Inclusivity and Diversity: What’s the Difference?

“I really hate the word ‘diversity.’ It suggests something…other. As if it is something special, or rare. Diversity! As if there is something unusual about telling stories involving women and people of color and LGBTQ characters on TV. I have a different word: normalizing. I’m normalizing TV. I am making TV look like the world looks.” – Shonda Rhimes

 

There’s a lot of buzz around words like “diversity” and “inclusivity” in everything from media to business… but what do these words even mean?

 

They’re often used interchangeably, but really the two words are very much distinct from one another.

 

Diversity is simply variety. It is abstract, random, malleable, and, border-line SFSN (sounds fabulous, signifies nothing!)

 

What we should be striving for is inclusivity.

 

Shifting the conversation from diversity to inclusivity changes a person’s experience from:  

 

“I’m here because of my race/gender/sexuality/disability. I’m here because I’m different.”

 

To:

 

“I’m here because what I have to say is important, and I’m working with others to overcome the systemic barriers that keep my story from being told.”

 

Inclusivity incorporates the wholeness of individuals. People are more than their labels, more than their upbringing, more than their social status, more than their job.

 

Inclusive media is important so people can see themselves represented in culture. It makes them feel connected, rather than abnormal or “other.”

 

Being inclusive is beneficial for businesses, organizations, and other institutions, too. If you want to make something better, you need to bring in different types of people and their ideas.

 

Working toward consistently being more “inclusive” you are able to take in every part of the multifaceted individuals who make up your team.
Working toward being more “diverse,” not only do you miss out on every special component that make up the whole persons you work with, but you miss the point.

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Are You Paralyzed By Your Passion Project?

Have you ever had an idea that was so good, so delicious and spot on that you literally feel your body quake with possibility? You are CERTAIN this is going to work. It could be a creative concept, a new business plan or (finally!) that novel you want to write.

 

Your passion soars and then BOOM. You stop. The voices creep in. You are paralyzed by how much you love this idea. Fear creeps in. What if this can’t happen. Won’t happen. You summon up every reason why good ideas like this don’t manifest in your life. You begin proving to yourself how crazy you are for even thinking you could be so smart, special, (fill in the blank), _________.

 

You are not alone. We can get paralyzed by our passion to change the world. Our vision to create a new endeavor. Our hunger to make something new.

 

Here are a few gems of advice I’ve received that have helped me avoid passion paralysis. (Next up – taking action!)

 

  1. “Don’t Forget to Write It Down”: When I was a kid, my grandpa Michael used to say this to me all the time whenever I tried telling him some story I was making up. It ticked me off because I didn’t want to do “homework” – I just wanted to tell stories. But he was right. Taking pen to paper helps you protect and preserve those gorgeous ideas and holds them for you until you are ready to share them again. Writing down these brilliant brainstorms can also help you keep thought organized and accountable. Excuse me, while I go jot a few things down….

 

  1. “The Steam That Makes the Whistle Blow, Never Makes the Engine Go” – A great healer I worked with whispered this to me in the middle of a brag-a-thon.. I was so busy telling everyone my ideas about what I wanted to do – she warned me that I was giving away precious energy just talking about it when what ideas really want is someone to cultivate them, nurture them and grow their potential. This has never left me. Also – one of my favorite scribes Elizabeth Gilbert writes a lot about this in her book “Big Magic”. A must read.

 

  1. “Rejection is God’s Protection”. Honestly, I can’t remember who said this to me first but I tell myself this mantra about once a day. You have to trust in divine timing, too. Sometimes when a door closes it truly is to get you to move in a different direction. Work hard, take action, but surrender to the timing. That’s the hardest piece of advice and one I still work on day to day.

 

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Bentonville Film Festival Photo Recap

For the past six months, I’ve been partnering with the Bentonville Film Festival to help bring their mission of championing women and diverse voices in media to fruition. If you haven’t heard of this festival yet – stop. Click the link. Then forward to all of your creative friends who have films they want to finish, share, and find distribution on!

