The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced that Courtney Simon will be honored with the Richard B. Jablow Award at the 69th annual Writers Guild Awards at New York’s Edison Ballroom on Sunday, February 19, 2017.
The Jablow award was established in 1978 to recognize devoted service to the Guild. It was created in honor of Richard B. Jablow, who helped found the WGAE, authored its constitution and served as its first counsel.
A Guild member since 1980, Simon has written for twelve different daytime dramas, including AS THE WORLD TURNS, SANTA BARBARA, GUIDING LIGHT and ALL MY CHILDREN. She has won seven Daytime Emmy Awards and seven Writers Guild Awards.
Simon has served on the WGAE Council since 2007, where she has been active in lobbying efforts to promote a diversity-based tax credit in New York state. She co-chairs the WGAE Diversity Coalition, is a member of the Awards Committee and has been chair of the Daytime Committee.
“Not only is Courtney Simon a gifted writer who has mastered the intricacies of daytime drama, she has been a dedicated member of the Writers Guild of America, East council and a hardworking contributor to a number of union committees, most recently as co-chair of our Diversity Coalition,” noted Michael Winship, President of the Writers Guild of America, East. “No one is more deserving of our Jablow Award, presented to someone who has so thoroughly devoted herself to the Writers Guild of America, East.”
In addition to Courtney Simon being honored with the Jablow Award, John Waters will be presented with the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement, Steve O’Donnell will be honored with the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence and Jelani Cobb will be presented with the inaugural Walter Bernstein Award.
The 2017 Writers Guild Awards ceremony in New York will be hosted by Lewis Black. The initial list of presenters includes Becky Ann Baker (“Girls”), Dylan Baker (“The Americans”), Danielle Brooks (“Orange Is The New Black”), Bill Camp (“The Night Of”), David Harbour (“Stranger Things”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Atlanta”), Jill Kargman (“Odd Mom Out”), Jane Krakowski (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Elizabeth Marvel (“Homeland”), Amber Ruffin (“Late Night With Seth Meyers”), David Simon (“The Deuce”), Christian Slater (“Mr. Robot”), Triumph The Insult Comic Dog (“Triumph’s Election Special’) and Steve Young (“Maya & Marty”).
The Writers Guild Awards honor outstanding writing in film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio, promotional, and graphic animation categories. The awards will be presented at concurrent ceremonies on Sunday, February 19, 2017, in New York City at the Edison Ballroom and in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton.
Differences bubble up between PepsiCo and Coca-Cola on diversity programs
PepsiCo confirmed Friday that it's ending some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, even as rival Coca-Cola voiced support for its own inclusion efforts.
In a memo sent to employees, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company will no longer set goals for minority representation in its managerial roles or supplier base. The company will also align its sponsorships to events and groups that promote business growth, he said.
Laguarta wrote that inclusion remains important to PepsiCo, whose brands include Gatorade, Lay's potato chips, Doritos, Mountain Dew as well as Pepsi. The Purchase, New York-based company's chief diversity officer will transition to a broader role focused on employee engagement, leadership development and ensuring an inclusive culture, he said.
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last month, U.S. government agencies, companies and schools have rushed to reevaluate policies and programs they adopted with the goal of reducing discrimination against members of minority groups, women and LGBTQ+ people.
Trump ended DEI programs within the federal government and has warned schools to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money.
PepsiCo's rollback came as Coca-Cola reaffirmed support for its DEI efforts.
In its annual report, Atlanta-based Coke warned that its business could be negatively affected if it is unable to attract employees that reflect its broad range of customers.
"Failure to maintain a corporate culture that fosters innovation, collaboration and inclusion … could disrupt our operations and adversely affect our business and our future success," the company said.
Coca-Cola has set a goal of having women in 50% of its senior leadership roles by... Read More