The Why: Silberwasser has made DEI a business imperative for WBD Sports. Within his first months in his role last year, he attended the National Association of Black Journalists’ and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ annual conventions and met with the NAHJ Sports Taskforce to discuss growth strategies. A strong partner to WBD News and Sports’ chief diversity officer, he recently participated in “Connected Conversations: Voices Against Antisemitism,” part of an internal program to foster a sense of belonging, where he shared his perspective on the current rise in antisemitism.
He Says… “DEI efforts have a massive, positive impact within the entire organization, making everyone a better colleague, manager and individual.”
What movie or show is a must-watch for celebrating diversity, and why? It may not be an obvious choice, but the movie that comes to mind is “Hidden Figures”—a real story of three brilliant African American women, who were part of the NASA space program. I like the movie for two main reasons—first, it showcases issues of racism and exclusion in the workplace; and second, it celebrates the positive impact, unique skills, and real contributions that the characters made to the overall group and the achievement of the mission.
What’s an overlooked value of DEI? While DEI efforts are centered primarily on attracting and retaining diverse talent, they also have a massive, positive impact within the entire organization, making everyone a better colleague, manager, and individual.
How have attitudes about DEI changed through my career? There has been a workplace shift from being more singularly focused on recruiting and increasing DEI numbers to a holistic approach addressing important issues such as career development, training, retention, social justice, and active participation.
