With the announcement of the 2015 Academy Awards nominations many have criticized Hollywood for its white male centric culture and its continued lack of diversity. The critics of 2015  Academy point out the fact that the" Selma" film directed by black woman Ava DuVernay received a nomination for Best Picture but got snubbed the main category Best Director.

In a Forbes article “Why Ava DuVernay's 'Selma' Oscar Snub Matters”, Scott Mendleson writes:

“I am angry because she deserved a nomination. I am angry because if the legacy of DuVernay’s Selma becomes shaped by its Oscar-season controversy, I fear that it will affect the artistic opportunities afforded to its African-American female director in a manner different than if Selma would have come under fire under the directorial lens of a white male filmmaker.”

Multicultural Authors Top the BBC Culture 12 Best Novels of the 21st Century

In other part of the creative spectrum, the BBC recently announced 12 of the Best Books in 21st Century. The best of the list honor was given to Dominican American, Pulitzer Prize winning author Junot Diaz topped the list for "The  Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" of literature.

BBC Culture Critic wrote, “This was only the second book by a Latino author to receive the Pulitzer Prize in fiction,” notes critic and author Rigoberto Gonzalez. “Oscar Wao reaffirmed the strong connections Latinos maintain with their ancestral homeland’s culture, language and history. It also re-energised these questions: Who is American? What is the American experience?”

Other multicultural writers are being celebrated in BBC Culture including novels by two black women.

"Half of the Yellow Sun" by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was named #10 on the BBC Best 12 novels of 21st Century.   The novel tells the story of account of the 1960s Biafra war that shaped Nigerian life and politics.

"White Teeth" by British writer Zadie Smith on the BBC Best 12 novels of 21st Century. Zadie Smith is an award winning British author with Jamaican heritage. The book about a family of multicultural family with British and Jamaican roots living in London
    

Listen to a conversation between Zadie Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Unieros Book Club have read books by all three authors.
NW by Zadie Smith
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie
"This is how you lose her" by Junot Diaz

Many films including those in Hollywood have been made from great books. For example, Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie new book "Americanah" will be adapted to the big screen in coming year starring Mexican-Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o.

"Lupita NyongoTIFF2013 (cropped)" by gdcgraphics - http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdcgraphics/9780936162/.

While Hollywood doors close at diversity, it is time to pick up books and celebrate the multicultural authors. Eventually Hollywood will catch up. We salute these great multicultural award-winning writers of our time, Junot Diaz,  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Zadie Smith who share our stories and lives through their books.                   

Love reading books by multicultural writers? Join the Unieros Book Club

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