In times of turmoil, people have always looked to entertainment for a way to escape and immerse themselves in music, movies, television, etc. The first couple months of 2017 have been wrought with anger, injustice, disbelief and division. But when Americans cannot agree on political views and morals there is one thing that is universally agreed upon: entertainment.

Though entertainment is a uniting force, awards shows are often a source of outrage. In 2015 and 2016 the lack of nominees of color sparked controversy within social media hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

But who chooses which films win these prestigious awards? A 2012 investigation by the Los Angeles Times determined that 94% of Academy members were white. Black filmmakers and actors made up just 2% of the membership; Latinos, less than that. The group was about 77% male and also skewed older, with a median age of 62 years old. Only 14% of members were younger than 50.

The dilemma for the academy is partly due to the fact that membership is for life, and there is no easy way of introducing diversity into the community. When will awards recognize the content that reflects today’s America? Though the Oscars this year noticeably nominated many more diverse actors than in 2016, when nominations featured a lack of diversity as minority actors, writers, directors & producers were shut out in the categories. There is no denying that great strides have been made, but it will be interesting how the entertainment industry reacts to the country’s demand for diversity in their entertainment.