Comcast NBCUniversal Celebrates Black History Month

Comcast NBCUniversal honors Black History Month by celebrating the central role that Black people have played in shaping the United States – and the unique contributions of Black women in particular. Across technology, arts, culture, civil rights, politics and more, Black women have been the backbone of major advancements and triumphs and also the vocal leaders and catalysts who inspire and make bold change happen. This year, we’re celebrating the Black women leaders, business owners, changemakers and the communities they uplift.

A message from Comcast’s Chief Diversity Officer Dalila Wilson Scott on the importance of Black History Month and why we celebrate as a company.

Collage of Comcast team members and volunteers.

To learn more about our commitment to advance equality as well as a more comprehensive look at the programs and initiatives we have developed to advance our strategy and fulfill our $100 million commitment, please visit Our Impact page.

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Black Voices

Black voices have profoundly shaped the content we share across our platforms. We recognize the power of representation, and that is why we have launched platforms such as the Xfinity Black Experience channel, Voices of the Civil Rights Movement and Comcast Newsmakers to ensure we’re not only amplifying diverse voices, but helping to tell culturally representative stories through a first-hand lens.

Comcast launches Black Experience on Xfinity, a first-of-its kind destination for Black entertainment, movies, TV shows, news, and more. The channel features high-quality content from Xfinity’s existing network partners, while showcasing emerging Black content creators, Black actors, writers, producers, and directors. It is available on Xfinity X1, Flex, and the Xfinity Stream app.

In honor of Black History Month, NBCUniversal’s History Made | History in the Making pays tribute to Black American trailblazers and historical moments that have changed the world, while also looking ahead to the leaders and events that are revolutionizing the future. Through the unique lens of each brand, NBCUniversal will amplify Black voices and recognize the significant impact of Black American heritage and culture on our society – past and present. For up-to-date stories by, for and about the Black community and the Black experience in America, visit NBCBLK.

Comcast NBCUniversal’s Voices of the Civil Rights Movement platform features more than 17 hours of historical narratives and firsthand accounts from the front lines of America’s civil rights movement. Throughout Black History Month, we’re expanding this free video collection with a series of essays focused on Black female pioneers like Elaine Brown, former leader of the Black Panther Party, and more. Explore the collection here.

Learn how this new, innovative, multiplatform journalism training and development program is helping to build the next generation of diverse journalists and storytellers.

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Commitment to Digital Equity & Social Impact

As part of our $100 million multiyear, comprehensive commitment to advance social justice and ensure more people have equal access to the education and training needed to succeed, Comcast NBCUniversal has partnered with nonprofit organizations who share our commitment to improving economic outcomes, especially for underrepresented populations. By providing access to the education, tools, and resources needed to succeed in an increasingly digital world and empowering the next generation of storytellers, our goal is to effect real, sustainable change.This month, Comcast is shining a light on Black female business leaders who have championed this work, and the incredible impacts they have had on our communities. Read about some of these leaders below.

BUILD.org, led by Ayele Shakur, teaches the next generation of Black and Latinx youth the mindset and skills that will lead to college, career and life success. Learn more about their mission and our partnership.

Dwana Franklin-Davis, CEO of the Reboot Representation Tech Coalition, is working to double the number of Black, Latina and Native American women graduating with computing degrees by 2025. Learn more about their mission and our partnership.

The Center for Black Innovation, led by Felecia Hatcher, is committed to increasing upward mobility for Black prosperity by building asset and talent rich spaces in Black communities where innovation can thrive, by drawing programming, resources, and guiding our innovators along capital pathways, through research and inclusive policies. Learn more about their mission and our partnership.

Cheryl Dorsey, President of the global social impact non-profit Echoing Green works to support emerging social entrepreneurs through funding and leadership development, as they aim to solve the world’s toughest problems including racial equity.

Samantha Tweedy, Chief Partnerships and Impact officer of Robin Hood, sets the strategy for, and manages the team marshaling capital, attention, and resources to the programs and organizations that are proven to be most effective in the fight against poverty. Learn more here.

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Collette Alleyne is Chief Education Office of Inner City Arts, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides underserved youth access to arts education. Learn more here.

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Stacy Milner leads Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program (EICOP), an innovative pipeline development program designed to provide access and opportunity to underrepresented students of color and help meet the industry’s diversity goal of employing a workforce that is reflective of the diverse communities it serves. Learn more here.