 

We know the media is powerful, because it shapes how we see and experience the world around us. We talk a lot about accurately reflecting women and diverse voices in the media- but did you know that only 31% of speaking characters in top-grossing films are female and only 13% of leading characters in films are people of color. Behind the camera, minorities represent only 12% of directors and 7.6% of writers.

 

BFF is becoming part of the solution – co-founded by Trevor Drinkwater and Geena Davis and her institute – this is the only festival that guarantees distribution opportunities to winning films, so they are taking tangible steps to turn inclusivity into a reality.

 

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On the first night of the festival, blogger extraordinaire Luvvie Ajayi of Awesomely Luvvie and I attended the opening film Equity. I don’t want to spoil the plot – the film comes out this summer but it was awesome to watch a film about Wall Street feature two female leads. What I loved most is that the movie showed women who love to make money. They weren’t the most likeable characters but that’s what I appreciated – if we want to change the ratio of women in media we have to get used to seeing women in roles that aren’t just saints or housewives. We have to see complicated women who reflect real life.

 

Just like Soledad O’Brien said in our most recent episode of “Talk to Jess: Conversations with Today’s Thinkers, Movers, and Shapers”, media representation is more than just bringing in different types of people — it’s about expanding the conversation and presenting new perspectives.

 

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After the movie ended, NPR’s Alex Cohen moderated a live Q+A with Director Meera Menon and Producer/Actor Sarah Megan Thomas.

 

BTS Fun Fact: Part-way through the project, the filmmakers decided to make some of the leading male characters female. They didn’t need to alter any of the lines while switching characters’ genders. That’s how easy it is to establish parity in media – being conscious is the first step!

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The next morning, I moderated the “Progress vs. Perfection” panel with experts ranging from the queen Geena Davis herself to Mattel, Walmart, and Kraft. I was thrilled to host this panel because I know first-hand what it takes to drive change on complex topics like inclusivity.

 

FullSizeRender-2Our panelists pictured from left to right: Geena Davis, Kathleen McLaughlin, Stephen Quinn, Dean General, and Barbie’s Lisa McKnight

 

We are witnessing culture shift quickly as businesses are bringing together economic goals with social initiatives – and proving that it’s possible for corporations and brands to do well by doing good. But in order to create tangible change, we need to unpack how that change can happen and these brands shared how they were spearheading initiatives in both product and personnel that address more inclusivity.

 

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The amazing Luvvie did a wonderful job as BFF’s resident social media queen and award show host! Check out her social world and don’t miss her interview with festival co-founder Geena Davis.

 

The Bentonville Film Festival is a truly unique festival. By guaranteeing distribution for its winners, it’s ensuring that diverse voices and stories are delivered straight into consumers’ homes.

 

You can help support BFF’s mission by spreading the word about the festival, encouraging filmmakers to submit their work, and following their social channels @BFFfestival for more info!

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Mom 2.0 Photo Recap

 

One of my favorite things about being Dove’s Global Self-Esteem Ambassador is the opportunity to reach different audiences with messages about confidence and the beauty of being you. Last week, I was at the Mom 2.0 Summit, which connects parent bloggers, content creators, and marketers around conversations that help shape how we see and think about today’s families.

 

The summit kicked off with an amazing conversation about the power of our words online with none other than the award-winning journalist (and my eternal #WCW) Soledad O’Brien.

 

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Soledad is such a genuine, open, and captivating person. We went from strangers (although I have to admit, I had a HUGE professional crush on her!) to chatting like old friends, taking selfies, and having her adjust the microphone on my bra strap!

 

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During the keynote address, Soledad and I discussed the power of words, parents’ roles in how their children create and consume social media, and Dove’s recently launched #SpeakBeautiful Effect on Twitter that helps you identify the power of our online words and their impact.

 

With the rise of social media, everyone has the power and platform to share their stories and use their voices. It’s so important that we are intentional about the messages we send out and use those platforms to lift others up, rather than tearing one another down.

