Executive Vice President, Global Head of Inclusion & Executive VP of Public Affairs - Nickelodeon, Paramount Global
2016 Sidewalks of New York, Board President Marva Smalls' Speech
Mentoring ...
About Marva Smalls
Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President at Paramount Global, delivered a keynote at the 2019 Diamond xChange conference where she argued that diversity and inclusion efforts should be driven by data. She stated that "ethnically diverse companies are 33 percent more likely to outperform their peers while gender-diverse companies are 21 percent more likely to do the same," and noted that at her organization, "leadership's compensation is tied to their ability to create inclusive work environments." Smalls also referenced box office successes such as "Black Panther" and "Crazy Rich Asians" as evidence that audiences are "voting their eyeballs and their wallets" in favor of inclusive content. In 2016, Smalls spoke as Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, where she reported that the organization's "littles are demonstrating staggering results: 97% are being promoted to the next grade, 96% are graduating high school, and 94% are gaining acceptance to college." She also announced that the evening's dinner had raised $2.3 million. In a 2008 interview, Smalls discussed MTV Networks' "Kids Pick the President" initiative, noting that children had selected John McCain in a primary before the general election results were final.
Transcript (2 segments)
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Unknown0:02
You coming up? They're awfully slowly. Yeah, happening there. Good evening, everybody! What a thrill to be here. Hi! What, it's really... are you gonna recognize everybody? I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Person here said, 'Honey, I just want to say hi back.' I appreciate the friendliness. Thank you. That's it. It's New York. Okay, so good evening and welcome to the 37th annual Sidewalks of New York dinner. This is a very special event for us. Deborah was previously honored back here in 2010, so we're thrilled to be back as co-host. Of course, I didn't get anything, but what the heck. That's okay, that's okay. But we still love you. Thank you, we love you. Well, we are honored to be here tonight because we both share a deep belief in the value of empowering young people to succeed. And it's so clear that that's the mission of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of New York City, something you're doing every day. Mentoring. Like so many of you, I can look back into my life and think about mentors. My sixth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Dorothy Hardy, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters. I'm very fortunate to say that I had some influential mentors in my life. One of my mentors was the great Willard Scott. I can honestly say I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for somebody like him taking me under his wing and being pretty selfless about what he did. Well, aside from honoring mentors, tonight of course is a celebration of the profound impact that this organization has, not only in communities that it serves but beyond that. And of course, we're also here to honor three exceptional people who personify that mission. Truth is, when you've got an organization that has the ability to impact lives for more than 110 years, that has to speak volumes to the people behind those efforts. And throughout the evening, you're going to hear from a number of these individuals who will tell you about the power of mentoring and the ability, of course, that it has to transform lives. You'll also meet three remarkable mentoring matches, Bigs and Littles as they are called, who will share their inspiring stories. After hearing them speak, we're sure you will agree when we say the forecast for them is exceedingly bright. I couldn't resist. And help, good. Now he couldn't help it. Oh, you're shameless. So stop. He thought. Alright, so let's let us begin with the woman who is new to the stage at Sidewalks of New York but certainly not new to us all. I am especially excited to introduce her because she's also a friend, so I know she actually walks the talk. She has spent more than a decade making a difference as a member of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of New York City board and trustees and his executive committee. Marva Smalls has lent her steadfast leadership and unwavering passion to help raise the organization to new heights. This past summer, her fellow trustees elected her, of course, president of the board. That's no shocker when you think about Marva, a role in which we know that she is going to leave her mark. So ladies and gentlemen, would you all please join me in welcoming a woman that I am honored to call a friend, Marva Smalls.
