Originally published at corporate.comcast.com. Comcast NBCUniversal ranked No. 6 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2021.
Black stories are part of the fabric of American history. These stories, known and still being uncovered, tell of our past, present, and future, and enrich the picture of who we are. This Black History Month, join Comcast NBCUniversal as we celebrate and spotlight Black storytellers.
With our reach in media and technology, we have an opportunity to support the Black leaders and creators of today and of future generations. From amplifying diverse voices to creating opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs, to bringing broadband and digital skills training to underserved families, we are leveraging our unique platforms to help create positive change.
Celebrating Black Storytellers
The power of Black storytellers can be felt across all our platforms. February marks the one-year anniversary of the Black Experience on Xfinity, and we’re celebrating with the largest curated independent Black film collection on demand.
Curated by industry leaders, the Black Experience on Xfinity features high-quality content from many of Xfinity’s existing network partners, while investing millions of dollars in showcasing emerging talent from the top Black film festivals with films like Zahra and the Oil Man, Paris Blues in Harlem, Riverment, Twenty Pearls and Civic Mind. The channel is the only one of its kind endorsed by the African American Film Critics Association, the world’s largest group of Black film critics that gives annual awards for excellence in film and television.
Independent Black Filmmakers: This Black History Month, Xfinity continues to celebrate the Black community’s remarkable contributions to American culture with a new special collection featuring a retrospective that highlights the cinematic achievements of independent Black films and filmmakers with titles like Fruitvale Station and Eve’s Bayou.
Black History Collection: For history enthusiasts, the Black History 24/7 collection showcases historical stories and stories about history-in-the-making, featuring movies, specials, documentaries, TV shows, and more.
Free Network Content: Throughout the month, there will also be free sample content available to customers from TV network providers like Afro, The Africa Channel, BET, BET Her, Black & Sexy, REVOLT, OWN, Aspire TV, The Impact Network, TV One, Cleo TV, KweliTV, and UP Faith & Family.
Available at home on Xfinity X1 and Flex, and on the go with the Xfinity Stream app, the Black Experience on Xfinity is a one-stop destination for Black storytelling. It can also be accessed by saying “Black Experience” into the Xfinity Voice Remote.
To further spotlight Black storytellers, Comcast will continue to champion civil rights heroes through our ongoing “Voices of the Civil Rights Movement” series. series. This month, we will share the stories of the New Orleans Four, a group of pioneering little girls who desegregated New Orleans public schools in 1960. Also this month, Voices of the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Experience on Xfinity bring the stories of scholars, community organizers, business owners, and residents to the forefront as they work to reclaim MLK Boulevards in Baltimore, St. Louis, and beyond in a new documentary, “Avenues of Dreams: Reclaiming MLK Boulevards.” To complement these efforts, Xfinity’s “Our Stories. Our Storytellers.” campaign will showcase the importance that Black directors have on storytelling.
At NBCUniversal, the month-long “Together We Rise” campaign will drive cultural awareness by highlighting Black creators, historical figures, small business owners, and communities. The campaign will star spoken-word artist and Season 15 America’s Got Talent winner Brandon Leake, and feature Black talent across NBC’s portfolio of brands while focusing on Black achievements in film, TV, music, politics, and sports.
Digital Equity & Social Impact
We’re committed to supporting our partners who are advancing digital equity and driving social impact through our multiple storytelling platforms. In partnership with Echoing Green, we will premiere the documentary “Unwavering: The Power of Black Innovation” on NBC-owned and affiliated stations nationwide in February. The documentary introduces viewers to several Echoing Green fellows and shows firsthand how their suffering through years of racial injustice motivated them to be the leaders they are today.
Throughout the month, Comcast Newsmakers will release new interviews with leaders, including Brittany Bellinger of Youth Design Center, Montea Robinson and Sharese Bullock-Bailey of Ghetto Film School, and Ayris T. Scales of Walker’s Legacy Foundation, who are committed to advancing Black Americans across technology, the arts, women’s entrepreneurship, and the innovation economy.
Supporting Black-Owned Businesses
Through Comcast RISE, we’ve made a multi-year commitment to provide marketing services, technology makeovers, and cash grants to small businesses owned by women and people of color. As a result, entrepreneurs like Sabrina Scott-Pappas of ES Beverage, Claudia Fitzwater of Project: Body, and Angelus McFarlane of Ravlin Martial Arts, and nearly 6,700 other businesses across the country have seen their businesses grow.
In February, Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs is amplifying the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented entrepreneurs in its “Founding in Color” docuseries which features Black and Latino founders as they get candid about race, identity, personal struggles, and a global pandemic.
Advancing Black Talent in Tech
During Black History Month, Black technologists from across Comcast will gather virtually on February 23 for the third annual BENgineers conference. Through the day-long professional development event, BENgineers, which stands for Black Employee Network of Engineers, will share experiences, create connections, and explore how their innovations and contributions make Comcast an even more inclusive and equitable workplace – leading to smarter and more impactful technology products and innovations.
Later this month, JFF, a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American workforce and education systems, will release a report – with support from Comcast NBCUniversal – highlighting top innovators advancing Black talent in tech and digital careers.
Our Commitment
Our Black History Month celebration is part of our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion which was accelerated in June 2020 with a $100 million commitment to meaningfully affect systemic change. To deepen our impact in the communities we serve, we’re investing $1 billion to reach 50 million people over 10 years through Project UP – our comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.
