On February 6, 2017, at YouTube Space LA, the Geena Davis Institute joined Ford and YouTube’s leading creators for a live symposium grounded in one urgent question:
If representation shapes perception, what responsibility do brands and creators carry in shaping the future?
At a time when digital platforms were rapidly redefining who gets to tell stories—and who gets seen—this conversation brought together industry leaders, cultural influencers, and research-backed advocates to examine how gender representation can evolve in real time.
This wasn’t a retrospective. It was a forward-facing dialogue about power: who holds it, who portrays it, and how media—across advertising, branded campaigns, and creator-driven storytelling—can either reinforce old patterns or rewrite them.
For executives, marketers, creators, and cultural leaders, the message was clear: intentional storytelling is no longer optional. It’s foundational.
The evening opened with remarks from Geena Davis and Madeline Di Nonno, grounding the partnership in research and urgency. For more than two decades, the Geena Davis Institute has demonstrated that media is not neutral—it shapes aspirations, career paths, and cultural norms. The partnership with Ford and YouTube creators reflected a belief that meaningful change requires collaboration across sectors: research, brands, and storytellers.
The panel, moderated by award-winning journalist Alex Cohen, moved beyond theory into lived experience.
Each creator shared why they participated in the campaign and how media influenced their own trajectories. The conversation surfaced a powerful throughline: many women who now create culture grew up without seeing themselves reflected as leaders, innovators, or experts.
Ford’s participation anchored the discussion in brand responsibility. The question wasn’t whether representation matters—but how companies can embed it into campaigns authentically and consistently. The dialogue explored how early exposure to media shapes ambition, how stereotypes limit imagination, and how women navigate industries historically dominated by men.
Geena Davis spoke to the Institute’s founding insight: when her daughter was a toddler, she noticed the stark gender imbalance in children’s programming. That moment sparked a global research effort that has since influenced studios, networks, and advertisers worldwide. The symposium reinforced that the same patterns persist across platforms—but so does the opportunity to correct them.
As the discussion progressed, the energy shifted from awareness to action. Audience questions reflected a shared desire to move from conversation to measurable change. The closing call to action centered on partnership, accountability, and the power of creators and brands to model a different standard.
This was not about performative inclusion. It was about changing the systems that determine who appears on screen—and how.
Geena Davis – Founder & Chair, Geena Davis Institute
An Academy Award–winning actor and globally recognized advocate for gender equity, Geena Davis founded the Institute after recognizing systemic imbalance in children’s media. At the symposium, she connected personal observation to large-scale research, underscoring that representation gaps are measurable—and correctable.
Madeline Di Nonno – CEO, Geena Davis Institute
A media executive with over 30 years of experience, Madeline Di Nonno leads the Institute’s strategic direction. She framed the partnership as a model for industry collaboration, emphasizing research as a tool for practical, scalable change across entertainment and advertising.
Alex Cohen – Moderator, Journalist and Broadcaster
An award-winning public radio journalist, Alex Cohen guided the discussion with clarity and nuance. Her questions pushed panelists to explore the intersection of personal experience, media influence, and systemic industry barriers—particularly for women working in male-dominated fields.
Chantel (Ford Representative)
Representing Ford, Chantel spoke to the brand’s role in advancing inclusive storytelling. She addressed why the campaign mattered internally and externally, highlighting the importance of aligning brand values with the media landscapes shaping future generations.
Yulin, Taryn, and Clara – YouTube Creators
These creators brought firsthand insight into the realities of building platforms in the digital era. They reflected on how media shaped their aspirations, what it means to work in industries historically dominated by men, and how creator-driven content can disrupt narrow portrayals of women and leadership.
This symposium was made possible through collaboration between Ford, YouTube, and the Geena Davis Institute.
Ford’s participation reflected a growing recognition that brands shape culture—not just products. By partnering with the Institute, Ford aligned its campaign strategy with research-backed insights about representation.
YouTube provided the platform—and the creators—whose voices exemplify the future of media storytelling. Together, these partners modeled what cross-sector leadership can look like when representation is treated as both a creative and strategic priority.
Media ecosystems are evolving faster than ever. Digital creators now shape culture alongside studios and networks. Brands operate as publishers. Audiences demand authenticity.
But representation gaps do not disappear on their own.
Without intentional action, legacy stereotypes migrate across new platforms. Leadership remains coded as male. Innovation remains narrow. Young viewers absorb these patterns long before they enter classrooms or workplaces.
The Geena Davis Institute’s research continues to demonstrate that when representation improves, perceptions expand. And when perceptions expand, opportunity follows.
Events like this are not symbolic. They are strategic. They bring together the people actively shaping culture—not simply analyzing it.
The Geena Davis Institute convenes leaders across entertainment, advertising, technology, and research for conversations that translate data into action.
Membership provides:
These conversations are intentional. They are not open forums—they are working sessions for people influencing what millions see on screen.
If your work shapes culture, your seat at the table matters.
Become a member and help shape the future of representation—before it reaches the screen.
