SCA’s Diversity Organizations
By Grace Carballo ‘17
Last Friday, I met some amazing and inspiring peers at the Diversity Networking Mixer at SCA through several rounds of “speed dating.” The event was hosted by Acción Latina, USC WCA (Women of Cinematic Arts), African American Cinema Society, the Asian American Cinema Association, and Queer Cut, the School of Cinematic Arts’ diversity organizations.
The event, though dubbed a “networking mixer” was really more of a “meet & greet” and an amazing opportunity to meet some really interesting and talented people who I otherwise might not have crossed paths with. As a screenwriting minor, I’ve only taken one Production class and haven’t met many people outside of the CTWR courses I’ve been able to take.
The event page emphasized its purpose with this quote from a recent USC alum:
“Don’t think of it as networking. I HATE that word. It sounds so calculated and cold. Think of it as making new friends. The people you meet aren’t a means to an end. They’re the people you’ll spend most of your social time with. They’re not just contacts, they’re human beings. Treat them as such. It goes a long way.”
- Maya Houston, USC Class of 2016, BFA Screenwriting, TV Coordinator at WPA | Worldwide Production Agency
For each round of speed dating, we met a new person and answered questions to start the conversation. The dialogue ranged from easier questions, like “What is your favorite movie?” to more personal ones, “What project are you currently working on?” to questions of representation, “What show/movie do you feel has successfully portrays diversity?”
I left the networking mixer with more awareness of some really cool SCA organizations, new friends who excel at their crafts, several shows and movies that they recommended (Search Party), and copious amounts of cheese - (the food situation was unbelievable).
For those who are interested in the diversity organizations of SCA and would like to learn more about them, I’ve included brief descriptions of the ones I’m aware of and their recent/upcoming events below:
Acción Latina
Acción Latina is a new student organization “looking to celebrate and produce Latinx Cinema” where everyone is welcome.
Their first event was a screening of Nana Dijo, a 40-minute documentary about Afro-Latino culture, followed by a short Q&A with the director, Bocafloja. Check out this trailer for Nana Dijo if you missed it.
Nana Dijo, Bocafloja’s first documentary, “highlights the complexity of identity and promotes solidarity between black and brown communities.” If you’re interested in future screening and events, check out the Acción Latina facebook.
African-American Cinema Society
The African-American Cinema Society aims “to highlight and promote art and artists who are invested in showcasing complex and sophisticated representations of blackness and the black diaspora.”
Most recently, they co-hosted a screening of How to Tell You’re a Douchebag with BSA (Black Student Assembly) and SAGE (Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment).
If you are interested in learning more about this cinema society or their events, you can join the public Facebook group or check out their website for more information about how to get involved.
Asian-American Cinema Association
Through networking events and collaborative projects and databases, the AACA hopes to prepare students for their future careers. They specifically focus on creating recognition of and appreciation for Asian cinema and culture, as well.
The mission of AACA is “to provide creative and professional opportunities for undergraduate and graduate level students interested in any aspect of the film industry.”
To get involved, check out the Contact Info on their Facebook page or join their Facebook group.
QueerCut
QueerCut is the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer & Asexual Student Organization at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, which is committed to “building a professional community, promoting the visibility of LGBTQA themed media, and encouraging a strong network of LGBTQA students and allies”
An upcoming event that Queer Cut has promoted is the 10th Annual Don Thompson LGBT Film Festival, hosted by USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association. It’s on April 10th and is open to the public - so put that on your post-spring break calendars, folks.
Women of Cinematic Arts
Women of Cinematic Arts (WCA) seeks “to support new voices and to create a positive diverse creative community to support each other in school and beyond.”
This year they are hosting the first annual Feminist Media Festival and will be accepting entries until March 20. If you are unable to submit in time, then you should definitely still attend the FMF screenings later in the semester.
These brief glimpses into some of the organizations at SCA demonstrate just how many new perspectives and how many stories worth telling that aren’t often well represented in mainstream media.
I’m so glad I got to meet and become reacquainted with some amazing people while “speed dating” and will definitely be keeping in touch with them for future events, screenings, and projects.
Fight on forever,
Grace Carballo ‘17
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