Sam Tatlow, ITV’s Creative Diversity Partner has been shortlisted for Shaw Trust’s 2021 Disability Power 100.
The Disability Power 100 is an annual celebration of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, working to break the stigma around disability, creating a more accessible and inclusive world for all.
“Being recognised by Shaw Trust in this way is an honour, thank you. Creating change, particularly for disabled people, is often a slow process and progress doesn’t happen as fast as anyone would like. The impact the pandemic has had on disabled people’s lives and careers over the past year and a half has been monumental but there have also been some benefits from the new ways we have all had to learn to live and work.
“I’m encouraged by this and feel we are turning a corner particularly when it comes to representation of disabled people in the television industry. I hope by this time next year that feeling has become a reality and I can’t wait for that to happen.” – Sam Tatlow
A fifth of the UK’s population has a disability or impairment, however, there is very little recognition of successful and influential disabled people. Shaw Trust wants to change the public perception of disability, to recognise strong, successful, influential people who are leaders in their field. Encouraging the talented leaders of tomorrow to connect with role models and see that aspiration and ambition can be fulfilled regardless of disability or impairment.
The Power 100 has the power to influence people from all walks of life and means something different to everyone on the list, Nikki Fox, BBC Disability Correspondent was announced as the 2020’s most influential disabled person in Britain and chaired the 2021 independent judging panel. This year there were more than 550 nominations for the 100 places on the list.
Sam is a Creative Diversity Partner at ITV and is part of the team delivering the Diversity Acceleration Plan. She is involved in delivering ITV’s Accelerating Disability into the Mainstream agenda which was announced in July 2021 and also works closely with producers and the commissioning teams to ensure a diverse and inclusive team are involved for all ITV commissions.
Working closely with her counterparts at the other broadcasters including BBC, Channel 4, STV, UKTV and Viacom CBS; Sam is involved in creating meaningful cultural change within the television industry, paying particular attention to accessibility and support packages such as Access to Work to enable increased representation of disabled people within our industry.
