The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has long had “Affinity Groups” that its members from “underrepresented and marginalized communities” could join in order to connect with others from similar backgrounds. These club-like bodies have also served as sounding boards for the Academy’s leadership during challenging times for the organization, and, in turn, the organization’s leaders have provided a support system for affinity groups during challenging times for their communities.

On Friday, in an email obtained by The Hollywood Reporter , the Academy notified its roughly 11,000 members — some 2,000 of whom already belong to at least one Affinity Group — that its seven existing Affinity Groups (Asian Affinity Group, Black Caucus, Disability & Accessibility, Indigenous Alliance,

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