The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and the NAACP have announced they are partnering up to bring more diversity, equity and inclusion into the entertainment industry. 

This comes after a scathing criticism of exclusionary practices by the HFPA, which hands out the Golden Globe movie and TV awards. 

In an article from USA Today, the team-up has been named the Reimagine Coalition and is said to be a five-year partnership that “aims to increase diverse representation throughout the industry and build meaningful employment opportunities for Hollywood workers and journalists of color.” 

Related: NBC will not air Golden Globes in 2022 due to lack of diversity in HFPA

The HFPA is a non-profit organization consisting of U.S.-based journalists and photographers who report on entertainment industry activity for media outlets predominantly outside of the U.S. 

According to the USA Today report, the HFPA has been caught up in controversy over issues such as “preferential treatment and favors sought by its members to lack of racial representation in its ranks.” 

Additionally, according to an LA Times report, the HFPA currently has no Black members with voting status in their 87-person membership. 

The article also notes, “The organization drew widespread criticism for this year’s slate of nominations, which did not include any of this year’s Black-led potential Oscar best picture contenders, including ‘Da 5 Bloods,’ ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ and ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,’ among its finalists for the group’s top film prize.” 

Advocacy group Time’s Up launched the #TIMESUPGlobes hashtag and posted an open letter to the HFPA that called for improvements in its workplace, which goes far beyond just adding new members. 

“The problems with the HFPA cannot be addressed simply by a search for new members who meet your self-declared membership criteria. That criteria reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of the problems at hand,” the letter reads. 

The group also goes on to say that change comes from an awareness of larger cultural problems and is coupled with a long-term commitment to systematic change. 

Related: Black actors win several Golden Globes as HFPA criticized for lack of Black members

HFPA President Helen Hoehne says the NAACP collaboration goes beyond what they are currently working on and will enable both groups to work together to actually solve industry issues. 

In a statement given to Deadline, Hoehne explains the mission of the Reimagine Coalition to expand, restructure and create opportunities for all of those in the industry. 

“We have not only worked to reimagine our structure at the HFPA but also our role as an association — using our platform to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive industry,” Hoehne said. “This collaboration is so much more than reform; this is an opportunity to make long lasting change on a global scale. We’re honored that NAACP Hollywood shares this long-term vision with us, and we encourage all of our partners in the industry to join us in tackling these issues head-on.”  

Variety reports this plan includes “supporting scholarships, fellowships, internships, and mentorship programs for creatives of color interested in pursuing careers in journalism and the motion picture and television industry,” alongside a commitment to job creation and roundtable discussions with the NAACP. 

“This partnership — over five years — is a signal to the industry that we’re not interested in short term fixes — we’re committed to changing the narrative and tackling disparities in the industry from every angle,” said NAACP President/CEO Derrick Johnson in a statement on Variety. “Over the next several years through this partnership, we can build pathways to inclusion to support future generations of Black artists and artists of color. We can’t wait to get to work.” 

Kyle Bowser, senior VP of the NAACP Hollywood Bureau, expresses his eagerness in working with the HFPA to reform and restructure the group. 

“The NAACP applauds our advocacy allies for pressing HFPA to commit to internal reforms, and we now welcome HFPA as a partner in the larger agenda to realize equity and inclusion throughout Hollywood,” Bowser said on Variety.