From the record-breaking Black Panther, to viral ‘Black Twitter’ memes, it’s clear that black Americans are cultural catalysts. Canvas8 talks to Jerome Williams, marketing professor at Rutgers University and founder of Walker & Company, Tristan Walker, about how black Americans are influencing culture.

From magazine covers to small screens, media producers are striving to meet public demand for a level of diversity that reflects reality – but are their efforts enough? Canvas8 spoke to eight Americans about whether they believe mainstream media fairly represents all parts of society.

With the push for on-screen diversity well under way, many people are also keen to see it safeguarded behind the scenes. Research shows that most black and Hispanic Americans want to see an Oscar for best casting director to reward inclusive production practices.

People are looking to Sundance Film Festival to continue to enfranchise underrepresented groups following the huge success of blockbuster movieCrazy Rich Asians. Audiences want to see greater inclusivity in a mass media that’s long been criticised for a lack of diversity.