Hillary Clinton has been recognized multiple times for the diverse team she has hired for her campaign. DIVERGE talked to two diverse producers of Hillary’s Digital/Video team for an insiders look on the campaign.
Orla Manning, Producer
What do you do?
I’m a Video Producer on the video team.
What is your title and some background history?
My title is Video Producer. I make videos for social media and also produced our “Sacrifices” TV commercial. I have a background in docu-series and reality television. I have worked on show’s for MTV, BET, Oxygen, VH-1 and Discovery Fit & Health just to name a few. I was also a Field Producer on Queen Latifah’s most recent talk show on CBS.
What has the campaign done to focus on diversity in your group?
I think that it starts with the hiring process. Our Director of Video has done a great job of hiring people from all backgrounds and giving us the opportunity to pitch ideas and have our ideas heard. Everyone’s experiences are different and we can draw from them to come up with unique video ideas that will inform and excite voters.
Why is it so important to be the part of such a diverse team?
People’s experiences shape their ideas and viewpoints and even biases. I love being able to talk to someone that has other ideas and experiences different then mine–that is how we learn about other people and other viewpoints. It makes for a mixture of cultures and information and ideas.
What are some key issues that you are addressing?
I think it’s important that everyone’s voice be heard. We definitely focus on making videos featuring a diverse group of people but the video production world is made up of mostly white men. It’s really important to me that we make sure that minorities and women are heard in the videos we create. As a biracial woman in this industry, my viewpoint and experiences are definitely different than a white man so I want to make sure to express that in the pieces I make so that our viewers feel like they can relate to our videos.
What would you tell voters on Election Day?
I would tell voters that having your voice heard means voting in this Presidential election. If you don’t vote you are saying that you don’t care who wins and that it doesn’t affect you but it does. People need to pay attention to the Presidential election as well as their local elections and get informed about the policies and issues that are important to them. Knowing what is important to you and picking the candidate that most closely reflects that is what is going to make a difference.
Kimberly Selden, Producer
What do you do?
I’m a producer on the video team for HFA digital
What is your title and some background history?
Producer- I’ve worked in television and live events for the past eight years on shows like NBA All Star, VH1 Hip Hop Honors, Oprah Behind the Scenes, MTV VMA’s and many more. In 2012 my career took a turn after I helped start a radio station in Niger, West Africa. That experience lead me to start a non-profit called The Global Media Project which focuses on closing the digital divide and decreasing the information gap. We do this by educating people on the power of media, training people on digital storytelling, connecting students globally to produce media projects locally and by producing our own original content that highlights underrepresented voices.
What has the campaign done to focus on diversity in your group?
I’m used to being the only black women on a lot of the projects I work on. After interviewing for the campaign I went out of the country and when I came back I saw a group photo of the video team on Facebook. The photo had another black woman in it and I instantly thought to myself I probably didn’t get the job. Some may see that thinking as dramatic or even irrational, but it’s honestly sad because I’m sure a lot of other black women may have had a similar thought. So we have focused on diversity by actually being diverse, so yes, I got the job and the other black woman in the photo is now one of my dearest friends.
Why is it so important to be the part of such a diverse team?
It’s important to be on a diverse team because representation matters. You get the best outputs when what you’re creating is reflective of the people who consume it. When it comes to media, storytelling is such a crucial part of our history and how we understand one another, therefor it is important for me to be on a diverse team to insure all voices are included in the content we create.
What are some key issues that you are addressing?
The overall issue I’m able to address with the work I do on the campaign is to contextualize issues and information about our candidate in a video format that can reach a range of different people. I have focused my energy on the black voice and making sure we have content that reaches that constituency and explores narratives important in our communities.
What would you tell voters on Election Day?
I would tell voters that having your voice heard means voting in this Presidential election. If you don’t vote you are saying that you don’t care who wins and that it doesn’t affect you but it does. People need to pay attention to the Presidential election as well as their local elections and get informed about the policies and issues that are important to them. Knowing what is important to you and picking the candidate that most closely reflects that is what is going to make a difference.
Additional Thoughts:
I believe media is crucial and has a major influence on society. It’s important to me that I am represented in the media I consume. Unfortunately, I do not see myself on most platforms and that has to change. I am a black woman and am happy to contribute my creativity to a larger narrative, but more importantly I hope to open the door for other creatives and empower them with the tools they need to share their stories.
