Hollywood has an inclusion problem. This is not news. From the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to reality television franchises, there’s always a cleanup on aisle Hollywood. What problematic celebrity or studio is promising false actions to cover their own face this week?

In an industry that seems traditionally reactionary in the face of exclusion and controversy, why does Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts emulate it? Some could argue that Dodge’s primary purpose is to reflect the Hollywood workplace in which most of its students strive to enter — a workplace built on exclusion, bigotry and dated values standing between opportunity and marginalized or emerging voices. As Chapman students are a new wave of creatives, why not create a culture of inclusivity and intersectionality at Dodge College that prepares us to make dents in — rather than assimilate into — the industry that minimizes our voices in the first place? Redefining the industry begins with us, and Dean Stephen Galloway is ready to help. 

Dodge College is not where it needs to be. But for the first time since the beginning of our education here in 2018, we feel heard. In the spring semester of 2020, Marion Knott Studios ushered in a new era under the guidance of a former executive editor and producer for The Hollywood Reporter: Stephen Galloway. Dodge saw plenty of progressive change in his first few months, including one-on-one Zoom conversations with students, master classes led by diverse professionals and inspiring new hires who dilute the white, masculine water within Dodge’s walls. 

While these are all examples of change being celebrated and are greatly appreciated, in many cases these actions continue to be lost in the echo chambers that are the actual classrooms. 

When I, Vi Nguyen, was applying to Chapman, I wrote about Asian representation in mainstream media and how, as a creator, I hope to tell stories authentic to my experience. But since being accepted and embarking on my journey at Dodge, I have been told to “Americanize” my writing, I’ve been confused with other Asian American students and I’ve been exposed to seeing an Asian porn tab in a currently employed professor’s browser.

Every day at Chapman, because of how Hollywood often portrays people who look like me, I am stereotyped as a nerd, I have my cultural identity confused with about four different races and I am fetishized for being "exotic," "timid" and “submissive.” If a professor is perpetuating these stereotypes in the classroom, that’s where we need to see change.

While many of my professors have been supportive mentors I will continue to admire long after my days at Chapman, I, Erica Kennedy, felt the need to create an alternative “classroom” where I felt comfortable and confident sharing work that other professors and students criticized for exploring mental illness in an authentic light. In order to do so, I co-founded alongside Dalia Vered The Reel Society — formerly known as the SheWolf Society. Our club has been met with undying support from Galloway and many professors, and it has been a great way for students like myself to comfortably workshop diverse material. 

For me, Kavya Maran, the Reel Society has been a most welcome addition to my college experience. As a South-Asian woman in Dodge College, it’s rare to find others that share experiences similar to mine, let alone to connect with them on a personal level. It can be isolating to feel like your voice needs to be translated or toned down in order to be “palatable,” which is why free spaces that encourage creatives to speak boldly and without apology are crucial. While many strides are being taken in this direction, progress is never finished. The next course of action is to create inclusive classroom environments wherein all Chapman professors welcome and explore intersectionality.

So what would that entail? The first step is listening to students who come from different backgrounds and taking their perspectives into account. This does not entail giving them notes to “improve” their scripts that dilute their specific voices in order to match the industry norm. Those are the voices we need to hear; the voices that challenge the status quo. 

Dodge College has a duty to empower its students within every classroom to be the changemakers the entertainment industry needs. If anyone can do it, it’s us. Because after all, we’re not Hollywood … yet.