Does reality TV really care about diversity?
In recent years, reality TV has promoted itself as a platform that embraces diversity, showcasing contestants from various ethnic backgrounds. But do these shows truly care about their People of Color (POC) contestants? From underrepresentation to outright racism, POC contestants continue to face systemic bias both on and off-screen. This article explores the harsh realities of how popular reality TV shows treat their diverse contestants, despite claims of inclusivity. We’ll dive into the stories of individuals like Natalie Lee, Jenn Tran, and Rachel Nance, who have encountered everything from limited screen time to racist comments from viewers. Is reality TV really as diverse as it claims to be, or is it simply using representation as a marketing tool? Let's uncover the truth.
The California Government Code § 8260 authorizes the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in consultation with the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA), to administer the Stop the Hate (STH) Program that awards funding to qualified nonprofit organizations to provide support and services to victims and survivors of hate incidents and hate crimes and their families and facilitate hate incident or hate crime prevention measures.
Funded Support and Services may include:
Direct services for victims and survivors of hate incidents and hate crimes and their families, including mental and complementary health services; wellness and community healing; legal services; navigation, case management, and referrals;
Prevention services, including arts and cultural work, youth development, senior safety and escort programs, safety planning, training; and cross-racial alliance work; and
Intervention services, including outreach, training, restorative justice, coordination with local government and institutional partners, and coordinated regional rapid response.
Resources
CA vs. Hate: CA vs. Hate is a way to report hate incidents or hate crimes online or over the phone and receive support and resources without necessarily involving law enforcement. People who report a hate incident or hate crime through this service will be connected with a professional trained in culturally competent communication and trauma-informed practices.
California State Library’s Ethnic Media Outreach Grant: The Ethnic Media Outreach Grant aims to build public awareness of the Stop the Hate Program. Grants are awarded to ethnic media outlets and collaboratives serving communities that are historically vulnerable to hate incidents and hate crimes.
California Department of Justice’s Hate Crime Resources Page: This page provides information on the differences between hate crimes and hate incidents, tips on how to spot a hate crime, and help for what to do if you are the target of a hate crime.
Stop AAPI Hate’s Community Resources Page: This page provides resources for mental health, safety tips, and guides to help you know your rights if you are facing discrimination.
California Attorney General’s 2022 Hate Crime Report: This report presents statistics on hate crimes reported by California law enforcement agencies that occurred during 2022 with prior years included for context. These statistics include the reported number of hate crime events, hate crime offenses, victims of hate crimes, and suspects of hate crimes.
AAPI Equity Alliance’s Resources for the Monterey Park Shootings