As part of an effort to increase diversity in the entertainment industry, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Thursday announced that Theresa Kang and Amir Shahkhalili, partners at WME, and Kevin Iwashina, senior associate at Endeavor Content, will serve in Los Angeles’ 2019 Entrepreneur-in-Residence program.
As part of it’s work, the EIR team will expand Garcetti’s Evolve Entertainment Fund, a public-private partnership dedicated to building career pathways into film, television, and music for women, people of color, and low-income Angelenos through internships, mentoring, workshops and panels.
“Endeavor is at the center of a global network that will help strengthen my office’s work to build a more inclusive entertainment ecosystem,” Garcetti said. “Theresa, Kevin, and Amir will bring new ideas and energy to our efforts to provide young people in underserved communities with opportunities to follow their dreams in Hollywood.”
The EEF has secured 140 internships and three full-time offers for L.A. residents from underrepresented communities, and aims to serve 1,000 Angelenos by the end of 2020, Garcetti’s office said.
“It is an honor for us to function as EIRs for Mayor Garcetti and the city of Los Angeles on their yearlong concentration on diversity and inclusion in entertainment,” Shahkhalili said. “We are incredibly eager to provide young Angelenos access and exposure to the entertainment industry. We look forward to bringing the Evolve Entertainment Fund to the forefront of conversation as we address systemic change that will impact the future of ouriIndustry.”
The EIR team officially begin their appointments Thursday at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Garcetti’s office said.