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November 19, 2019
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Our  Work in Media, Telecom & Tech! 
MMTC Launches Inaugural Access to Opportunity Conference on October 31st 
at  Hogan Lovells Conference Center
MMTC hosted its inaugural Access to Opportunity Conference on October 31, 2019, at Hogan Lovells Conference Center in Washington, DC. The conference reflected MMTC's pivotal role as a convenor and a connector that educates and trains diverse communities on law and policy, and access to capital, jobs, and other opportunities available to them in an increasingly digital economy. 

Experts from government, industry, and NGOs discussed the top policy issues before the FCC, FTC, Congress, and the courts on topics such as big data and antitrust; legacy media vs. new media and over-the-top platforms; broadcast retransmission consent; the future of work, apprenticeships, and bridging the skills gap; piracy of copyrighted works; consumer online privacy; and the impact of facial recognition and other algorithmic technology opportunities, and biases, on communities of color.

Read the Wakelet blog here .

See the photos  here.

Watch the videos here.
Many Thanks to the Access to Opportunity Conference Sponsors, Speakers,  and Attendees!
Special Thanks to MMTC Excellence in 
Pro Bono Services Honoree Ashley Hager, 
Partner, Troutman Sanders, and 
Sharie Brown, Partner, Troutman Sanders!
MMTC and Charter Communications Host 
Multicultural Content Creators Forum at  DC Office of  Cable Television,  Film,  Music & Entertainment 
On October 24th, MMTC and our sponsor, Charter Communications, hosted the Multicultural Content Creators Forum, an in-depth discussion on the importance of stories told by people of color in media, television, and film, and the impact these images have on communities of color and society at large. The speakers included:
  • Brandi Colander, Head of External Relations, D&I, Charter Communications
  • Angie M. Gates, Director, DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment
  • Lawrence N. Cooper, General Counsel, DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment
  • Michelle A. Ray, Executive Director, The Walter Kaitz Foundation
  • Robyn Greene Arrington, Vice President of Original Programming and Production, TV One and CLEOtv
  • DeShuna Spencer, Founder, KweliTV
  • Kim Tignor, Executive Director, Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice
  • Felix Sanchez, Co-Founder, National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts
  • Curtis Symonds, CEO, HBCU Network and HBCU Go App

MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley moderated the panel discussion.  The event was held at the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment.

Read the Wakelet blog here.

See the photo gallery prepared by the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment here.  
MMTC CEO Maurita Coley Joins Rev. Jesse Jackson and Others at PUSH Media & Telecom Symposium, Discussing What's at Stake for Communities of Color
MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley participated in  the Town Hall "The State of Telecom and Tech and What this Means for Communities of Color" on November 14th during the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund's Media & Telecommunications Symposium at the Xfinity Chinatown Store in DC. 

Coley's co-panelists included Marie Sylla-Dixon, Senior Vice President, T-Mobile; Christopher Lewis, Vice President, Public Knowledge, and Clint Odom, Senior Vice President, National Urban League.  Diane Griffin Holland, Broadband Fellow, National Urban League, moderated the Town Hall discussion. 

See photo highlights featuring:
  • Maureen Lewis, Director, Minority Telecommunications Development, NTIA, and 2019 Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award honoree; Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Founder and President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Steven Smith, Executive Director, Public Policy Institute and Media & Telecom Project, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; and Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Fellow, Brookings Institution
  • John Gibson, Vice President of External & Multicultural Affairs at Motion PicTure Association, and 2019 Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award honoree; Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Founder and President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Steven Smith, Executive Director, Public Policy Institute and Media & Telecom Project, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; and Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Fellow, Brookings Institution
  • Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Brookings Institution; Kristal High Taylor, NFLUENCE; and Marc Littlejohn, Verizon 
  • Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., chatting with Max Ateba, MMTC Senior Fellow, Corporate Development and Business Strategy and FinTech and HealthTech Advisory
Photo highlights above feature:
  • Maureen Lewis, Director, Minority Telecommunications Development, NTIA, and 2019 Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award honoree; Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Founder and President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Steven Smith, Executive Director, Public Policy Institute and Media & Telecom Project, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; and Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Fellow, Brookings Institution
  • John Gibson, Vice President of External & Multicultural Affairs at Motion PicTure Association, and 2019 Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award honoree; Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Founder and President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Steven Smith, Executive Director, Public Policy Institute and Media & Telecom Project, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; and Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Fellow, Brookings Institution
  • Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Brookings Institution; Kristal High Taylor, NFLUENCE; and Marc Littlejohn, Verizon 
  • Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., chatting with Max Ateba, MMTC Senior Fellow, Corporate Development and Business Strategy, and FinTech and HealthTech Advisor
MMTC CEO Maurita Coley Speaks at 
National Association of Latino Elected Officials' (NALEO)  Legislative Summit on October 25th
On October 25th, MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley spoke  on the " Future of 5G Mobile Technology: Challenges and Implication s" session  at the  NALEO Educational Fund's Legislative Summit  in Las Vegas, Nevada. Coley provided an overview of MMTC's work to promote access and adoption to ensure broadband connectivity and digital inclusion across America, especially in communities of color. David Young, Vice President of Public Policy at Verizon, and Texas State Representative Armando Martinez also participated in the panel discussion. 
MMTC Vice President Dr. Rikin Thakker  Moderates 5G Infrastructure Panel at DC5G Conference
On November 4th, Dr. Rikin Thakker, MMTC Vice President of Telecom and Spectrum Policy, moderated the "W ho's Paying for 5G Infrastructure? Alternative Funding Mechanisms" panel during DC5G, a problem-solving conference that gave attendees clear actions they can take to build, adopt, and/or enable 5G

