ALL-IN

RADICAL INCLUSION

We are on the cusp of a new immersive industry, one that has the potential to fundamentally change the human experience. As we usher in the virtual and augmented realities industries - estimated to top $120 billion in the next few years, for the first time, we have the power to bring to life alternate realities which model and support entire new ways of interacting, exploring and relating to others.

The Challenge

While research clearly shows that a diversity of unique voices and histories are one of humanity’s greatest strengths, inequality is on the rise. We must create solutions that address gaps in access and opportunities. Now is the time to spark authentic conversations toward action orientated inclusion in the real world and in the immersive future. The quantum leap that is possible via exponential technology is not yet being accessed. Diversity and inclusion in corporate technology and many other industries too often amounts to lip-service. Technology companies have hardly moved the needle since they were challenged to report diversity numbers. Women make up under 20% of workforce and underrepresented groups are still at less than 12%.The women in tech movement has raised awareness, but isn't yet effecting systemic change. In the emerging technology industries the numbers are even worse at less than 5% for both women and underrepresented groups. The conversations related to interracial cross generational gender acceptance and acknowledgement have not even begun to scratch the surface. As a society, we are not engaging in enough real conversations, rather, we are often stuck at the political level which invites disintegration and fear based dialogue and does not get us to the heart of the matter let alone the meat at the bone necessary to facilitate not only dialogue but true change.

The Solution

We have an opportunity to shift the conversation, to give the crack in the doorway that exists today a swift, hard and calculated kick, creating a portal for equality, access, diversity and inclusion while facilitating innumerous opportunities in the workforce, education and training, media and in our global society at large. The focus of this session is addressing, supporting, and elevating conversations around inclusion & diversity; with a focus on constructive applications towards a more inclusive and diverse emergent technology industry that reflects local and global voices. Shifting the conversation and thereby actionable outcomes to a more authentic, dignity-enabling humanity-centric dialogue to influence both the tech industry and the world.

core team

ADVISORS

Dr. Tom Furness is an American inventor, professor, and virtual reality. a Professor at the University of Washington's Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, and the founder of the Human Interface Technology Lab at the University of Washington and its sister labs at the University of Canterbury and University of Tasmania. Known for his contributions in developing human interface technology, he has earned the title, "Grandfather of Virtual Reality." he is also the general manager and owner of the RATLab (Rocking and Thinking Laboratory), an engineering research and development company. he has continued to be a virtual reality visionary through his non-profit The Virtual World Society.

Gabo Arora is a Creative Director & Senior Advisor at the United Nations; Founder & President of LightShed, a virtual reality and social impact start-up; and an award-winning filmmaker represented by Within/Vrse.works. His work focuses on new technologies that promote social causes and make decision-making processes more inclusive. He is also founder of UNVR.org, the United Nations’ virtual reality lab.

Barry Pousman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Variable Labs, a company creating VR experiences to provoke deep immersion, foster empathy, and change behavior. Barry works with the U.N. as a Chief Digital Officer. He is formerly the head of Discovery VR Originals and consults with organizations and companies across the globe on virtual reality storytelling and uses for impact.

James Slezak has been named "one of the top creatives changing the world” by Origin Magazine. He is founder and chief executive of Swayable, a media analytics startup based in California, backed by Y Combinator and Higher Ground Labs. He was previously Vice President and Chief of Operations of NYT Global, the international digital division of The New York Times, where he worked with designers, journalists, technologists and marketers to build the next generation of digital experiences. He also worked as a founding partner at New York-based social change agency Purpose, as a strategy consultant at McKinsey, and co-founded the sharing economy organization Peers.org.

Cris Miranda established himself as one of the foremost experts on virtual reality by creating the longest running VR podcast, EnterVR. He is also the Marketing Director at Vivid Vision a company creating VR solutions for human vision problems and A founder of the Metaverse Scholar's Club, a non-profit dedicated to expanding our collective knowledge of VR and AR.

Our Network

Our global expert network is catalyzed through the shared experience of participants at our Annual Re-Imagine Reality Summits. The network HAS grown to a global community of over 2500+ industry leaders across social impact, mindfulness, business, research, artists, VR/ar/mr and associated emerging technologies. This network acts as an active knowledge exchange, collaboration platform and peer to peer mentoring system.

allies

Digital Raign is a networked organism, our growth is dependent on deep relationships with partners. We have an eclectic mix of production, services, nonprofit, think tank and media partners to bring our clients and community cutting edge experiences that align with our focus areas of emerging technology, social impact and consciousness/personal development. Please be in contact if you would like to join the circus and community of organizations and individuals exploring the edge of possibility.

Elizabeth is a technology for social good strategist and former journalist with more than 14 years of experience leading global digital inclusion and network-centered innovation programming,  partnership-building and reporting to improve access to information and opportunities for four billion people in emerging markets.

She has led international capacity building programs that enable people to participate and engage with the power of the Internet in their own language, she has managed and grown entrepreneurship skills-building supported by mobile phones, and she has supported the growth and development of local innovation and technology labs. She led partnership development for the international nonprofits Internews and One Global Economy with partners such as Cisco, Citi, Facebook, Google, Omidyar Network, Yahoo, and Symantec, and advised marketing and outreach for science and technology initiatives at the US Agency for International Development.

She has managed and grown social impact programs in Haiti, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, and South Africa, and led outreach in Senegal. She teaches vinyasa yoga in San Francisco and loves to be in the trails and waters where she lives in nearby Sausalito.