Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (MDSCI)

You can’t fix a problem you won’t admit exists. Dr. Stacy L. Smith leads The Inclusionists, a team of academic researchers whose groundbreaking studies laid bare the startling numbers of who gets work in Hollywood and the music industry. Formerly known as the Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative of the University of Southern California, The Inclusionists report on the percentage of representation in jobs and whose stories are being told, revealing stats for different races, genders, physical abilities, and other intersectional attributes.  

We met The Inclusionists team at the Sundance Film Festival and became immediate investors in the work. We continue to underwrite new studies when there’s synergy. When they proposed to move into the measurement of representation in the music industry, for example, we were in. We believe in the importance of this research, and we are also investing in the leadership of Stacy Smith. She is one of the creators of the “inclusion rider” and other practical ways to make the entertainment industry more inclusive in hiring and storytelling. Dr. Smith has become one of the most influential and respected voices in the push for equality and we are glad to have been some of her earliest supporters. 

Visit the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s website for more information.

Photo: Marla Aufmuth / TED