Living the Dream: Sue Obeidi of Muslim Public Affairs Council on Breaking Bias in Hollywood

Obeidi is a disruptor encouraging content creators to break stereotypes and rethink portrayals of the Islamic community and Muslim characters in entertainment content In the face of world events she is steadfast in her commitment to improving the quality and number of authentic and inclusive representations in media so audiences see this community as vital contributors to culture worldwideIn 2017 Obeidi was one of 60 changemakers named to Variety39s Inclusion Impact Report along with her friend and fellow Advancing Diversity Hall of Fame inductee Tim McNeal She is a vibrant fresh and persuasive voice who is producing results In a companion podcast episode with EB Moss head of content strategy for MediaVillage Obeidi fully explains the case for why the entertainment industry is more influential than the government in impacting societal and cultural changeThe following is an abridged version of that deepdive conversation Listen here to the full interview and please subscribe and share all the Advancing Diversity Podcasts available on Apple Podcasts Stitcher and YouTubeMoss What are the origins of the Muslim Public Affairs CouncilObeidi MPAC was founded in 1988 as a national public policy organization working to create a better understanding of Islam and American Muslims In DC we engage and influence decisionmakers on the Hill in the White House and in government MPAC also works with interfaith organizations media and local communities to inform public opinion and encourage active citizenship For us relationships are the real conduits for change we facilitate change through engagementMoss Tell us about MPAC39s Hollywood BureauObeidi I39ve been with MPAC for 19 years I came in as the director of operations In 2011 I was appointedamp160the director of both ops and the Hollywood Bureau I39ve been fulltime Hollywood only since 2017amp160I joined MPAC39s Hollywood Bureau to influence the narrative around Islam and Muslims on TV film and digital I39m living the dream This role allows me to blend my love of my Muslim faith with my love of entertainment In doing so I can deliver fresh perspectives and new voices onscreen and behindthecameraEntertainment is probably the most powerful industry in the world While the government makes policy to protect its citizens entertainment impacts the culture in real time Think about how a movie television series or even a song influence your emotions and perspectiveMoss You wrote quotThe very recent inclusion of American Muslims doesn39t erase the years of vilification we39ve endured in Hollywoodamp8230 The portrayal of Muslims in general has been caricature at best and demonizing at worstquot Is that changingObeidi The short answer is yes even though we have a long way to go I think back through my pop culture history and remember movies from the 1970s like The Bionic Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man where Muslims were the bad guys In the 1980s with Back to the Future I thought quotWow we39ve got representationquot It wasn39t until years later that I realized quotThey included us But what in the world was that aboutquotThen 911 was a huge setback Things started looking up a decade after 911 and even better since the most recent presidential election That39s when the industry began to reach out to us proactively Today I love it when I see a hijab on a bus ad or when I see that the recurring lead on the CBS series FBI is Muslim and Middle Eastern I think times are changing I39m hopeful they areWe also can mark progress in that we now have entertainment award winners including Mahershala Ali an Academy and Golden Globe Award winner and Riz Ahmed an Emmy Award winnerMoss MPAC does so much you39ve described it as your quotfive Csquot of your engagement strategy What are theyObeidi First we consult on film television and digital projects We give notes to showrunners writers and directors when they have a Muslim character or story arc that they want help with We also present to studio executives to inform developmentNext we connect We are a conduit between some fabulous talented Muslim screenwriters and the studios agencies and networks They are reaching out to us and asking for talent recommendationsThought leadership is our contributing piece including opeds and editorials We also organize and speak on panels and host screenwriting film drama and comedy labs These help to get our screenwriters discovered and enable them to hone their craftWhen you consult it39s not your content you39re really the passenger It39s not your ship You don39t even drive the ship And while the industry has been highly receptive to our notes it39s still not our product So content creation is the fourth quotCquot and our next iteration in the Hollywood BureauCelebrating the industry through award shows is the fifth C We39ve created an awards gala which is like the GLAAD Media and the NAACP Image Awards Every year we honor projects that embody voices of conscience These projects don39t have to be Muslimled or even have any Muslim theme but they must showcase universal values