Who we are
Grounded in a commitment to social justice, decolonization and reconciliation, BIPOC TV & FILM is a community-centric non-profit organization advocating for racial equity and decent work practices in Canada’s screen media industry.
Our Mission
To build and empower a thriving community of Black, Racialized, and Indigenous screen media artists, creators, entrepreneurs, and leaders.
To transform the Canadian screen industry by identifying and uprooting barriers to funding, training, and employment opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour creatives—at all levels, in front of and behind the camera, on our sets and in all decision-making roles.
Our Vision
An anti-racist, decolonized and accessible Canadian screen-based media industry that embraces and champions stories and storytellers from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, abilities, genders, and sexualities.
Our Values
Advancing equity to realize just and liberated futures
Building solidarities to strengthen communities
Embracing vulnerability to cultivate a culture of accountability and healing
Sowing reciprocity through gratitude and generosity
Imagining new worlds and ways of being in community with ourselves and each other
What We Do
We create safe spaces for Black, Indigenous and Racialized people working in the sector to gather, build networks, find collaborators, and share knowledge and resources.
We amplify the creative work and experiences of BIPOC in the industry.
We bridge access to jobs and training.
We support the growth and sustainability of BIPOC-owned production companies.
We advocate for racial equity, fair labour practices, and Indigenous cultural sovereignty.
“We are the ones we have been waiting for.”
— June Jordan
Our History
BIPOC TV & Film was founded in 2012 as Indigenous and Creatives of Colour in TV & Film by writer-director Nathalie Younglai, who saw a need to form a community for others like her who were also feeling isolated and marginalized by the overall lack of diverse representation, structural racism and systemic discrimination in the industry.
Nathalie was supported by founding Visioning Committee members: Shonna Foster, J.P. Larocque, Gillian Mueller, Kadon Douglas, and Jay Vaidya. Indigenous and Creatives of Colour in TV & Film became BIPOC TV & Film in 2018.
The acronym BIPOC was adopted to signify the need for collective action and solidarity amongst Black, Indigenous and People of Colour communities in the fight against systemic racism and colonialism, and to emphasize the unique experiences of Black and Indigenous people in the global struggle against systems of oppression, discrimination, and white supremacy.
In 2020, BIPOC TV & FILM evolved from being a 100% volunteer-run grassroots collective to a registered non-profit and hired its first Executive Director. This evolution ushers in a new era and offers opportunities to build on our advocacy work, expand our programming, develop new partnerships with community and industry stakeholders, and strengthen our impact.