In 1993, then editor of Animation Magazine Rita Street founded Women in Animation with industry friends and colleagues to foster the dignity and advancement of women working in the animation field. For almost two decades, Jan Nagel and Hope Parker, along with a steering committee of industry professionals, worked tirelessly to empower and advocate for women within the animation industry — a commitment to equity that the organization continues today.

In 2013, Margaret Dean and Kristy Scanlan stepped into the role of WIA co-presidents. They were soon joined by a brilliant group of highly engaged volunteers who are still active more than a decade later, several who today still serve as board members, including Jinko Gotoh, who serves as WIA Vice President. Thanks to their visionary leadership plus the hard work of board members, staff, and a fleet of dedicated volunteers, WIA has evolved into the foremost gender identity-based advocacy organization in animation, championing equity for women and people of underrepresented gender identities.

Today, WIA touts a robust membership of more than 15,000 diverse creatives from around the globe. As animation continues to reach audiences of all ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities, and nationalities, so does the need to ensure that animation content represents the world as it should be – an environment in which all people are equally represented, both behind the scenes and on screens, to move culture forward.