John Gibson got began his career as a staff assistant to former US Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), whom Gibson calls, “an incredible champion for racial and gender equality.” From there, it was onto undergraduate study at the University of Maryland University College and graduate school at the JFK School of Government at Harvard, after which he joined the Clinton administration where he worked alongside Agriculture Secretary (and former U.S. Representative) Dan Glickman at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). “At USDA I really got my feet wet in the civil rights and multicultural space, as the department had the misfortunate representation of being the most racially biased agency in the federal government. After leaving USDA, I worked at two nationally ranked corporate law firms in D.C. where I did consulting in public policy and later corporate diversity before landing at a private equity firm in Virginia. It was after my time at the private equity firm that I connected with former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd, who had just recently been appointed the Chairman and CEO of the MPAA. Upon joining the MPAA, I was able to use all of my past incredible professional opportunities and glean from those learnings to create the MPAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Program."
Since establishing the MPAA’s Diversity and Outreach Program, Gibson has cultivated key partnerships with leading organizations such as the American Black Film Festival and the Latino Donor Collaborative, both of whose advisory boards he serves on; the Washington Bureau of the National Urban League, serving on its Business Solutions Council; National Hispanic Media Coalition, National Association of Latino Independent Producers and several other groups working tirelessly to promote gender equality and diversity in film and television.
In light of the #MeToo movement and the successes of films like Wonder Woman and Black Panther Gibson says that, “presenting stories that accurately reflect the multiculturalism of our society has proven to be good business. Our studios are committed to showcasing the very best representation on the big screen. Their upcoming projects clearly demonstrate that commitment”
Gibson just recently returned from CinemaCon in Las Vegas, which is one of the largest gatherings of theater owners, film distributors, and film enthusiasts. During the convention every major studio and others put on these amazing presentations of their upcoming slates for the remainder of 2018 and part of 2019. "What I witnessed was an incredible range of diverse content. There was truly something for all races and backgrounds, including films with strong female leads, African-Americans, Asians, Latinos — you name it! I am excited about the direction we are heading in film and television — and what the future holds for inclusive creative content."
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