We are in the midst of a power struggle in America, where minority communities are pushing forward for equality and fairness in all areas. This is not a newfound time where we minority people suddenly feel the need to protect political correctness, a term which has turned into an insult to quiet minority communities, but a time period where we have the ability to express our minds to a larger audience. We have always had these thoughts and opinions, but are now capable of compelling the beneficiaries of white supremacy to listen.

Through the use of social media we can create global outcry with hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter or #SayHerName and ask for social justice reform. In addition, minority communities and their supporters can pick and choose specific areas to apply our focus for change such as with the recent #OscarsSoWhite controversy. In the week after the second annual #OscarsSoWhite event, the Internet is still buzzing in retrospect. Some are offended by host Christ Rock's hypocritical actions at the event as he spoke about diversity in Hollywood, and then succeeded in insulting and ostracizing Asian American people. Others are interested in talking about the filmmakers who are taking the next step toward diversity and inclusivity within Hollywood. All of us, however. are interested in seeing a more colorful Hollywood in the near future.

In contrast, while there is a movement towards inclusion in Hollywood and the Oscars, there’s also movement towards segregating them. Host Chris Rock made a comment at the Oscars about making separate categories for black people, though to be correct it was a poorly delivered joke meant to point out the absurdity of segregating the awards by gender. In addition, often when cries for diversity in Hollywood go out, specifically with black people, the opposition points their fingers to events such as the BET and the NAACP Image awards in cries of hypocrisy. In response to that claim, one could point out that those award ceremonies have nominated and given awards to people of other colors. Also, BET just started televising the American Black Film Festival as a response to the Oscars, and Rock himself even called the Oscars the “White BET Awards” when he was promoting the prior event.

It’s good to remember that these award ceremonies were created as a response to the Oscars ignoring minority people, but can we keep these awards while also asking for fair treatment in the Oscars? If we keep the status quo how soon will it be before this becomes a “separate but equal” situation? If we gain the inclusion that we seek, is it unfair to keep the aforementioned award ceremonies primarily black? These are questions that need to be asked and conversations that need to be had later, but what I can answer now is that there undoubtedly is need for more representation of all minority communities in the film industry.

What’s next important to note is the why. Why is it important to get representation in Hollywood in front of and behind the camera? To answer this we can look at the recent rumors of "Star Wars" character Poe Dameron being gay and how that personally affects me and other members of the LGBT community. While growing up gay I hungered to find LGBT people in media. I watched the show "Greek" (even as it continuously got worse) because they had a black, gay frat brother, I went to the library to read books like "Am I Blue?" to find answers to questions I couldn't ask, and I watched films like "Across the Universe" at which I crumbled as I watched an Asian lesbian sing the Beatles’ "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and yearned to do the same.

These cries for diversity and inclusion are about finding characters each community can relate to and connect with. We go to the movies not only to momentarily escape our lives, but also to live a moment in the lives of the film's characters and see ourselves reflected in them. If Poe Dameron were gay it would not take away from his character, but it would bring LGBT people one step closer into the story and the forefront of the world’s minds. Dameron being gay would give the LGBT community one new role model, and it would give the world one new understanding and example of what life as an LGBT person is like. In the next "Star Wars"film, if Dameron were to kiss a guy on screen or make an off-hand comment about being LGBT I might just stand up, clap in the movie theater and be proud of myself for doing so.

The key to fairness in film is in what we say. The key is where Chris Rock went wrong and where J.J. Abrams, the director of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is going right, and it is with the terms that both are using. While Chris Rock cried for diversity he is reminding himself of the differences between his community, the white community and other minority communities. Due to this, he can make a joke at the expense of Asian Americans because they do not belong to the communities he is either trying to get in touch with or trying to defend. In comparison, J.J. Abrams created a successful installment of the "Star Wars" franchise and created leading roles for members of minority communities to push forward the inclusivity of Hollywood. Due to Abrams’s focus on the term inclusivity, he continuously and positively recognizes the existence of multiple types of people and brings them into the business. While one asks, the other does and the latter doesn’t knock anyone down to get it done.

The key to a more equal and fair future in all areas is to focus on inclusion. If we include others in whatever we may do, we can create new jobs, new role models and a better understanding of who we are as human beings. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” And as Whoopi Goldberg once said, “Change is always a bitch.” It starts with changing what we say, then how we think about it changes and then so too will our actions.