Making Strides Toward Diversity And Inclusion

The third annual 4K 4Charity Fun Run will take place on Tuesday, April 25, at 7:30 am, at Sunset Park, Las Vegas. Established in 2014, the 4K 4Charity Fun Run Series has raised more than $400,000 for global and local nonprofit organizations. This year, all of the event’s proceeds will benefit Mercy Corps and Women Who Code.

Officially endorsed by the NAB Show, the run provides show attendees with a healthy alternative to networking, and the opportunity to support increased diversity and inclusion. Why this focus? Both the media and entertainment industry and the technology sector have been increasingly frank about the need to increase diversity and inclusion (D&I). There is no shortage of data to support this view. For example:

• 13% of film and TV directors in the U.S. today represent minority and ethnic groups.

• 28% of all speaking characters in U.S. film and television are from minority and ethnic groups.

• African-American and Hispanic workers together make up just 15.4% of the high-tech workforce, compared to 28.2% in all private industries.

• Only 35.7% of high tech workers are women.

Moreover, D&I is good business. Research from McKinsey, Morgan Stanley and IBM confirms that diversity and inclusion have a direct positive correlation to the bottom line.

Understandably, systemic change takes time, and increasing concern about the issue represents a vital step. To help galvanize that change, AWS Elemental recently announced that the 4K 4Charity Fun Run series is dedicating its efforts to raising awareness and funding for organizations that work to support D&I, starting with this month’s event at the NAB Show.

The response has been positive: the 4K 4Charity Fun Run has received a record number of sponsors, including leaders such as HBO, Comcast Technology Solutions, The Weather Co., an IBM Business; and Nokia; as well as the National Association of Broadcasters.

You can support this cause by registering to run or walk.