 

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Don’t think I won’t frame this!

 

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As if things couldn’t get any better – on day two – I hosted our famous Dove Self-Esteem workshops with the fabulous Hollis Heath, a fellow Dove Self-Esteem Educator who also works in New York City to help young people find their strength through education and creative arts.

 

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Our workshops also focused on the power of our words and how to rewrite our beauty story. We were joined by the amazing women from Mom 2.0, who not only participated in their own workshop, but then came back to mentor girls in another workshop.

 

I’m always moved by how open, brave, and willing participants are, and these women and girls were no exception. Seeing groups of passionate people engage with their journeys of self-discovery, regardless of where they may be on their paths, inspires me time and time again.

 

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We were joined by the Girl Scouts of Orange County who were so incredibly outspoken and creative in their answers about beauty and body image. Clearly these were girls who have been thinking about and talking about how to develop their confidence. Their answers would blow you away!

 

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We had everyone write their beauty story using just one sentence. And the catch? That sentence had to have just 6 words. Think of it as a mini-mini tweet. The girls were supposed to sum up the story they’d like to tell the world about their relationship and understanding to their own beauty and confidence. Here are just a few:

 

L: “Finding out that everyone is different.”

R: “Finding and expressing my inner creativity.”

 

I mean… 🙂

 

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Did a workshop really happen if we don’t take a picture??

Trick to getting a good smile – have everyone yell “1, 2, 3… Self-Esteem!!!”

 

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Mom 2.0 was an uplifting experience reminding me that, as long as we open ourselves up to seeing it, exploring it, and embracing it for what it is, #BeautyIs found in everyone around us.

 

If you want to learn more about the power of YOUR words and what you can do to leave a more positive digital footprint, check out Dove’s #SpeakBeautiful Effect on Twitter. It’s as easy as clicking “retweet” (literally).

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3 Ways Bentonville Film Festival is Changing the Game

I’ve always been passionate about telling stories the world needs to hear. That’s one of many reasons I chose to partner with the Bentonville Film Festival—because I believe in their mission: to champion women and diverse voices in media.

 

Together, we are solving into a Hollywood epidemic: the lack of inclusion and diversity in mainstream media and the cultural call for more.

 

In front of the camera, only 31% of speaking characters in top-grossing films are female and only 13% of leading characters in films are people of color. Behind the camera, minorities represent only 12% of directors and 7.6% of writers.

 

It’s an enormous feat to take on, but here are three ways BFF is changing the game:

 

  1. BFF has created a powerful platform for filmmakers and content creators to share their rich, unique stories. In media, who is telling the story is just as important as the story being told. BFF is celebrating inclusion and producing career opportunities for all of the creative storytellers who don’t feel seen or heard. BFF isn’t just acknowledging women and diverse voices – they are championing them, bringing us closer to the marginalized voices absent from mainstream media.

 

  1. BFF is the ONLY film festival that guarantees distribution. By joining forces with broadcast and distribution partners like Lifetime, Starz, Walmart, and VUDU, BFF offers broad distribution packages to the winning films. This means that more types of films and TV shows are being delivered to a mass audience, giving greater visibility to diverse stories.

 

  1. BFF is leveraging research to measure, learn and change the current storytelling system. In order to respond to the cultural call for more inclusive media, we must first understand the current media landscape. With the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, BFF is using research to educate the industry and audiences. BFF is actively working to create better solutions to today’s diversity issues in media in order to better reflect the world we live in for today’s and future generations.

 

We all crave stories that resonate on a deeper level. We all want to see our world and our experiences reflected in the media we consume – it reminds us we’re not alone.

 

The stories we see and hear matter. If you can see it, you can be it.

 

Tickets and passes to the festival are available now at bentonvillefilmfestival.com.
You can also follow @BFFfestival and share why you support BFF with #WeAreBFF.

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5 Comedians Who Made Us Laugh and Stood For Something

 

In honor of Humor Month – here are some funny ladies with a serious passion for making change.

