100 www.blackeoejournal.com Black EOE Journal
Outliers Fellowship program, [is something] I am really excited about. The program is an internship and mentorship initiative that Jordan announced during Black History Month last year during the Obama Foundations MBK (My Brothers Keeper) Rising! event. The Outlier Fellowship provides access, commu- nity and opportunity to underrepresented LA youth entering arts, media and entertainment. However, Jordan and his Outlier Society are raising the stakes in their efforts towards a more diverse and inclusive industry. Along with the fellowship program, Outlier Society can also boast itself as one of the few media companies to adopt the inclusion rider. The inclusion rider is a contract attached (by a star or company) to a film or television contract stating that the projects production team must take steps to recruit and hire both cast and crew members from historically under- represented groups. For Jordan, though, this is less a boast than an obvious step in the right direction. You just got to do it. You cant overcomplicate it, he said of whats needed to see less disparity and more inclusion in media and entertainment, both in front of and behind the camera. As the producer, I chose he shared about one of his more recent projects, Theres also a lot of vehicles for talent that may not have gotten all of the swings that Ive gotten or opportunities in certain roles or cer- tain genres. Being able to create around talent is something that Ive always been interested in doing and am looking forward to doing more of in the future. Jordans impact has also been evident in his hometown of Newark, N.J. where hes supported Audibles charity, Newark Working Kitchens, an organization hes proud to say served over one million meals this past year He also launched the Hoop Dreams Classic, an HBCU College Basketball Showcase in Newark last year at the Prudential Center. Furthermore, he surprised students in his hometown at both at his alma mater, Newark Arts High School, last year and at Barringer High School. His Barringer High visit was part of the Coach Foundations involvement in The Future Project, which puts professional directors into high schools arounds the country to offer inspiration and guidance to students dreaming of careers in the arts.
Strategic and Intentional
Michael B. Jordan is not afraid to stand for those things he believes to be right, even in the face of adversity. For years, he has been quite outspoken on the causes and issues he feels most strongly about, even getting politi- cal by joining protests, like his participation
CREDIT: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES FOR CINEMACON
Actors Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Nev. Michael B. Jordan and Jordan family attend Lupus LA's MBJAM17 at The Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey in Marina del Rey, Calif.
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