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# Event organisers — Be the change you wish to see… at the gala dinner.
- URL: https://vaughan.ai/blog/be-the-change-you-wish-to-see-at-the-industry-gala-dinner/
- Published: 2016-06-10T03:55:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-07T23:21:08.000Z
- Author: Vaughan Fergusson
- Tags: Diversity, Tech, Future, #medium-import

Diversity in many industries is a problem. In tech, my industry, it’s an issue but it’s not limited to just our industry. It’s a bigger problem at the leadership levels of most. To see this just attend an industry “black tie” dinner or awards dinner and notice that the tables are full of black tie donned middle aged white guys.

The diversity conversation comes up more and more at these dinners which is a positive observation, but there is also a common observation that even though diversity at these dinner events isn’t that great, hey it is changing and the tables full of guys at these things are not that representative anymore.

Well that is really cool news. But there is a cool saying I love. Be the change you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi said that and he was pretty cool. If you can’t see diversity at events then either it doesn’t exist, or you are continuing to perpetuate the wrong image.

![](https://vaughan.ai/content/images/2026/11/0f3e40639245.jpeg)

Gandhi loved celebrating at dinner. It brought everyone together.

Here are five simple ideas for event organisers to help change this at your awards dinner. You don’t need to be Gandhi:

1. Firstly, at your awards dinner invite the organisations attending to represent their actual organisation’s diversity **at their table** on the night. If they are proud of their ratio of gender, ethnic or another form of diversity then represent the ratios of these with people at the table. Celebrate with the people they value and that make them proud. Celebrate this further by championing the most diverse organisations and tables on the night. Diversity doesn’t need to be a negative conversation and by celebrating the visible diversity it may make others think about why their table is all white and male.
2. Invite a diverse group of speakers along. That’s obvious and easy.
3. Don’t use promo girls to hold the awards to the side of stage. Use promo guys as well! Or even better have diverse up-and-coming stars in your industry to hold and hand out the glass to the (hopefully diverse) winners.
4. Invite an MC who champions diversity. Who’s bag of MC tricks doesn’t involve racist or sexist comments (no matter how subtle or funny).
5. Lastly, don’t call it a black tie event. Not everyone feels comfortable wearing one, especially if you prefer a dress.

These 5 things are all really easy to do. They just involve thinking a bit more about who you would invite along and how you organise the proceedings of the dinner to celebrate the diversity in the room. They don’t cost anything, and you can be seen to be part of a positive movement.

You can’t change the participants of the industry itself, but you can help change how the industry views itself long term. And in a really positive manner.