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Allyship for the Long Haul: Building Inclusive Narratives in Media

Geena Davis Institute's event '"Allyship for the Long Haul" explored inclusive media narratives. The session highlighted allyship's role in authentic representation, business benefits, and actionable strategies for fostering diverse, inclusive storytelling and workplaces.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

The Geena Davis Institute hosted an insightful event titled "Allyship for the Long Haul: Building Inclusive Narratives in Media." The event featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Caroline Heldman, former Head of Research and Insights at the Institute. Additionally, the session included a panel discussion with distinguished experts, followed by a presentation of actionable insights on allyship by Dr. Nicole Haggard.

Speakers and Panelists:

Madeline Di Nonno: President and CEO, Geena Davis Institute
Dr. Caroline Heldman: Former Research Director at the Geena Davis Institute, Political Science Professor, Occidental College
Erica Alexander: Award-Winning Actor, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Color Farm Media
Todd Sears: Founder and Principal, Out Leadership
Tatiana Lee: Actor, Model, Speaker, Influencer, and Hollywood Inclusion Associate, Respectability
Virgie Tovar: Author and Activist, "The Self-Love Revolution: Radical Body Positivity for Girls of Color"
Dr. Nicole Haggard: Former Director of Communications, Geena Davis Institute; Co-Founder, Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment

Event Highlights:

Madeline Di Nonno opened the event with a powerful quote from civil rights leader John Lewis, emphasizing the importance of committed allyship. Dr. Caroline Heldman presented key findings on the representation of marginalized groups in media, highlighting progress and ongoing challenges in gender, race, sexuality, disability, age, and body size representation.

The panel discussion featured Erica Alexander, Todd Sears, Tatiana Lee, and Virgie Tovar, who shared their personal experiences and insights on allyship. Erica discussed her journey from childhood to becoming a prominent figure in media and her efforts to promote inclusive narratives through Color Farm Media. Todd emphasized the business case for allyship and the importance of inclusive language and actions in the workplace. Tatiana shared her experiences as a black woman with a disability in the entertainment industry and the barriers she faced. Virgie highlighted the pervasive nature of fatphobia and the need for a mental shift in how we perceive and represent body diversity.

Dr. Nicole Haggard concluded the event with actionable insights on allyship, emphasizing the importance of creating inclusive workplace cultures and being mindful of language and representation in media.

Key Takeaways:

Inclusive Representation: Authentic and diverse representation in media is crucial for creating a more inclusive society. Representation matters not just in who is shown, but how they are depicted.
Business and Allyship: Promoting diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do but also makes good business sense. Companies benefit from diverse perspectives and inclusive cultures.
Action-Oriented Allyship: Allyship requires ongoing, proactive efforts. Allies must come out and actively support marginalized groups, using inclusive language and creating accessible environments.

Actionable Insights:

Verifying Accessibility: Ensure that events, workplaces, and media sets are physically accessible to all. Ask individuals with disabilities what accommodations they need to fully participate.
Using Inclusive Language: It is important to be mindful of the language used in conversations and representations. Using gender-neutral terms and not making assumptions about people's identities is fundamental.
Promoting Diverse Narratives: When creating media content, one must think about the diversity of characters and storylines and include characters from various backgrounds while avoiding stereotypical portrayals.
Investing in Allyship: Provide training and resources to employees on diversity and inclusion. Create a culture where everyone feels valued and respected.

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Allyship for the Long Haul: Building Inclusive Narratives in Media

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Key Takeaways:

Actionable Insights:

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