On March 20, the Diversity Steering Committee's (EDSC) virtual meeting featured the discussion, Neema Barnette: Decades in the Spotlight.
Barnette spoke about her career during a conversation moderated Director Malcolm Lee (Space Jam: A New Legacy). During the conversation, she shared details about subjects such as how having an acting background helped her transition into directing; being the first African American woman to direct a sitcom and get a major studio deal; becoming a Producer/Director on the first season of the series, Queen Sugar, and how the Guild has helped protect her rights over the years.
A DGA member since 1984, Barnette broke into directing on the anthology series NBC Special Treat with the episode “One More Hurdle.” She would go on to become the first African American woman to helm a sitcom episode on the series, What’s Happening Now. Her directorial credits include the features Civil Brand, Heaven Ain’t Hard to Find and Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day; the movies for television Better Off Dead, Scattered Dreams and Deadly Games; and episodes of It’s A Living, A Different World, Bosch, The Equalizer and All Rise. She was nominated for a DGA Award in Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Shows - Daytime for her 1992 CBS Schoolbreak Special episode “Different Worlds: A Story of Interracial Love.”
About the Eastern Diversity Steering Committee
The Eastern Diversity Steering Committee represents the concerns of Guild members of African, Asian, Native American, Arab-Middle Eastern or Latino descent residing in the East. Committed to improving the employment opportunities, working conditions and the skills of ethnically diverse Guild members, the Committee sponsors workshops, seminars, round-table discussions and networking events to showcase the talents of its members, recognize their contributions and increase their visibility in the industry. The Committee’s current Co-Chairs are UPM Canella Williams-Larrabee, Second AD Sussan Cordero and Stage Manager April Smith.