Who We Are
We are a coalition and community dedicated to encouraging fair casting practices. As a far-reaching movement of consumers, students, parents, and professionals, we promote just and equal opportunities in the entertainment industry.”
Current Focus
As fans of the original television show, we still hold the highest level of respect for the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series and its culturally nuanced depiction of an Asian fantasy world.
The series featured Asian characters in a fantasy setting inspired and informed by a variety of Asian cultures. The cast and setting were virtually unique in American media as a celebration of people and culture of Asian descent.
For American children, it was an opportunity to witness heroes and heroines of color – an opportunity that enriched all of us, regardless of ethnicity.
We want to support The Last Airbender film, but we cannot in good conscience support a production that systematically excludes people of color from heroic roles. To publish a casting call seeking actors who are “Caucasian or any other ethnicity” is contrary to fair hiring practices and an active rejection of the full diversity of the American people.
Learn more about The Last Airbender here.
Our Vision
We know we cannot change the casting of The Last Airbender. But this is not the end of our movement.
We want Paramount Pictures – and all Hollywood studios – to know that supporting and hiring actors of color in prominent roles will help build passionate, devoted audiences. The appeal of Hollywood’s films will expand with greater attention to the face of modern America.
Opening a dialogue with grassroots organizations like Racebending.com can and will help studios create enjoyable and profitable entertainment.
We want actors of color to know that there are people out there who support them and want to see them in bigger roles. We want children to know that people of all colors should have the opportunity to be seen as champions. And we are eager to support projects with fair casting practices, utilizing the talents of the many faces of America.
Through open dialogue and grassroots protest, we seek to raise awareness. Through organized boycott and communication with Hollywood representatives, we seek to encourage the creation of television and film that reflect the true richness of American society.
Our Members
We are represented in all facets of America. Our supporters come from all walks of life: concerned parents, students, academics, and industry professionals.
We are an international movement, with vocal activists in forty-nine different countries around the world.
If you want to support the ideal of fair and equal opportunity in American films, then please join us.
Contact Us
If you want to get in touch with us, please visit our contact page.