 

Moms Mabley

 

Jackie Moms Mabley was an African American, arguably genderqueer stand up comedian. Using her Moms persona, Mabley was able to touch on taboo topics like sex, politics, and racism. Mabley frequently visited prisons to perform and was considered a notable Civil Rights Activist.

 

Gilda Radner

 

Gilda Radner, an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, is best known for her outrageous characters, like Roseanne Roseannadanna and Baba Wawa. Radner’s boldness, fearlessness, and resistance to the status quo in her comedy and acting paved the way for women to step out of the roles that male-driven comedy traditionally forced them into.

 

Whoopi Goldberg

 

In her 1985 stand-up performance Direct from Broadway, Whoopi Goldberg uses five distinct characters to make valuable social commentary about racial stereotypes, reproductive rights, racist standards of beauty, immigration, and devaluation of people living with a disability.

 

Margaret Cho

 

Margaret Cho created and starred in the first show prominently featuring an East Asian family, All American Girl. Using radical commentary, personal stories, infamous accents, and body as art, Cho tackles sexuality, racism, body image, and rape culture all through her comedy.

 

Jessica Williams

 

The young Daily Show correspondent is already making huge waves in her role. From attacking race issues and police brutality head on to addressing violence against women and rape culture, Jessica Williams is making a name for herself as a comedian actively using her voice to incite cultural shifts.

 

Who would you add to the list? Who is your favorite funny change-maker??

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3 Reasons Why Being a Leader is Better Than Being Liked

I know. I know. You want to be a leader. But perhaps you don’t feel like one because you are too busy caring if people like you. And listen, I get it. It’s totally normal.

 

In fact it’s our humanity that compels us to desire closeness and connection with others and want to feel accepted by our family, peers and community.

 

But the truth is that true leaders aren’t always liked. In fact, they often aren’t.

 

The tough and unsung choices leaders make everyday can’t come from pleasing people – they have to come from tapping into their gut, inner strength, wisdom and personal resolve. Leaders do the right thing even when it’s difficult.

 

Here are 3 reasons why being a leader is better than being liked:

 

  1. Because being liked doesn’t always create social change:

There is a lot for us to shift in the world and it won’t get done worrying about winning a popularity contest. When we prioritize being liked over roles in leadership, we let the opportunity slip by to make a palpable difference in our communities and in the lives of the people we care about most.

 

  1. Because the world needs more women leaders:

Women are drastically underrepresented in leadership roles, (and we need to change that – stat!) Women make up roughly 15% of executive officers and about 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs. We all have the power to change that by encouraging women we know to step forward for leadership positions and to be bold enough ourselves to step forward and lead!

 

  1. Because your voice needs to be heard:

Now more than ever we need to cultivate leaders who can share their courageous visions with compassion and connection. Who better than you? If we want to combat some of the vitriol and hate that we see in our world – let’s start by raising our voices. Playing small in the world doesn’t help anyone. You have strengths and incredible power. Don’t let them go to waste! The time to speak up is now.

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Women Inspiring Women

I’m spotlighting my SHEROES in honor of Women’s History Month to celebrate the wonderful people we know in real life, and make them the true celebrities!

 

Erin Loos Cutraro is the Co-founder and CEO of She Should Run — an organization inspiring more women to consider running for public office.

 

I asked Erin: In this last year, what has represented the biggest step forward for women in our country?

 

Here’s what she said:

It’s increasingly likely that this year we’ll have a woman as a major party nominee for President of the United States for the first time in US history.

And by showing that no path is off limits for women, we inspire more women and girls to envision themselves making a difference by stepping up to lead.

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5 Books That Will Inspire You

For me, reading is an essential outlet for my inspiration. I feel like a great book has the power to uncover our most buried emotions and awaken a new delicious curiosity.

Here are 5 books that give insight into inspiration, education, and motivation in my life. Enjoy!


daringgreatly-199x3001. Daring Greatly
by Brene Brown

Who doesn’t love Brene?? (Insert Oprah voice here).

