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Welcome to the latest edition of WBD Diversity Digest where we're highlighting key multicultural initiatives that took place during the first quarter of 2024. From e-learning opportunities that Champion Inclusion to celebrating Women's History Month to recognizing outstanding talent and more, we started the year off strong! Read on for highlights of some of our key Q1 accomplishments.

Launching Enterprise-Wide DEI E-Learning

In March, Asif Sadiq, WBD's Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, rolled out WBD's brand new DEI e-learning course – Champion Inclusion: Exploring Inclusion through Diverse Perspectives. This immersive learning experience, based on real WBD employee experiences, is required for new and existing employees and is designed to equip everyone with the knowledge and skills to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace for all. In an announcement email to employees, Sadiq noted, “At WBD, we believe that fostering a workplace that Champions Inclusion is not just the right thing to do, but essential to our success. By gaining a better understanding of the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of our colleagues, we can ensure that we continue to build a WBD where everyone feels valued, respected, and positioned for success.”

WBD Shines at Sundance

Back in January, WBD took the Sundance Film Festival by storm, leading and participating in many events and activations that showcased our diverse storytellers and talent.

DEI at Sundance
WBD's DEI team kicked off the festival by hosting a welcome reception where Sadiq and his senior leadership team welcomed nearly 100 leaders in the multicultural space for a casual mix and mingle event. , the umbrella organization for WBD's suite of pipeline programs, hosted a community hour at the Latinx House to spotlight its pipeline programs and bring the community together for networking. WBD Access also sponsored and participated in a panel entitled 'Southeast Asia on the Rise,' featuring WBD's VP of DEI Pipeline Programs Grace Moss, Writer/Director/Producer Tony Bui, and Producer/Writer/Advocate Geena Rocero. Nielsen's VP, Global Communications and DEI Pat Ratulangi moderated the panel, which focused on Southeast Asian representation in our industry. WBD also partnered with Illuminative to host a networking cocktail mixer to celebrate our work together, provide an opportunity for executives and creatives to meet new Indigenous voices, and reconnect with friends in the Indigenous community.

WBTV at Sundance
Nkechi Okoro Carroll, showrunner on ����������������. Television (WBTV)'s “Found,” “All American,” and “All American: Homecoming,” participated in MACRO's 'Crafting the Culture' panel alongside other powerhouse producers including Debra Martin Chase of “The Equalizer,” Sonja Warfield of “The Gilded Age,” and Debby Wolfe of “Lopez vs Lopez.” The conversation took a deep dive into their creative processes and how their work has shaped culture. Okoro Carroll also participated in NAACP's 'Black Women Lead' panel, which shined a spotlight on the significant contributions of Black women in the TV and film industry. David Ezra, the actor who plays Spencer James on WBTV's “All American,” was also at Sundance and participated in NAACP's 'Six Imperatives for Rendering Black Lives in Media' panel, which explored the importance of Black storytelling and the long-term effects of the media's misrepresentation of African Americans. The panel was moderated by NAACP's SVP of the Hollywood Bureau Kyle Bowser, and other panelists included Actors David Alan Grier and Justice Smith, Producer/Director Yance Ford, and NAACP's SVP of Communications Trovon Williams.

Celebrating the Women Who Tell Our Stories

March was Women's History Month and WBD had a robust slate of initiatives to commemorate and celebrate all month long.

Inclusive Employee Conversations
WBD's DEI team hosted a series of conversations for employees with female leaders within and outside the walls of WBD. The first was a discussion entitled 'Inspiring Inclusion in Media' at our Burbank office between Lisa Collins, GVP, DEI North America; Grace Moss, VP, DEI Pipeline Programs; Jessica Durchin, Sr. Producer, ����������������. Games; and Founder and Chair of the Geena Davis Institute, Geena Davis. The next was a conversation between Fredricka Whitfield, CNN Journalist and Anchor, and Johnita Due, EVP, Integrity and Inclusion, CNN Worldwide & Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, CNN and TNT Sports, at WBD's Atlanta office. During the conversation, Whitfield shared her journey of becoming a trailblazing journalist in a male-dominated industry. The last in the series was a conversation between Collins and Sohee Jun, Executive Coach and founder of SJ Consulting, and acclaimed author of 'Inner Game.' Jun, a former WB employee, illuminated the complex challenges facing women in their professional and personal lives. WBTV Group also hosted an employee-focused Women's History Month event, featuring remarks from WBTV Group Chairman & CEO, Channing Dungey, Q&A with cast and producers from the new Max series about making waves in a male-dominated industry, and a panel conversation from female executives at WBTV Group about their professional journeys.

