Starz’s “#TakeTheLead” Initiative To Receive Humanitas Honor

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: Humanitas said Monday that it will present Starz‘s #TakeTheLead diversity initiative with the 2022 Voice for Change Award, which will be bestowed during the organization’s annual awards luncheon on September 9 in Los Angeles.

Jeffrey Hirsch, Starz President and CEO, and Kathryn Busby, Starz President of Original Programming, will accept the award which celebrates the initiative’s commitment to amplifying narratives by, about, and for women and underrepresented audiences.Today, 29.1% of Starz writers proudly include women of color, 78.9% above the industry average, according to The Center for Scholars and Storytellers, UCLA.“Starz, through its #TakeTheLead commitment, has become a leader in not only creating but holding space for creatives who have been historically underrepresented in media by centering their essential stories,” said Humanitas Executive Director, Michelle Franke. “Starz’s dedication to representation on and off screen, evidenced in their public Diversity Data, is deeply inspiring, as is the company’s willingness to speak openly and often about their unique approach to identifying and nurturing talent over time.

They provide meaningful resources to projects, offer guidance while honoring individual instincts, and serve as an achievable model for industry leaders.”Starz President and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch said, “It’s an incredible honor to receive the Voice for Change Award from Humanitas.

Behind our #TakeTheLead commitment is the deep-seated belief that everyone, especially women, and those that have been underrepresented, have the right to choose how their stories are told.