Television writer and producer Mara Brock Akil urged young women to go after what they want and to make sure they are heard at Girl Inc.’s annual Hollywood luncheon yesterday.
Girls Inc. rounded up some of the most influential women in the entertainment industry to inspire young girls and talk to them about what it takes to make it in whatever industry you aspire to join.
The “Girlfriends” producer was among the speakers and she argued that “we should all be feminists” because equality of the sexes is “congruent with being human,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
She first began her career in 1994 writing for the Fox series “South Central.” She went on to serve as supervising producer and writer on “The Jamie Foxx Show” in 1999 after writing for “Moesha” for four seasons.
In recent years more women have been able to join the television industry than ever. Brock Akil went on to produce and write “Girlfriends,” “The Game” and most recently“Being Mary Jane.” All of Brock Akil’s series feature women taking on strong roles and speaking up for themselves.
According to the producer, it is important for women these days to practice using their voices because that is exactly what she looks for when deciding who to bring on to build her own team.
“Knowing your craft and being educated about what you want to do will build your confidence and vocabulary to be able to open your mouth and be heard,” Mara told The Hollywood Reporter.
She stresses this so much that she has reportedly fired people for not speaking up. “If you’re there in my room and you’re quiet, there’s really no need for me to rehire you if you’re sitting on some of your best ideas and not putting yourself forward,” she says of her own workers.
She closed by saying, “A closed mouth does not get fed.”
