MPISCC Event Recap - The Road to Allyship by Chrissy Thompson

While many white male leaders tend to avoid these sometimes uncomfortable dialogues, MPISCC’s all-white panel shared relatable experiences and journeys. From stories of support and triumph to those of blindness, the panelists encouraged everyone at the event to come together in the quest for a better world—one built around understanding, compassion, empathy and support.

What You Missed

Part I of this event—Getting Into the Game, The Importance of Standing Up and Speaking Out—was led by none other than diversity, equity and inclusion advocate Nez Balelo. He’s a former professional baseball player-turned sports agent with a track record of standing up for his players on and off the field. With a conversation led by Ronda Moret from MPISCC, we learned about the importance of leading by example.

For Part II—Lights, Camera, Actionable Steps—we saw three speakers, Andrew Tosto, an account manager from NBC10, Steve Carlton, president & GM from KNBC, and Eric Gray, CFO of Universal Content Production at NBCUniversal Media, discuss their road to allyship and key lessons learned. Among them, the importance of having a diverse team for better company performance and why questioning odd data results may lead to more profound revelations—namely, a failure to speak to a particular demographic.

I am so grateful MPISCC put together such an eye-opening, actionable virtual event. I’ve come to understand how to be a better ally and authentically support marginalized communities.

On a final note, I’d like to share that being an ally means taking intentional action—learning and uplifting those around you to ensure that all voices are heard and respected. For 2021, I encourage us all to be and do better and share the allyship journey with our personal communities! 

Chrissy Thompson is the founder & senior event producer at Dynamo Events. We produce virtual events that build brands and drive business. Book a complimentary 20-minute consultation today.