Golden Globes: HFPA Promises To Add Black Members After PR Firms Threaten To Cut Ties

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the body that organizes and hands out the Golden Globe Awards, has promised to have at least 13% Black membership by next year's ceremony.

The response came after more than 100 public relations firms demanded the organization to make some "transformational changes."

In a statement Monday, HFPA said, "As a demonstration of our commitment, the board has unanimously approved a plan to increase membership to a minimum of 100 members this year, with a requirement that at least 13 percent of the membership be Black journalists."

"We are also continuing to work on the comprehensive initiatives announced last week," the statement said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Our outside legal counsel has already begun to work on how to effectively implement transformational changes to our organization, including a comprehensive review of our governance and code of conduct."

The organization said its new strategic diversity advisor, Shaun Harper — author of "Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Higher Education," will look after various workstreams, including member recruitment activities, analyzing policies, practices and member selection processes.

"We are committed to making necessary changes within our organization and in our industry as a whole. We also acknowledge that we should have done more, and sooner," HFPA promised. "While we recognize this is a long-term process, we will continue to be transparent, provide updates, and have confidence in our ability to change and restore trust in our organization and the Golden Globes."

Earlier in the day, more than 100 PR firms sent an email asking the HFPA to take action against "systemic inequity and egregious behavior" within the organization. They threatened to pull their celebrity clients from HFPA events if it fails to take the necessary steps.

"While we stand ready to support your good faith efforts, please know that anything less than transparent, meaningful change that respects and honors the diversity and dignity of our clients, their colleagues and our global audience will result in immediate and irreparable damage to the relationship between our agencies, our clients and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and those who sanction the institutional inequity and insular culture that currently define it," the letter read, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A week before the 78th Golden Globe Awards ceremony, which was held on Feb. 28, the Los Angeles Times published an article noting that there were no Black members in the 87-person organization. Many A-listers supported the #TimesUpGlobes campaign launched by the Time's Up organization to call out the lack of Black members in HFPA.