We need targeted support if diversity is going to survive Covid-19

To not explicitly support under-represented groups is to implicitly condemn them to fail.

That is the message that we have seen time and time again in times of economic distress and crisis.

Studies mapping how different economic crisis impact different groups show that women and ethnic minorities are disproportionately hit by downturns in the economy.

In the UK media industry before the 2008 financial crisis 32.9% of publicly funded films were directed by women by 2014 it was 17%.

We are once again in the midst of an economic crisis. We all know it, and we are all fully aware that there will be serious long term consequences.


According to the UK's Office of National Statistics at least a quarter of companies in the UK have temporarily closed because of the coronavirus lockdown.

A study by Begbies Traynor, the insolvency firm, found that more than half a million companies were in “significant distress” with a 10 per cent rise in the number of “critically distressed” companies compared to three months ago, these are companies on the verge of going out of business.


Many people in the media industry are well aware of the plight many people and companies are facing with broadcasters rolling out financial packages and other forms of support to help workers and companies.


However what we should know if history is anything to go by is if this help is not targeted to help the most vulnerable it will be the most vulnerable the most vulnerable that suffer the most.


I took a straw poll of Managing directors of BAME-led indies and freelancers in the UK if they were aware of any relief schemes that specifically looked to help under-represented groups like themselves.

They were not.

And so even if these schemes exist they are clearly not getting through to their target group

For the record, conducting my own online research Channel 4 seems to be the only broadcaster who explicitly talks about supporting BAME-led indies during the Covid-19 economic distress.

Contrast this approach to the US:

There is the "Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund". Set up by Verizon it explicitely focusing on business owners of color, women, and other marginalized groups offering grants of $10,000 to those who qualify.

For the Creative industries a quick google search will take you to the "South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund". The grant focuses on helping people of South Asian descent who work as dancers, choreographers, poets, actors, musicians, producers and other arts workers with grants of $1,000-$2,000.

That is to name just two initiatives but you can find five more targeting women, People of Colour and other under-represented groups by clicking here.

Britain is slowly waking up to the painful fact that Covid-19 does not effect all groups the same. Let's make sure we recognise the same fact when it comes to economic crisis and make special efforts to support marginalised groups while we still can.