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Ghetto Film School Launching Program to Up Diversity in Creative Fields

By Eddie Small | November 20, 2015 11:02am | Updated on November 22, 2015 8:28pm
 Ghetto Film School has received a $625,000 grant to help increase diversity in the city's creative industries.
Ghetto Film School has received a $625,000 grant to help increase diversity in the city's creative industries.
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Ghetto Film School

SOUTH BRONX — Ghetto Film School just got green-lighted for $625,000 to help increase diversity in New York City’s many creative industries.

The money is for a new initiative called The Roster that will expand Ghetto Film School’s pre-professional training for its alumni.

Programs under The Roster will aim to connect young creative people in the city with companies in film, gaming, advertising and more through exclusive events that will serve as showcases for talent.

The initiative will launch next year and aims to level the playing field for people of color as they seek jobs in fields like film and television, as well as provide companies with a way to identify and invest in more diverse employees.

“The need for diversity in media is no secret,” said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who announced the grant at an event on Thursday afternoon, “especially young people of color and young women.”

The Roster hopes to serve as a huge repository of young career talent in New York City and function as a "go to" list for any creative industry looking to bring more diverse talent on board.

Ghetto Film School will work with several of the city's prominent creative institutions on The Roster, including the Museum of the Moving Image, the Tribeca Film Institute, the Independent Filmmaker Project and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

“Jobs in these sectors are more than jobs. They are careers,” said Mark-Viverito. “That is exactly why we want to make sure all New Yorkers have access to these career opportunities.”