Why #OscarsSoWhite still matters

+ why a mustachioed March Madness athlete has an endorsement deal US Edition - Today's top story: #OscarsSoWhite still plagues Hollywood's highest achievement awards [View in browser]( US Edition | 26 March 2022 [The Conversation]( Maybe, just maybe, Hollywood really is trying to fix its diversity problems, which have been in the spotlight since a social activist launched the #OscarsSoWhite campaign in 2016. If the tone of public pronouncements from the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences leadership is any indication, at least it has made the first step – admitting there is a problem. As pop culture scholar Frederick Gooding Jr. points out in an article The Conversation published this week, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, then president of the academy, [dismissed questions about #OscarsSoWhite](. She denied that there was a diversity problem. The academy is now working with a different, more urgent script. But two years after it unveiled new inclusion standards in 2020 that “encourage” equitable representation on and off screen, this year’s ceremony will still be lacking in actors of color, Gooding observes. Of the 20 people nominated in acting categories, only four are people of color. This week we also liked articles about what the war in [Ukraine is doing to Egyptian wheat prices](, the history of [Black women who have served as judges]( and how geothermal energy plants in California could unlock [vast quantities of lithium](. Howard Manly Race + Equity Editor Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs attends the Celebration of Black Cinema on Dec. 2, 2019, in Los Angeles. Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for the Celebration of Black Cinema [#OscarsSoWhite still plagues Hollywood’s highest achievement awards]( Frederick Gooding, Jr., Texas Christian University Despite efforts to diversify the film industry, the Oscars awards ceremony demonstrates how far Hollywood has come – and how far it still has to go. A man carries a tray of freshly baked bread outside a bread factory on Dec. 15, 2016, in Cairo. Chris McGrath/Getty Images [In Egypt, where a meal isn’t complete without bread, war in Ukraine is threatening the wheat supply and access to this staple food]( Jessica Barnes, University of South Carolina Viewed from Cairo, the war in Ukraine poses an existential threat to something Egyptians can’t do without: abundant, cheap bread. Gonzaga forward Drew Timme’s mustache – and his basketball skills – helped him earn an endorsement from Dollar Shave Club. AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer [March Madness stars can now cash in on endorsements – but some limits set by states and universities may still be unconstitutional]( Sam C. Ehrlich, Boise State University; Neal Ternes, Arkansas State University States and universities have passed many rules governing what types of name, image and likeness deals athletes can sign. Most are innocuous, but three may violate their First Amendment rights. - [With threats of nuclear war and climate disaster growing, America’s ‘bunker fantasy’ is woefully inadequate]( David L. Pike, American University The end is often envisioned the same way: abruptly, hopelessly and completely. How does this constrain the range of possible solutions? - [How a few geothermal plants could solve America’s lithium supply crunch and boost the EV battery industry]( Bryant Jones, Boise State University; Michael McKibben, University of California, Riverside Lithium is essential for batteries that power electric vehicles and store energy from solar and wind farms. A new U.S. source could provide 10 times more lithium than the country uses today. - [Ketanji Brown Jackson’s path to Supreme Court nomination was paved by trailblazing Black women judges]( Sharon D. Wright Austin, University of Florida A handful of Black women have worn the black robes of a judge in the past, but none has ever been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Until now. - [Abortion pills are just as safe to prescribe based on a patient’s medical history as after an in-person exam, new research finds]( - [Older Americans are given the wrong idea about online safety – here’s how to help them help themselves]( - [Drugs that treat opioid use disorder are a good use for multibillion-dollar settlement funds]( - [When Putin says Russia and Ukraine share one faith, he’s leaving out a lot of the story]( - [Vaccine hesitancy is complicating physicians’ obligation to respect patient autonomy during the COVID-19 pandemic]( - [An emphasis on brilliance creates a toxic, dog-eat-dog workplace atmosphere that discourages women]( - [How fairy tales shape fighting spirit: Ukraine’s children hear bedtime stories of underdog heroes, while Russian children hear tales of magical success]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](