Hollywood Foreign Press Association members approve diversity reforms proposed by board

The reforms put forth by the board of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) have been approved by its members. As reported by Variety, a total of 72 members voted for the approval of the board’s plan while three voted against it. The voting happened earlier in the day on Thursday, 6 May.The reforms were proposed after HFPA was accused of lack of diversity after LA Times revealed that in the last 20 years, the association has not had a Black member. Various PR firms and celebrities had threatened to not work with HFPA, the association that organises Golden Globes, if it did not take immediate reforms.On Monday, 3 May, the board members introduced a plan that was aimed at increasing Black membership in the association. The plan included increasing the representation of people of colour and restrictions on the gifts that members can receive.After the news was shared, the producer of the Golden Globes Award, Dick Clark Productions issued a statement saying they are pleased to see HFPA members commit to this plan. The statement said that it [members accepting reforms] is a big step in the right direction as they are taking immediate steps to implement.Speaking about the development, President of HFPA Ali Sar shared that their overwhelming vote to reform the association reaffirms their commitment to change. Ali said that they will be continuously updating the members in making the organisation more inclusive and diverse, adding that they understand the urgency and issue of transparency.“We remain dedicated to becoming a better organization and an example of diversity, transparency and accountability in the industry,” said HFPA President.The board has said that it will be recruiting 20 new members this year and the focus will be on recruiting Black members.