As soon as Todd realized that Motionpoems' fast-growing film library was lopsided with the voices of white people, he did something about it. Motionpoems has since dedicated whole seasons and special projects to artists of color, urging its filmmakers to imagine their films in "full color" by tapping diverse actors, musicians, and other talents.
Premiering on October 27, 2016, and made in partnership with Cave Canem: A Home for Black Poetry, Season Seven featured a roster of almost exclusively African American artists, including poets Glenis Redmond, Qiana Towns, and Geffrey Davis and filmmakers Seyi Peter-Thomas, Jamil McGinnis, and Cris Thorne.
Motionpoems now boasts dozens of films made for, by, and about people of every color—from First Nations Peoples to Asian and African Americans, to Latinx and mixed race identities.
Motionpoems believes that the world needs a continued and all-inclusive approach to diversity, and even offers screening packages themed on issues of race, identity, and social justice.
Click here to view the films of Season 7: Black Lives.
As a white artist and producer in a demographically-changing America, I'm most comfortable when I'm most uncomfortable. The Hallmark Channel is no hallmark where our channels are concerned. I demand representation for those historically underrepresented and you should too. If we're "in this together," then we need to be looking at one another.
