Infographic Series: The Diversity Gap

Our Diversity Gap studies highlight distinct societal problems that pervade entertainment, media, and even the US government. Underrepresentation, inequality, and lack of social justice all stem from not having a seat at the proverbial table. While some would argue that we live in a post-racial society, and that discussions about race are not needed, we question why the numbers look like they do.

People have to admit that there is a problem before they can attempt to fix it, and each Diversity Gap study strengthens our argument that a diversity gap still exists. We hope our infographics that illuminate the diversity gap in many areas of society will encourage people to have honest dialogues about the issues. The next step will be to decide what actions to take to bring meaningful change.

Taking apart problems and providing practical solutions is what we consistently do at LEE & LOW. If you are interested in becoming part of the solution and making diversity an integral part of children’s reading, please subscribe to our blog. We are dedicated to coming up with ways to close the gaps once and for all.

For press inquiries or permission to reprint any of the infographic images, please contact Hannah Ehrlich at hehrlich[at]leeandlow[dot]com. When resharing, please credit LEE & LOW BOOKS and include a link back to the original post.

The Diversity Gap: CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
Despite census data that shows 37% of the US population consists of people of color, children’s book publishing has not kept pace. Infographic included.

The Diversity Gap: THE TONY AWARDS AND THEATER
Does the diversity gap exist in theater? We speak to playwright/actor/diversity activist Christine Toy Johnson. Infographic included.

The Diversity Gap: THE EMMY AWARDS AND TELEVISION
Does the diversity gap exist in television? We interviewed Luisa Leschin, actress/television scriptwriter of The George Lopez Show and Everybody Hates Chris. We also interview Kelvin Yu, actor and scriptwriter of Bob’s Burger. Infographic included.

The Diversity Gap: POLITICS
Our government is designed to serve the people but is it represented by the people? Apparently, race and politics do not mix. Infographic included.

The Diversity Gap: NY TIMES BESTSELLERS 
Naturally we were curious about the level of representation of authors of color in last year’s New York Times Top 10 Bestsellers list. We interviewed Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, which was one of the best books of the year by Time magazine. Infographic included.

The Diversity Gap: THE ACADEMY AWARDS 
How does the level of diversity on the big screen compare to our previous studies? Interviews with actors and writers: Gina Prince-Bythewood (writer/director: Love and Basketball and Secret Life of Bees), Iyin Landre (indie filmmaker: Me + You), Jason Chan (actor/co-founder: Bananamana Films), and Kelvin Yu (actor and writer: Bob’s Burger). Infographic included.

The Diversity Gap: SCI-FI AND FANTASY BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES
We look at the 100 top-grossing sci-fi and fantasy blockbuster movies of all time and discover some surprising, and some not-so-surprising, facts about representation in them. Interviews with representatives from Racebending.com and The Representation Project, two organizations dedicated to pushing for more diversity in Hollywood. Infographic included.

The Diversity Gap: SILICON VALLEY AND THE TECH INDUSTRY
Silicon Valley has been the darling of the US economy for decades. Though lauded as a true meritocracy by the business world, the truth is that Silicon Valley that suffers from a similar lack of representation among women and people of color as other industries.

Further Reading: 

Literary Agents Discuss the Diversity Gap in Publishing
Being that the number of diverse books has not increased in the last eighteen years, in order to understand why this problem persists we decided to ask the gatekeepers. Interviews with: Adriana Domínguez, Karen Grencik and Abigail Samoun, Lori Nowicki, and Mira Reisberg.

The Diversity Baseline Survey 

The Diversity Baseline Survey was designed to measure the lack of diversity within the publishing industry. Contact us if you are a publisher or reviewer.

Teacher's Resource Guide for Diversity Gap Infographic Series by LEE & LOW BOOKS