What It’s All About
The lack of diversity on stage at creative and tech-focused events has been painfully obvious for a very long time, but we’ve lacked an easy way to do anything about it at scale.
I felt moved to create an answer years ago after attending a community event at Moz corporate headquarters that featured an all-white male panel.
Co-founder and CEO Rand Fishkin (now founder at SparkToro), leapt to the stage to apologize to the crowd, explaining Moz’s policy required diverse talent on stage, and that this non-Moz community event had somehow slipped through their screening process.
Rand’s authentic advocacy—his actions, his determination, his commitment—left an indelible effect, an inspiration and example to demand better.
Since then, the events I offer to the creative community through the nonprofits in which I participate comply to the same standard, with immediate effects. And I advocate for the same.
Still, I keep seeing creative and tech events lacking in adequate diversity, and keep hearing the same excuse, that the organizers can’t find anyone else, or worse, didn’t even try. When conversations continue to include the same people, change comes too slowly, if at all.
Anti-racism requires an active effort to do better by doing things differently.
Diversity on the Dais is my contribution to help that effort. It’s a v1, so please, your feedback will help make it better.
Thanks for visiting. Please share the word!
Creative Strategist and Ally
Seattle
the .D
The “.D” mark is based on the acronym for Diversity on the Dais:
DotD -> .D
Inspired by the diverse identities of all speakers, many different kinds of fonts can portray the .D, each with its own unique leading, proportions, and character height, even at the same font size, each special in its own way.
The result: a logo that’s not always the same, just like how the talent on stage shouldn’t always be the same.
It’s Not Just Me
Quotes from real people who’ve been impacted by my work sourcing diverse talent.
“
After hearing her speak about pay equity for womxn I brought it up at work and got a raise - for seven of us at my agency!
— attendee
“
I honestly never thought about planning for diversity until an attendee asked if any women were scheduled to speak. I have to do better.”
— event planner
Be Heard (finally).
Get on The List
Add your deets so you can get behind a mic, in front of a crowd.