Friday 20 May 2022 03:25 PM Netflix layoffs hit staff who were working on original content about ... trends now
Netflix's layoffs earlier this week, which saw 150 employees go, had targeted many 'social justice warriors' who were working on projects about anti-racism and marginalized communities in an apparent purge of 'wokeness' from the company.
The struggling streaming service has pulled the plug on several projects that were aimed at discussing race to a young audience, Variety reported, and axed the diverse employees working on and promoting them.
The scrapped projects included Antiracist Baby and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, two adaptions by Critical Race Theory expert Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, as well as a kids' fantasy series Wings of Fire from executive producer Ava DuVernay, and the children's film With Kind Regards From Kindergarten.
In a memo to employees following the mass layoffs, Netflix heads told their staff: 'As employees we support the principle that Netflix offers a diversity of stories, even if we find some titles counter to our own personal values. Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful.
'If you'd find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.'
Netflix laid of 150 employees on Tuesday, many of whom were working on creating and promoting projects focusing on marginalized communities
The most notable of the scrapped works was Antiracist Baby, based on Ibram X. Kendi's book of the same name, which had been envisioned as a series of animated vignettes set to music and intended to explore racism in America
Among the newly fired were Olivia Truffaut-Wong (left) and Iydia Wang (right), who worked for Netflix's Tudum, it's content arm comprised of mostly women of color
Although Netflix cited the need for layoffs due to 'a slow down in revenue and a decline in subscribers,' most of the staff that was let go were people of color and members of the LGBTQ community, The Root reported.
In the recent layoffs, Netflix once again targeted members of Tudum, it's content arm comprised of mostly women of color, after laying off dozens from the department in April.
Among the newly fired were Olivia Truffaut-Wong and Iydia Wang, who slammed the streaming giant for axing them and their colleagues.
'I was also laid off by Netflix today,' Wang tweeted on Tuesday. 'I really loved my job and my colleagues and I am a little heartbroken!'
Truffaut-Wong also wrote on Tuesday: 'OK, yes, I am one of the Tudum layoffs (lol). I did a lot of work I'm proud of, met a lot of really awesome writers and editors, and made great friends.
