Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of the largest talent agencies in the world, is set to host its first annual “Amplify” event to promote diversity in Hollywood and the entertainment industry.
The two-day invitation-only confab will feature sports and entertainment executives as well as technology and media moguls.
Organizers of the “Amplify” event, Deadline reports, want “to inform, inspire, and connect multicultural leaders to accelerate the growth, value, and visibility of diversity in business.”
Attendees of the June 20 gathering, set to take place in Laguna Beach, CA, will hear remarks from Scandal star Kerry Washington, Star Wars: The Force Awakens director and producer J.J. Abrams, and other entertainment tycoons including Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara.
Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU, is also expected to speak.
Earlier this year, CAA hosted a political summit called “Take Action Day,” during which activists and industry alumni participated in workshops and heard presentations on topics including immigration, civil rights, and the environment.
CAA president Richard Lovett said he hoped the gathering would encourage his colleagues to take action on those political issues that mean the most to them.
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) and U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA 23) both spoke at the event.
Hollywood agencies have stepped up their political advocacy in the wake of Donald Trump’s election. In February, CAA competitor UTA (United Talent Agency) cancelled its annual Oscar party in lieu of a rally in support of refugees.
Last month, UTA participated in the left-wing “Day Without a Woman” strike, that saw female employees of the Hollywood mega-agency attend day-long protests.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson
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