Fifty years after Jessie Maple became the first black woman to join Local 600 we see her living legacy. 600 Black Women is a collective of the 97 black women and gender non-conforming members of the IATSE Local 600. Each year the group comes together for a weekend of workshops, trainings, lectures, demonstrations, and networking events. This year the group convened in Los Angeles and had the opportunity to visit the Local 600 offices and meet their representatives for a conversation. Members also spent time with Arri, Atlas Lens Co, Fotokem, Kodak, NAACP, Panavision, Rosco, Society of Camera Operators, Sony, Women of Color Filmmakers, and Zeiss with the help of Sony Pictures and Bad Robot.

The group’s focus is building lasting relationships, networking with allies, introducing ourselves and our cause to a wider audience, celebrating our successes, and creating legacy. The mission is to create a more inclusive industry. 6BW is dedicated to assisting the next wave of not only black women identifying filmmakers but creative voices and especially women, gender non-conforming, queer, immigrant, and BIPOC voices. Their hope is that crews on set begin to look more like the world just outside the doors into our film families.

Chris Wairegi
Local 600 Camera Operator