She has the uncanny ability to make you excited about embracing imperfection and uncertainty (I mean, come on!) But I’m also lucky to call her a friend – so do yourself a favor — dive into her love, humor and smart advice right away!

 

 

 

 

 


Masterminds_and_Wingmen_jacket_image-768x11672. Masterminds & Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World
by Rosalind Wiseman

Rosalind is the mastermind behind Queen Bees and Wannabes (which ultimately became the movie “Mean Girls”), and now she tackles the boy world with Masterminds & Wingmen which explores how bullying, social stigmas and power struggles shape our boys emotionally. A must read for parents and educators!

 

 

 


big-magic-book3. Big Magic
by Elizabeth Gilbert

I’m in love with Elizabeth Gilbert. And her work. Totally, madly, obsessively in love. Her words and thoughts hit me in the heart and make me go, “MMMM YAAASSS” out loud! This book helped me also develop a really sexy relationship with my creativity – so I highly recommend!

 

 

 

 

 

 


97812500789574.  I wonder: Celebrating Daddies Doin’ Work
by Doyin Richards

Doyin hits on the question every dad asks himself: “I wonder if I’m doing a good job.” And my answer to Doyin after reading this book is: YES! I love his persistent optimism and his wonderful and refreshing celebration of fatherhood. A must read and share!

 

 

 

imgres5.  Poems From the Pond by Peggy Freydberg, edited by Laurie David

I’ve already written a post about how Peggy (who started writing poetry at age 90, btw!) has become my muse. Her brilliant collection of poems brought every emotion I have to the surface and gave me new perspective on how we view life’s progression. Even if you think you don’t like poetry, I promise – you will not put this book down.

 

 

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TBT: That Time We CHANGED BARBIE’S BODY

This last week has been epic.

 

Just seven little days ago I was finally able to share about a project I’ve been a part of for the last few years. I was on super secret lock down (which made vague-booking so hard!)

 

But finally all was revealed with this cover of TIME.

 

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As you know, I’ve been working for over 20 years to change the messages that women and girls are sent through media, toys, and advertising. And I feel so incredibly lucky to have partnered with Mattel and the Barbie team on this journey to more variety and inclusivity!

 

3 new bodies. 7 skin tones. 22 eye colors. 24 hair styles. So many more choices to play! 

 

So in the true spirit of a throwback, here’s a recap of what my launch day was like.

 

Our day started at 3 AM. And this was the sign that greeted us as we walked in. 

 

That and lots and lots of coffee.

 

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Then the TIME cover story breaks. In case you can’t tell from my expression, I couldn’t be more excited!

 

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Teamwork makes the dream work. I couldn’t have made it through this launch without these guys.

 

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We spent all day tracking the press, doing interviews and working with key influencers to make sure that the story of Barbie’s transformation was told in a way that would spark healthy dialogue (and debate). I mean, come on it’s Barbie. Everyone has an opinion!

 

Then it was on to the PARTY!!

 

We had an amazing launch party featuring Queen Latifah and Gwen Stefani – hosted by the lovely Amanda De Cadenet.

 

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The theme of the night was “Reshaping the Conversation” and I was so thrilled to do that with good friends. Special shout out to my dear friend Damone Roberts for always having my back. My new friend Rutina Wesley (Also starring in Ava DuVernay’s new show “Queen Sugar” on OWN- watch it!) and the funniest voice on the interwebs, Luvvie Ajayi.

 

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You can’t make change unless you have a seat at the table. And I had a seat at the table. Literally.

 

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Up for over 20 hours, exhausted, happy, feeling proud.

 

Then the next day the team at Barbie sent me this fabulous gift. Now a permanent fixture on my patio. Welcome to your new dream house!

 

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This week has reinforced for me what is truly possible when we work together to make change.

 

Whenever a girl can see herself and her world better reflected in culture it’s a good thing.

 

This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more…. #TheDollEvolves

 

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