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FROM TOP: COURTESY OF THUNDERBIRD ENTERTAINMENT; COURTESY OF ANDHUMANITY APRIL 2021 BCBUSINESS 27 J ennifer Twiner McCarron had no illusions about becoming an artist when she began her film and television career in 1999, as an office produc- tion assistant at a local animation house. "But I loved to be around creative people," recalls the CEO of content production stu- dio Thunderbird Entertainment. "I quickly found that my passion was trying to create an environment where people could feel safe and honoured, no one felt like a num- ber, everyone was treated equally, and they could do their best work. So that's what's been driving me for over 20 years." Twiner McCarron, who took charge of the Vancouver-based Thunderbird group in 2018, also strives to use storytelling as a force for good. As part of that mission, the company ensures that people from diverse backgrounds watching its work see them- selves reflected onscreen. Shown on PBS Kids, Season 1 of Molly of Denali was the first animated series broadcast through- out the U.S. with a Native American lead; it also featured some 60 Indigenous actors, writers, producers and other contribu- tors. CBC hit Kim's Convenience was the first Canadian sitcom led by actors of Asian heri- tage. Queen of the Oil Patch follows the life of two-spirited Massey Whiteknife, a Cree businessman who moonlights as female singer Iceis Rain. Offscreen, Thunderbird has created opportunities for marginalized groups, including BIPOC and LGBTQ2S. Besides introducing a company-wide anti-racism policy, it helped launch a paid internship program on the set of Kim's Convenience for Black people aged 18-26. With the District of North Vancouver and Capilano Univer- sity, Thunderbird created On the Rise, an R U N N E R - U P AndHumanity For better or worse, few people have more influence on public opinion than marketers. Tammy Tsang took that to heart when she launched Vancouver-based AndHumanity with her brother, Matthew Tsang, last year. The inclusive marketing and commu- nications agency helps a wide variety of brands build customer loyalty and drive positive social change, by elevat- ing and authentically connecting with underrepresented groups. "We've been very lucky to work with some great clients who truly believe they want to make a change in the way they communicate," says Tsang, who is also founder of sister agency My Loud Speaker Marketing. To its knowledge, AndHumanity is the only such firm to ask equity, diver- sity and inclusion ( EDI) experts to help create a measurement framework and process for its efforts. The Tsangs hold weekly staff training on EDI, led by an in-house specialist. For 2021, they've asked other experts to join them. AndHumanity's team of 10 also works with advocacy groups from underrepresented communities. In exchange for, say, participating in focus groups or surveys, those nonprofits might receive funding or gain access to a brand's platform. "Advocacy for underrepresented groups cannot hap- pen unless the privileged are helping them along," Tsang says. Diversity + Inclusion W I N N E R Thunderbird Entertainment THEBUSINESSOF GO OD independent digital filmmaking program aimed at Indigenous youth. The company is also tackling under- representation of women and gender- nonconforming ( GNC) people in the film and TV industry's ranks. In Hollywood, women comprise just 15 percent of direc- tors, about 17 percent of writers and 18 per- cent of studio heads, according to a recent UCLA report. As well as striving for equity in its pro- ductions, Thunderbird has g iven women key leader- ship roles. McCarron's fellow female executives include CFO Barb Harwood and Wendy McKernan, COO of the Great Pacific Media arm. The group, which plans to achieve gender parity by 2025, has reached 40-percent female and 10-percent GNC representation in its kids and family division, which accounts for more than 800 of its 1,000 staff across North America. As pandemic lockdowns created more demand for its content, Thunderbird has set up all of those employees to work remotely. "The bigger and more exciting challenge is in fully realizing the push to make sure everything we do is authentic and the sto- ries we tell are diverse and inclusive," says Twiner McCarron, adding that the compan- ny's partners are on board. "Netflix, Disney, you name it—everyone's really taken on this mission. I'm so excited to see what the next couple of years of change bring." ANIMATING IDEA Thunderbird CEO Jennifer Twiner McCarron uses film and TV to champion diversity onscreen and off MARKETING SHIFT Tammy Tsang's firm promotes inclusion