During Dr. Thakker's session, the panelists discussed the available range of financing options and alternative mechanisms for 5G deployment. Panelists included Jason Nelson of Smart Cities Council, Mark Reudink of Crown Castle, Lisa Youngers of Fiber Broadband Association, and Daryl Sullivan of Hitachi America. 
MMTC News
Catch up on MMTC in the News:

Congratulations to MMTC 2015 Hall of Fame honoree Debra Martin Chase, President and CEO, Martin Chase Productions, on producing the film, Harriet and receiving the Arts Award at the National Urban League's 63rd Annual Equal Opportunity Dinner this month. 
Co ngratulations to Marissa Perry Sharpe, MMTC 2019 Cathy Hughes Fellow and a recent graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, on passing the Georgia Bar Exam. Sharpe is working as the Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Donine Carrington Martin in the Circuit Court for Charles County, Maryland.
 
Meet MMTC's 2019 Fall Fellows
Max Ateba, MMTC Senior Fellow,  Corporate Development and Business Strategy and FinTech and HealthTech Advisory is a  a Corporate Development, Strategy and Finance professional with years of experience as a Management Consultant at Deloitte and a Banker at J.P.Morgan .

Dr. Sarah Diekman, MMTC Earle K. Moore Fellow, is a third-year student at Florida A&M University (FAMUL) College of Law. Currently, Diekman serves as the President of the FAMU College of Law's ACLU Chapter.

Nicholas Poppell, MMTC Earle K. Moore Fellow, is a third-year student at Florida State University College of Law. Currently, Poppell serves as the Article and Notes Editor of the Journal of Transnational Law and Policy.

Margeling Santiago, MMTC Henry M. Rivera Fellow, is a third-year student at Florida State University College of Law. Currently, Santiago serves as the 
Treasurer of the   Advocates for Immigrant and Refug e e Rights.     
Download MMTC's Jumpstart Tech 
Career and Business Guides 


MMTC created the  Jumpstart Your Tech Career Guide   and Jumpstart Your Tech Business Guide to support those who are looking to start or strengthen their careers and businesses in the tech industry. The   MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Career Guide   provides a four-step process along with resources to help you develop and execute your tech job search strategy. The four steps include:
  • Step 1: Do relevant work.
  • Step 2: Listen to the buzz.
  • Step 3: Start applying.
  • Step 4: Identify conferences and tech weeks to attend for training, resources, information sharing, and networking.

Whether you're a student, a recent graduate, or a mid-level or seasoned professional exploring tech entrepreneurship, the MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Business Guide provides a five-step process along with resources to help you develop and execute a strategy to launch your business. The five steps include:

  • Step 1: Launch Your Tech Business
  • Step 2: Fund Your Tech Business
  • Step 3: Target Funders Who Support Diversity
  • Step 4: Partner with Corporate Supplier Diversity Programs
  • Step 5: Identify Peer Groups, Continuing Education Opportunities, Conferences and Events 
Download the FREE guides and share then with your network.
  • Go here to get a copy of the MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Career Guide
  • Go here to get a copy of the MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Business Guide
Subscribe to MMTC TV 

Have you seen MMTC TV yet? Go here to watch videos of MMTC's Broadband and Social Justice Summits and Access to Capital and Telecom Policy Conferences. 
 
Social Media Highlights 
MMTC's October Social Media Highlights

Learn more about MMTC's work by visiting our Wakelet Blog:
Invest in MMTC
Help Expand MMTC's Work in Media, Telecom & Tech!

MMTC Staff 2018
With our nonpartisan values of diversity and inclusion, MMTC continues to pursue our work with great determination notwithstanding our modest resources.  We  offer our sincere appreciation for support in helping us deliver our world-class advocacy, convenings, and policy leadership in industries regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.
 
TO SUPPORT MMTC, YOU CAN DONATE IN TWO WAYS:
  • Fellowship: Help the next generation of media and telecom lawyers and policy professionals to advocate on behalf of our nation's multicultural, women, and underserved communities by investing in the new Henry M. Rivera Fellowship.  Other fellowships you are invited to support are the Cathy Hughes and Earle K. Moore fellowships. 
  • General: Make a donation to general support.
MMTC is recognized by the IRS under 26 U.S.C. ยง501(c)(3). All contributions are tax-deductible.

Your support makes it possible for MMTC to serve as an advocate for diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity in the nation's most important industries. 
Thank You! 
About MMTC
The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) is a non-partisan, national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving equal opportunity in the mass media, telecom and broadband industries, and closing the digital divide. MMTC is generally recognized as the nation's leading advocate for multicultural advancement in communications. We strongly believe that the breathtaking changes in communications technology and the new global forms of media partnerships must enhance diversity in the 21st century.

About MMTC Media & Telecom Brokers 
As the nation's only nonprofit media and telecom brokerage, we invest time and effort in training a new generation of media and telecom entrepreneurs. Our brokerage services have expanded to include consulting. So please think of us if you have a client or a friend looking to enter the broadcast business that needs a seasoned brokerage firm. We are dedicated to our cause of promoting diverse broadcast ownership in media, telecom, and tech.
 
Want to learn more about MMTC Media & Telecom Brokers? Contact Suzanne Gougherty at sgougherty@mmtconline.org or David Honig at dhonig@mmtconline.org.