Our Story
On March 20th, 2016, we joined the internet as a Twitter account called
NerdyPoC, a community of nerdy people of Colour who wanted to see more BIPoC
in fandom and entertainment spaces.
From writing reviews and interviewing award-winning creatives, as we grew, so
did our goal. We became a diverse group of marketing specialists, entertainment
journalists, authors, screenwriters and filmmakers, all of whom were brought
together by a shared goal:
To empower not just ourselves but also elevate the creative industries fans love.
To achieve our goal, we became Off Colour, a nonprofit collective that critiques,
commentates and consults on all aspects of the art and business of storytelling.
Whether working red carpets, consulting in a writer’s room, crafting marketing
campaigns or leading a diversity initiative, Off Colour is there to champion
meaningful inclusion and turn these ripples of representation into waves of
cultural change.
Our Mission
To engage Black folks, Non-Black Indigenous Folks & other People of Color.
Be accessible to them no matter where they are.
To encourage them to speak up and change the world we live in.
Our Values
- We strive to be a collaborative organization, not a codependent one. We value our collective power and our individual strengths. Every opinion matters and deserves to be heard, no matter each team member’s title or position within the company. Every member gets their chance to work independently, flex their creative muscles and add their own flair to Off Colour.
- We value transparency. Every team member is accountable to each other, our audience, and the company. We don’t brush mistakes or failures under the carpet. We discuss and work out a way to move forward in a positive direction.
- We rely on consistent, clear communication. With a team spread out worldwide across multiple time zones, we all need to stay in contact and respond to each other as promptly as possible.
- We take ownership over our responsibilities and the performance and future of the company. Good ideas don’t come out of a vacuum; everybody shares their passion and creativity with everybody. An impactful piece isn’t just good for the writer or editorial team. It’s good for all of us.
- We are responsible for our commitments. If we agree to a deadline, we meet it. If we can’t, we communicate that we need help, more time, etc.
- We honour our humanity. We aren’t invincible, and we aren’t indefatigable. On the days one of us needs to rest and recover, the rest of us are here for them, in whatever capacity they need us to be.
- We are bold and deferential. Not everyone will agree with everything we say or do. As long as we have a strong enough “why”, we can bear any “how”. We accept that we can and will get it wrong sometimes. That it is essential for us to keep listening, learning and try to understand different viewpoints.