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Supporting Black Businesses

Whether through our Supplier Diversity program or our work to ensure that Black founder stories and experiences are amplified across our LIFT Labs platforms, supporting Black businesses across the country is a vital piece of our ongoing efforts to combat systemic inequities. And today, as Black businesses are hurting due to COVID-19, we’ve launched Comcast RISE to provide marketing, creative, media, and technology services to these businesses who have been hardest hit. Here are the stories of some of the diverse businesses we work with and support.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

See How Comcast RISE Award Recipient COOL Creative Is Finding Success Despite Challenges

Founders of WorkChew sit in a restaurant

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

LIFT Labs Accelerator alum WorkChew Turns Restaurants Into Flexible Workspaces

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Mirror Digital Brings Digital Advertising Opportunities to Multicultural Creators

In partnership with The Kelly Clarkson Show on NBC, four RISE program applicants were surprised with the news that they had been selected to receive consulting, media and creative production services from Comcast. Meet these amazing business owners to hear more about what they’ve faced during COVID-19 and learn how Comcast RISE will help thousands of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned, small businesses over the next three years.

LIFT Labs creates access to leaders, experts, and opportunities that can help startups build and grow their companies. It provides a platform for stories that amplify the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented Black founders in order to enable greater awareness, investment, and network expansion that helps their businesses thrive and survive.

Comcast NBCUniversal and Telemundo Black Creators and Leaders

There are phenomenal Black women making history within the world of Comcast NBCUniversal who advance our company’s mission everyday. We’re taking the time to celebrate and uplift the voices from within.

Dalila Wilson-Scott

As Comcast’s Chief Diversity Officer, Wilson-Scott oversees the company’s diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives and philanthropic strategy.

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Shirlette Chambers

Cloud Software Engineer Shirlette Chambers leads the BENgineers, a subgroup of the Black Employee Network Employee Resource Group.

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Rashida Jones

Recently named the next President of MSNBC, Jones will become the first woman of color to lead a major cable news company.

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Yvette Miley

Well respected for her decades long commitment to journalistic excellence, Miley champions diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the NBCU News Group.

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Ebonne Ruffins

Ruffins leads efforts to preserve first-hand accounts from civil rights activists through the multimedia platform Voices of the Civil Rights Movement.

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Pearlena Igbokwe

Igbokwe leads NBCU’s global television studio business and was recently promoted to chairman, Univeral Studio Group, making her one of the most powerful people in the industry and the first Black woman to run a major TV studio.

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Nicole Jackson

Director of Customer Experience Nicole Jackson helped to launch a new chapter of the Black Employee Network in Comcast’s Freedom Region.

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Val Boreland

Boreland, an EVP of content strategy for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, oversees the buying and curating of content across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.

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Keesha Boyd

Boyd is the Executive Director for multicultural video and entertainment at Comcast NBCUniversal and is responsible for defining strategy specific to Black, Latino, Asian American, and international audiences. Boyd also oversees the new Black Experience on Xfinity Channel.

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Sheena Parker

As Customer Service Strategy & Operations Manager at Comcast, Parker oversees programs that help our agents enhance their skills and access advancement opportunities. She also leads the Black Employee Network in Comcast’s Big South Region.

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Celebration Through Art

In celebration of Black History Month, we’re teaming up with artists to honor the critical contributions of Black women in shaping the history and future of our nation. Stay tuned throughout the month to see their original artwork.

Ciara is a multi-disciplinary handicraft artist and designer, specializing in lettering and embroidery. She incorporates reflective messages of justice as well as uplifting messages of joy in her work. Discover her latest piece of art, in partnership with Comcast, which explores the Black legacy.

Photo credit: Sarah E Dunn Photo and Design

Sophia is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and graphic designer. Her bold, dynamic work emphasizes the vibrance of the queer community and women of color. Discover her latest piece of art, in partnership with Comcast, which explores the right to take up space.

Monica is a freelance illustrator based in Los Angeles. Through her portraits and pop art, she makes learning about other cultures and backgrounds accessible. Discover her latest piece of art, in partnership with Comcast, which explores our spectrum of emotions and how we can use them to make change.

Serena is a Philadelphia-based painter, designer, and writer. Influenced by a decade of teaching, her work encompasses themes of community, injustice, and hope. Discover her latest piece of art, in partnership with Comcast, that will be installed in a Lift Zone in Pennsylvannia.

Comcast Newsmakers participants displayed on a laptop.

Comcast Newsmakers is a forum for leaders to tackle issues that matter. Throughout Black History Month, the platform will spotlight issues of equity and advancement through the lens of Black female voices and leadership.

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