Uplifting Female Athletes & Sports Execs
TNT Sports had a multifaceted Women's History Month strategy, including an event at our Atlanta office to welcome the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, a special content feature celebrating the impact of women in sports, and an on-air PSA featuring the women of TNT Sports. TNT Sports and Max are the exclusive home of the SheBelieves Cup, an invitational women's association soccer tournament inspired by the SheBelieves movement to encourage young women to achieve their dreams. TNT Sports and the US Soccer Federation teamed up to host an event for employees including photo opportunity with the highly coveted SheBelieves Cup trophy, giveaways, games, and more. During the tournament, TNT Sports welcomed Charly Hill as an to report from the pitch in Atlanta. This fellowship offers a platform to students of color to gain valuable experience as they pursue careers in sports entertainment. TNT Sports' Diversified Sports Content team also created and aired a special feature on Bleacher Report and HighlightHER celebrating women in sports entitled And, to celebrate the women who make TNT Sports possible, across multiple disciplines as they reflect on working in sports.

Out and About

WBD's talent and brands were out and about in Q1. At the beginning of the year, WBD celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and our BOLD (Black Outstanding Leaders Delivering) Business Resource Group (BRG) hosted events in Atlanta and Los Angeles. In Atlanta, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy of service, they hosted a donation drive benefiting a local men's, women's, and children's shelter. In Los Angeles, BOLD participated in the 2024 MLK Kingdom Day Parade and brought a spirited group of marchers who participated in the parade. WBD also joined National Action Network's 2024 MLK Day Awards Breakfast in DC to celebrate King's continued impact, legacy, and mission.

In February, Johnita Due, CNN Sports Anchor Coy Wire, and members of the CNN Sports and TNT Sports team attended the annual Power Sports Brunch at Super Bowl LVIII. While there, Due participated in a panel at the Sports Powerhouse for their ‘Doing Good Business: Corporate Responsibility & Community Impact' panel. On the panel, she discussed CNN's industry-leading news talent development opportunities like the Deep Dive Workshops as well as TNT Sports' partnership with the Obama Foundation's 'My Brother's Keeper Alliance' whereby young men of color join onsite at the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four to gain experience working on a live telecast. Separately, Due sat down with NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) Atlanta's President, Charles Neal, to discuss her career journey, the value of mentorship, and more. Check out that conversation .

WBD Wins Big at the NAACP Image Awards

WBD dominated the winner's circle at this year's NAACP Image Awards, with WB Pictures' “The Color Purple” receiving an incredible 11 awards, including 'Outstanding Motion Picture,' 'Outstanding Actress (Motion Picture)' for Fantasia Barrino, 'Outstanding Supporting Actor (Motion Picture)' for Colman Domingo, and 'Outstanding Supporting Actress (Motion Picture)' for Taraji P. Henson. WBTV also picked up a number of wins, with WBTV's “Abbott Elementary” taking home the top prize for 'Outstanding Comedy Series,' 'Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series' for Quinta Brunson, and 'Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series' for William Stanford Davis. WBTV's “The Jennifer Hudson Show” also picked up a win for 'Outstanding Talk Series,' and HBO/Max scored a win for “A Black Lady Sketch Show” ('Outstanding Variety Show - Series or Special').

CNN also won two Anthem Awards for the #WeAreCNN summer 2023 brand campaign, which highlighted the work that continues around CNN's global DEI efforts across all screens and behind-the-scenes. This is CNN's second recognition from the Anthem Awards for a brand campaign that raises awareness of DEI in media. Click to check out the award-winning videos.