Far too often, Black and other Film/TV crew members of color often hear a variation on trite excuse, “We keep hiring this white person because there aren’t a lot of [insert specific POC identifier here] directors, producers, cinematographers, production designers, costume designers, editors, etc.!”

It’s a lie. It’s not that they don’t exist; it’s that the gatekeepers aren’t looking hard enough. Frankly, it’s laziness. Well, it looks like we have yet another receipt to use as pushback against that tired narrative.

According to the LA Times, Ava DuVernay has partnered with Warner Bros. TV executive Peter Roth to launch Array Crew, a division of Array Alliance, which will serve as a database to highlight below-the-line talent (the industry term for crew members that aren’t the actors, writer, director or producer, who are all considered to be “above-the-line talent”) that executives and hiring managers can use. It’s the next step toward more inclusive crews and its mission is to “bridge the hiring gap for women and people of color in the entertainment industry.”