocacy work are freely accessible. The organization is funded through donations and does not charge for its public-facing materials.
Who Uses It
Staying informed about Color of Change Hollywood's research and recommendations helps actors understand the systemic forces shaping the roles they encounter. Their work is relevant to anyone who cares about equitable representation in entertainment. The organization has also developed specific toolkits for writers' rooms and production companies, providing concrete guidance on how to create more nuanced and authentic portrayals of Black characters. Their influence extends beyond individual productions to shape industry-wide norms and expectations around racial representation.
Pricing & Plans
All of Color of Change Hollywood's public-facing resources, including annual reports, toolkits, research findings, and advocacy materials, are completely free to access. There are no membership fees, subscriptions, or paid content tiers for accessing the organization's educational and research materials. The initiative is funded through the broader Color of Change organization's fundraising efforts, including individual donations and foundation grants. Compared to diversity consulting firms that charge production companies thousands of dollars for representation audits and recommendations, Color of Change Hollywood provides much of the same analytical framework at no cost. For individual actors and creatives seeking to educate themselves, this free access removes all financial barriers to staying informed about the state of Black representation in entertainment. The organization also accepts donations from individuals who want to support their mission, but contributing is entirely voluntary and does not unlock any additional content.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
Color of Change Hollywood's greatest strength is the rigor and specificity of its annual representation reports, which provide quantitative data on trends in casting, storytelling, and behind-the-scenes hiring that would be impossible for individuals to compile independently. The organization's direct engagement with showrunners, writers' rooms, and studio executives gives it a level of industry access and influence that purely external advocacy groups cannot match. Their toolkits translate abstract principles of equitable representation into concrete, actionable guidance that production teams can implement immediately. The initiative benefits from being part of the larger Color of Change organization, which brings significant advocacy infrastructure, public attention, and political leverage to entertainment-specific issues. The research reports serve as authoritative references that actors, agents, and producers can cite in conversations about representation, lending data-driven weight to arguments that might otherwise be dismissed as subjective. Color of Change Hollywood's work creates accountability by publicly tracking industry performance on representation metrics, which incentivizes studios and networks to demonstrate progress.
What Could Be Better
The organization's focus is specifically on Black representation, which means actors and creatives from other underrepresented groups will need to seek out complementary resources for their specific communities. The annual report cycle means that data and analysis are published periodically rather than in real time, and the entertainment landscape can shift significantly between reporting periods. Color of Change Hollywood's engagement is primarily with major studios and networks, and independent and emerging platforms may receive less attention and scrutiny. The toolkits and recommendations, while excellent, require buy-in from decision-makers to be effective, and actors without institutional power may find it difficult to translate the organization's guidance into changes on their own projects. The organization does not provide direct career services such as casting assistance, job boards, or mentorship programs for individual performers. Some industry professionals may perceive advocacy organizations as adversarial rather than collaborative, which can create tension when actors reference Color of Change Hollywood's recommendations in professional settings.
Our Recommendation
Color of Change Hollywood is essential reading for Black actors who want to understand the systemic dynamics shaping the roles available to them and how the industry is evolving. It is equally valuable for non-Black industry professionals who want to educate themselves about racial representation and contribute to meaningful change within their sphere of influence. Writers, directors, and producers should treat the organization's toolkits as practical guides for improving their own work rather than abstract advocacy documents. Actors who are evaluating potential projects can use the annual reports as context for understanding whether a production's approach to Black characters aligns with best practices or perpetuates harmful patterns. For those who want to support the mission beyond reading the materials, donating to Color of Change or sharing their research within professional networks amplifies the organization's impact. If you are looking for career services rather than advocacy and education, supplement Color of Change Hollywood's resources with organizations like the Black Film Institute or Black talent-specific agencies and casting platforms.
Pro Tips
Read Color of Change Hollywood's most recent annual report from start to finish, as the data and analysis provide context that will inform how you evaluate every script and role you encounter going forward. Share the organization's toolkits with writers, directors, and producers on your projects, framing them as practical resources rather than critiques, to encourage receptive engagement. Follow the organization's social media channels and email updates to stay current on new research, campaigns, and industry developments related to Black representation. Use specific data points from the reports when having conversations with agents, managers, or production teams about the quality and authenticity of Black characters in projects you are considering. When you encounter stereotypical or harmful portrayals of Black characters in a script, reference Color of Change Hollywood's frameworks to articulate your concerns in a way that is constructive and grounded in research. Connect with other professionals who engage with Color of Change Hollywood's work to build a network of allies who share your commitment to improving representation in the industry.