#metoo:
We have been disturbed, astonished and fundamentally shaken by the emerging #metoo explosion on social media.
Digital Raign Co-Founder, James Hanusa posted earlier in the week his personal experience of the unfolding, and needed time to integrate the magnitude of the problem and a proper response.
As some of you may already know, I am a sexual abuse survivor. I have been attacked with sexual intent seven times throughout my lifetime by men. As a woman in tech for over two decades, I have also experienced countless inappropriate advances/behavior; #metoo is one of the primary threads of my existence. Given the magnitude of how this has affected me in my life and my commitment to activism, I too, have needed time to digest and respond.
James and I have been discussing sexual harassment in the industry since the inception of Digital Raign, and have made it even more of a focus since the original Upload news story broke. We have needed to take time as partners to thoughtfully formulate and articulate not only our response, but also our actions in response to these serious issues and the plague they bring not to only our industry, but to the world.
Together is better and we hope you will join us in being the change.
We have been actively designing an initiative to address the woeful diversity numbers in the technology and associated industries and, just as important, inclusion for under-represented groups based on my years of experience as an inclusion activist and our mutual commitment to radical inclusion.
With the developments of this past week, catalyzed by the Harvey Weinstein breaking new story displaying the sexist culture Hollywood tolerated for decades, and later two articles coming out about Robert Scoble who was a participant at our Reality Summit this year; we have decided it is time to take our stand as industry leaders and find our combined voice as a community who cares.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/womeninvr/permalink/1152713041527564/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1228586110525340/permalink/1639885386062075/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/…/woman-accuses-robert-scoble-of-s…
https://medium.com/@quinn…/robert-scoble-and-me-9b14ee92fffb
https://www.theguardian.com/…/o…/20/men-silent-me-too-sexism
https://www.nytimes.com/…/techn…/metoo-twitter-facebook.html
Action Plan:
1. Safety First - We believe in co-creating a world where everyone feels safe.
We will not tolerate anything less than the following:
Accept and treat all beings as equals regardless of their race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, weight, age – you name it.
Refrain from any incidents involving diversity and gender bias, discrimination, sexual or otherwise inappropriate comments and/or behavior, misconduct, harassment, objectification – anything short of equality and inclusion.
If those we engage with personally and/or professionally cannot agree and adhere to what is outlined above, we will immediately cease that engagement.
Along these lines, we are following the lead of Women in VR and have banned Robert Scoble from the Digital Raign community – and all of our activities, events, gatherings, Summits, etc. To our dismay, Robert is only one example of many. While we are taking a stance regarding Robert’s actions, our stance includes all those whose actions have been atrocious; including: Dave McClure, Justin Caldbeck Chris Sacca, Mike Cagney, Taylor Freeman, Will Mason, Harvey Weinstein, Roy Price, James Toback, just to name a few.
2. Listening
We will be listening to our community on this issue and for the most effective and unique response based on the culture we have worked to foster. Please use this post for discussions and suggestions on possible actions to be taken by the Digital Raign community. We ask that you please Direct Message me, email me at: a@digitalraign.com or call me directly on my cell 415-722-9362, if you have had any offensive experiences at Esalen with Robert Scoble or anyone else in the Digital Raign Community anywhere any place any time. We are also interested in hearing from anyone who has had these experiences in the technology and associated industries at large.
It is our intention to support you, should you choose to share an experience with us, we promise to keep our dialogue/s confidential, support you in you in sharing publicly, or? Whatever your preferences are, we will respect them and you completely.
3. Convening
We are working to co-convene community conversations and a series of workshops in safe places over the coming weeks, months, years. If you are interested in joining us in activating these convenings, please Direct Message James, email him at j@digitalraign.com or call his cell 415-235-9640.
4. Coalition building
We will invite friends and allies to join us in exploring what we can do to most effectively address the cultural issues that persist in the emerging tech and entertainment industries, with the initial goal of facilitating a wide ranging, ongoing, engaged dialogue on equality, inclusion and safety to the future of work, of companies, conferences and events and within the investment community. Today the Digital Raign Impact Community is launching our ALL-IN Initiative, we hope you will join us.
5. Cultural Engagement
We believe that culture can be established from the symbols, rituals and reasons our art is made. Many of our community members, have taken to heart embedding art in culture while galvanizing shifts through their endeavors. I remain deeply moved by James Hanusa and Digital Raign Fam member Greg Delaune of UIX Global, activation and ongoing support of artistic pioneer Marco Cochrane and civic leadership from Debbie Acosta to bring the issue and culture of creating "a world where women feel safe" into the heart of Silicon Valley with the symbol of hope in "Truth is Beauty" in San Leandro.
As one of many action steps, we will continue supporting the spread of the message in this three part series of statues, through organizing around installations of Bliss Dance in Las Vegas and R-Evolution in DC as part of the Catharsis on the Mall gathering over the coming months.
https://www.catharsisonthemall.com
http://www.marcocochranesculpture.net/truth-is-beauty/
http://sl-tc.com/truth-is-beauty/
We feel a responsibility to contribute to a strategic intervention in both our community, in our industries and in the world. We believe we need a new normal. We believe we can't do it alone. We believe that if we don't take a stand together now, we will establish that this deplorable status quo culture is okay for future generations. We believe if we don't agree to a creed, the dual powerful American cultural export mechanisms of Hollywood, emerging technology industry, and and and... will set the values baseline for rest of the world. This is NOT okay!
Sincerely,
James, Alison & Digital Raign
~ We wrote this together, weaving our voices into this one voice. Know that this is not just my voice, this is my voice, James' voice and Digital Raign's voice.