Let's face it, times have changed. In the 38 years since the founding of the Walter Kaitz Foundation, the collective media and telecommunications industries are nearly unrecognizable as the upstart, scrappy businesses they once were.

Just think of where we were nearly four decades ago as a fledging collective trying to command the nation's attention. Yet, as we built this industry, we also took care to bake into it a commitment to developing the people who would one day lead global and innovative companies and brands.

Certainly, we know that our industry's pioneers saw that increased viewing options and innovative programming would be game-changing but developing programming catering to every taste would set us apart from the broadcast industry. Those cable pioneers were also prescient enough to divine a future where leadership in the industry would grow and develop to affect the types of changes that would inevitably result in a keen focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

With 38 years of advancing a mission to promote diversity and inclusion, the Walter Kaitz Foundation is also committed to the future of a sustained commitment to diversity principles and actions. What we know to be true is that our industry has grown precisely because of our diverse workforce, our creative content, our multicultural marketing efforts, our expanding and multiethnic viewers and subscribers.

Today, our industry is focused on growth, innovation and disruption which is delivering content to any screen, at any time, over networks that move at the speed of light. Further still, the future holds such great possibilities as we contemplate advances like 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, AI and mobile media.  I can't wait to see how today's innovative media and telecommunications leaders prepare us for an even more diverse future where ideas, people and companies are poised to change the face of our world.

As we prepare to celebrate our 35th Anniversary Fundraising Dinner on Wednesday, October 17, at the New York Marriott Marquis, it is critical that we take the time to reflect on not only how far we have come but also to pay homage to the leaders that were instrumental in bringing us to this point. 

We hope you will join us at this year's annual gathering during Diversity Week where funds we raise are focused on providing grants to programs that not only feed the needs of our grantees at the National Association of Multiethnicity in Communications, Women in Cable Telecommunications and the Emma L. Bowen Foundation but also keeps us squarely focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Visit https://www.walterkaitz.org/dinner/ to learn more about sponsorship opportunities or purchasing tables and tickets.



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