This year, as in many previous years, the Academy Awards have no people of color nominated in the various categories. For people of color in or interested in that industry this is a blow. Some people are talking about boycotting it, which is a reasonable thing to consider given the circumstances. It’s their industry/interest, and they need to figure out how or if they want to engage with it.
More than 90% of the Academy’s voting body is white. It is not surprising a predominantly white Academy does not properly recognize ethnically diverse talent. People of color who choose to remain in the industry probably need to develop a serious case of the Fuck Its. At the end of the day, if they keep doing what they do with excellence, we the people will keep supporting their films et al. An industry award doesn’t determine whether we the people will like or relate to what they do. An industry award doesn’t tell us the quality of the work actors, writers, or directors of color produce. We will and always have decided who to support based on our own preferences. No industry recognition or lack thereof can change that.