Building good relationships is the backbone of Lopes’ success. His people-focused commitment to business is built on DEI. Hoping to level the gender gap in the historically male-dominated sports sector, he supports female leadership and played a key role in promoting Issa Balde to Senior Manager of Business Development & Innovation. His influence goes beyond ESPN: he serves on the University of Rhode Island Foundation board.
What movie or show is must-watch for celebrating diversity? “Remember the Titans” is one of the best sports movies of all time. It’s a fantastic portrayal of how diversity can make an organization stronger, and when people are educated about the absurdity of systematic racism they gain, they can change and stop the cycle for future generations.
Advice I would give a recent graduate: Build a solid network of people in the industry. Who you know and is willing to vouch for you is a major component of breaking into the sports business. Who you know will help you get hired but it won’t advance your career. If you don’t have a network now, then you have to create one for yourself.
Will AI help or hurt diversity and inclusion? Why do you think that? I think AI has a lot of potential for harm, but overall, I think it will ultimately be an asset for diversity and inclusion. Particularly the benefits of access to powerful AI tools should allow entry for millions of people into fields that might have been difficult for them to enter previously. AI learning assistants have the potential to teach millions of people to code and build complex models previously only reserved for a select few. The adoption of these tools could allow for more diversity and creativity in multiple industries.