I am proud to serve as an Executive Committee member of the Board of Directors for the French-American Foundation after having been named a Young Leader (’19, ’21). It is the only organization dedicated solely to sustaining and strengthening the French-American relationship at the highest levels of leadership.
Kicking off Black History Month, I moderated a Transatlantic Forum evening with Binkady-Emmanuel Hié. Binkady, known for his passionate advocacy in diversity, equity, and inclusion within the arts, shared his journey and insights, engaging members in a thought-provoking discussion. Motivated by a desire to foster inclusive discussions during his tenure at the Paris Opera, he penned a manifesto in 2020 addressing disparities in representation and practices within such institutions. His innovative approach to gathering data, despite France’s restrictive laws, underscored a strategic and impactful advocacy.
Following his tenure at the Paris Opera, Binkady founded NORME, an agency committed to infusing diversity, equity, and inclusion into France’s creative sectors. Through a multifaceted approach involving consulting, management, and creative projects, NORME aims to initiate institutional change and support underrepresented artists.
The conversation also ventured into the broader challenges of broaching diversity in France, emphasizing the importance of language, perception, and the quest for meaningful progress. Binkady advocates for a holistic change that transcends cosmetic adjustments, aiming for a shift in legislation, numerical representation, and societal behaviors.
The Transatlantic Forum creates a space to discuss topics of mutual concern across the Atlantic and foster relationships among leaders in France and the United States. Each session, which focuses on one subject in particular, hosts an expert in the field who provides an analysis of the subject and leads an in-depth conversation that engages the entire group.
Read more about our recent Forum dinner here and learn more about how to join us.
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