Rosie Perez Shares The Brutal Truth Of Being A Female Actor Of Color In Hollywood

Many of the most powerful industries are male dominated. One can peruse a list of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, glance at the diversity index for tech start-ups, or scan through your typical movie credits for quick verification. How to get ahead in business as a woman or as a female identified individual can prove daunting. There is no set path, no one way to successfully break the glass ceiling. Those who have made it to such professional heights had to be inventive, persistent, and resourceful.

At an exciting day-long event at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, some of these women shared the jump starts and pitfalls they’ve encountered as they forged their own paths. Part of Tribeca Talks, the Daring Women Summit consisted of panels that delved into topics that included storytelling, activism and the evolving digital landscape. Though each panel’s focus was different, similar themes arose throughout: the need for more female voices, calls to diversify the media landscape, and to create more opportunities for women to call the shots.