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Marva Smalls3:26
Thank you, Alan, Deborah. You're the best. It means so much to have you back with us here this evening. Please join me in giving them a well-deserved round of applause. My friends, fellow trustees, honorees, Bigs and Littles, good evening and welcome to the 37th annual Sidewalks of New York dinner. I am so very privileged to join you. When Ed... it's been 14 years, I might say, since my dear friend Ed Gardner asked me to join the board of trustees. As many of you in this room know, when Ed asks, the answer is yes. But it wasn't arm-twisting; it was a gift, and a gift that keeps on giving. And as many of you know, Ed was one of the founders of this gala 37 years ago. Since then, he, along with my good friend Tawana Tips, have been spectacular champions as chair of this event year after year. And in fact, Ed asked me to say and reminded me that Tawana has stepped up, leaned in, and helped to elevate this dinner to a place where he couldn't have imagined. So thank you, Tawana, and Ed. And while the talent and commitment of my fellow trustees have always astonished me, stepping into this new role as board president has allowed me to fully appreciate just how many incredible board members we have. I would like to ask my fellow board members to stand, please. Thank you. Sadly, there is one board member who is not standing with us this evening. Jerome Siegel. Jerry passed away just a few short weeks ago, but his presence will remain with us forever. He was a stalwart board member and one whose counsel we often sought. Please join me in a moment of silence in his memory. Thank you. Jerry will be missed but not forgotten. And I'd like to give a special thank you to our Board Chair, Laura Parsons, who consistently goes above and beyond for this organization. And I would also like to thank Trustee Craig Clay and RR Donnelley for the pro bono printing of tonight's program as well as our award-winning annual report. Each year, every day, when I see the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters, when you take the one-on-one interactions between Bigs and Littles and multiply it by the thousands, I am left in awe and wonder. And when I look across this room, I am moved by what I see. I see in your faces that you're not just here to pay tribute to the amazing honorees that we have. The primary reason you are here is because you share in our mission to put a caring adult in the life of every child. And while most of you have your own day-to-day calling and profession, at your core, you understand that we all have to pay it forward to uplift the young people across all of the boroughs of New York City. Our mission means so much to me personally. I have the great good fortune of working for a company who champions linking business to the community. Every day, we encourage our employees to pursue their philanthropic passions beyond our corporate offices into the neighborhoods that make up this great city. Thank you, Cyma, Philippe, and the entire Viacom team. In fact, what Big Brothers Big Sisters does is allow us to connect the two, to open our doors wide to the people throughout our communities. The Nickelodeon workplace mentoring program has enabled me to meet countless Bigs and Littles, each with a unique, moving, and uplifting story. To see this work firsthand is truly to witness something extraordinary. And I'm talking about the Bigs as much as I'm talking about the Littles. The musician and songwriter Phil Collins once said, 'In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.' That's how I feel about mentoring, because wow, this is an act of benefits to our communities, and it's not a selfless one. We learn, we grow, and we gain, and we get connected across all of the barriers that normally divide us as a society: generational, ethnic, and socio-economic. But of course, what matters most is the impact we have on our Littles. And here, because of the guidance of those young men and women who serve as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, I can report that our Littles are demonstrating staggering results. Ninety-seven percent are being promoted to the next grade, ninety-six percent are graduating high school, and ninety-four percent are gaining acceptance to college. These are real-world outcomes we can take pride in, but they were not achieved overnight. They are the culmination of more than 110 years of hard work, born out of a steadfast belief in our organization and our mission. And day after day, it is our tireless staff who work to ensure the most transformative mentoring experience for every one of our Littles and their Bigs. So I want to thank them, and I want to thank each and every one of you for doing your part to bring the wonder of Big Brothers Big Sisters to five thousand young people in the last year, our greatest number ever. And in closing, let me say I am confident, very confident, that we will continue to grow this number, and in large part, it is due to the role of our honorees and tonight's dinner. Lisa Sherman, who gives a strong voice to our neighbors in need as CEO of the Ad Council. Cam Newton, who was not just the MVP in football but in life too, and who's a genuine role model for so many children. And Charles Phillips, whose unparalleled generosity benefits everything from youth-serving organizations to the arts. And last but not least, my fellow trustee and our dinner chair, Mark Standish, whose tenacity enabled us to raise so far this evening 2.3 million dollars. It's been a rare privilege to serve with Mark, Laura, and all the other trustees, and it's also given me an even deeper appreciation of the outstanding work being done by our next speaker and his team. As CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters New York City for the past six years, Hector Batista has deftly guided our organization with a steady hand, a visionary mind, and a caring heart. He is the driving force behind the success of our organization, and I am so proud to call this visionary, exemplary leader my good friend. Please join me in welcoming Hector.