that are also Islamic human dignity justice equality freedom for all It39s our way of celebrating the industryMoss What keeps you up at nightObeidi People don39t realize that minorities collectively will become the majority community in 2040 and we need to get America ready But how does America get ready By portraying these communities accurately and providing role models in media today Content is evergreen and we need to hold the industry accountable for making sure that they portray the world as it isMoss What advice do you provide when you39re speaking to film and entertainment executives regarding the creation of authentic portrayalsObeidi We know that misinformation is out there about the Muslim faith and community It has fueled decades of negative stereotypes The foundation of the Muslim faith is the oneness of God and peaceThere is often the misconception that we39re only trying to create positive narratives But that39s not true No community is only good We are talking about a community of 18 billion Muslims worldwide We don39t want to be portrayed by our most extreme elements What we look for is accuracyIf you turned on the TV 10 years ago you would have seen Muslim women portrayed as submissive oppressed and chattel Today the Industry must navigate between accuracy authenticity nuance and bias we ask creators to show a strong Muslim woman as we are the normMoss What39s next for MPACObeidi To create contentamp8230 We want to find that sweet spot where we can package and pitch our own stories If that doesn39t happen quickly we39ll continue with our shortfilm fellowships where screenwriters submit scripts and we choose those we want to help produceMoss Do you see the advertising marketing and media industry39s focus on the recruitment and retention of diverse candidates positively impacting Muslims in the communityObeidi Absolutely Tim McNeal and his team at Walt Disney Television Tiffany SmithAnoa39i at CBS and Janine JonesClark at NBC have all been our supporters and our partner in advocating for diverse hiring and actively ensuring that retention is part of the plan We look forward to working with them and others to keep the train movingMuslims are the newbies in the industry We39re standing on the shoulders of giants Tim and Tiffany are my mentors and advocates Tim sits on our advisory council and is being inducted with me into the Advancing Diversity Hall of HonorsMoss What ignited your passion for advocating on behalf of the Muslim and Islamic communityObeidi I was born in the Middle East and moved to Los Angeles with my family when I was five years old I39m sure my experience was like many immigrants who came to America at that time I knew I was different and there was a lot of explaining to do It was the 1970s and my LA community didn39t know what hummus was I never felt lonely but I felt like the otherThere39s one story I39d love to share When I was in elementary school we were asked to start a food diary for one week Being Middle Eastern we ate hummus falafel and fool I didn39t want to write that down as I didn39t want to stand out I told my mom quotFor this week I want to make sure that we have Captain Crunch orange juice and toastquot So at least I wouldn39t lie about what I ate Fast forward to today Now people are paying 15 for hummus avocado sandwichesMoss In your bio you reference that quotgood stories can change hearts Changed hearts can change minds And changed minds impact our values and can galvanize us into actionquotObeidi A law can be put in place to not commit hate crimes against each other but that doesn39t mean that we39ll love one another A good story can change hearts and minds can unite That39s why I said that the entertainment industry is a powerful tool to drive changeWeaving diversity and inclusion into the fabric of your company is good for business And we have proof In this podcast series our Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors 2020 inductees each discuss the many ways their organizations champion diversity equality and inclusion as well as examine the benefits to their company constituents and community Each episode features one inductee39s strategies and best practices that others can adapt to help their organizations accelerate the move from advocacy to activismThe 2020 Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors inductees include Jill Baskin chief marketing officer The Hershey Company J Michael Haynie PhD vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation Institute for Veteran and Military Families Tim Jones chief executive officer Publicis Media Americas Tim McNeal talent development Walt Disney Television Sue Obeidi director Muslim Public Affairs Council The Hollywood Bureau Tony Rogers chief member officer Sam39s Club Tiffany R Warren founder and president ADCOLOR and senior vice president chief diversity officer Omnicom and Shelley Zalis chief executive officer The Female QuotientClick the social buttons to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Living the Dream: Sue Obeidi of Muslim Public Affairs Council on Breaking Bias in Hollywood

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