OTTAWA — In a message to its community, posted to its website on Wednesday and shared on social media, Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) is committing to featuring more inclusive content and championing diverse women leaders.
WCT’s posting of the open letter is in response to the growing movement to end racial injustice which has emerged following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“Women in Communications and Technology stands in solidarity with all Black people against racial discrimination and injustice,” reads the letter. “WCT’s vision is an inclusive and diverse digital economy — we support equality for all Black people, Indigenous peoples, and people of colour. We have to walk the talk in order to see our vision realized.”
Citing a Brookfield Institute study from 2019, WCT notes women of colour working in tech make less than their white peers — $20,000 less on average. In addition, according to a report by Women in View, as the percentage of women in key creative television roles increased between 2014 and 2017, only 47 of the 3,206 contracts that were given to women during those years went to women of colour.
“WCT commits to feature more inclusive and diverse content, champion diverse women leaders, and ensure representative leadership. We will listen and be proactively open and direct about our commitment to intersectionality, diversity and inclusion, and anti-racism. We are having ongoing discussions internally as a staff team, with our board of directors, and our regional chapters, as we look ahead to our upcoming season in September,” reads the WCT letter.
To read the entire message, and to provide feedback to WCT, please click here.
