The Walter Kaitz Foundation is a

not-for-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

to further diversity initiatives within the television industry and in the media. The Foundation carries out studies, provides sponsorship's, partnerships and grants. They also promotes inclusion and participation of women and multi- ethnic people of color in the industry.

History

The foundation was established in 1980 in honor of Walter Kaitz,Walter Kait
Biography of Walter Kaitz
/ref> a Russian immigrant who was president of the California Cable Television Association (CCTA)The California Cable Television Association (CCTA
- Visit the official Cable Television Association web site
/ref> from the early 1960s until his death in 1979. Kaitz graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

after attending on a scholarship for newspaper carriers, and later graduated from the University of California Boalt Law School. He was a vocal advocate of equal opportunities for individuals in business. His son, Spencer Kaitz, succeeded the elder Kaitz as President of the CCTA, and started The Walter Kaitz Foundation after receiving contributions in his father’s honor from industry colleagues. With offices in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, the Walter Kaitz Foundation is co-located with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, a cable industry public affairs organization. The foundation’s executive director is Michelle Ray. Michelle successfully developed the Foundation’s decade-old Hollywood Creative Forum, the first program of its kind uniting the efforts of the television industry, the Writers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences designed to match credentialed content creators of color with networks, studios and production companies serving the industry. The foundation raises funds from cable industry participants and disburses them through three independent not-for-profit organizations: The Emma L. Bowen Foundation, which prepares minority youth for careers in the

media industry Mass media refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets. Broadcast media transmit information e ...

; the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Cable, which helps people of color identify

mentors Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...

and advance their careers; and Women in Cable & Telecommunications, which provides career guidance and training for women in the communications field. From 2004 to 2020 the Foundation distributed over $20 million in support of programs and initiatives.

Annual Dinner event

Much of the funding for the Walter Kaitz Foundation comes from an annual dinnerThe Walter Kaitz Annual Fundraising Dinne
- visit the official Walter Kaitz Foundation Annual Fundraising Dinner web site
/ref> the organization presents to celebrate

Diversity Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce *Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers * ...

Week, a series of meetings and events sponsored by cable industry organizations in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. The dinner honors individuals from within and outside of the cable industry who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity. The foundation’s Annual Dinner, held in September in New York City, is a premiere social event for the cable industry, attracting top-level executives and industry professionals. The dinner raises funding for the Walter Kaitz Foundation and the organizations it supports. At its 24th annual fund-raising dinner in New York City in 2007, the Foundation raised about $1.7 million. In 2018 the Foundation raised about $1.4 million. In 2019 the Dinner was attended by about 800 persons who represented 68 organizations and companies.{{Cite web, url=https://www.multichannel.com/pr-feed/walter-kaitz-foundation-dinner-recap-release, title=36th Annual Walter Kaitz Foundation Fundraising Dinner Pays Tribute to Diversity and Inclusion, last=Contributor, first=PR Feed, website=Multichannel, language=en-us, access-date=2020-03-02

References

External links

Official Walter Kaitz Web Site
- The Official Web site
National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications

National Cable & Telecommunications Association

Women in Cable & Telecommunications

Spencer Kaitz Oral History, The Cable Center
- The Oral History of Spencer Kaitz Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.