Media and Advertising Community to Host "Advancing Diversity Week" September 20-23

"This is a pivotal moment in the history of our industry," commented Philip McKenzie, chief strategy officer of MediaVillage and executive director for AdvancingDiversity.org. "We are ushering in a new spirit of belonging. The media and advertising industry is on a transformational journey to advance diversity from advocacy to activism and we are pleased to be leading the community on this vital voyage. Advancing Diversity Week will bring our 2021 theme 'From Inclusion to Belonging' to life across multiple virtual activations this fall and beyond."

The 2021 Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors companies and inductees are:

• 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies), Marla Kaplowitz, President and Chief Executive Officer
• 4A's Foundation, Simon Fenwick, Executive Vice President of Talent and Engagement
• AAF (American Advertising Federation), Steve Pacheco, President and Chief Executive Officer
• American Family Insurance, Sherina Smith, Vice President and Head of Marketing
• Citi, Carla Hassan, Chief Marketing Officer
• dentsu Americas, Jacki Kelley, Chief Executive Officer
• Entertainment Studios, Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
• Howard University's Cathy Hughes School of Communications, Gracie Lawson-Borders, Dean and Professor
• MOBE (Marketing Opportunities in Business & Entertainment), Yvette Moyo, Founder
• The CW Network, Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

"MediaVillage has an unparalleled commitment to and expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion in tandem with long term learning and a passion to drive industry growth," said Jack Myers, founder of MediaVillage and AdvancingDiversity.org. "The inductees were chosen for their dedication to advancing diversity from advocacy to activism. We're especially pleased to announce partnerships with Howard University’s Cathy Hughes School of Communications and HBCUs, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, The Female Quotient (FQ), American Advertising Federation (AAF), 4A's Foundation and the ANA's American Educational Foundation (AEF), among other diverse groups."

The inductees, who join an extensive list of past Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors inductees including ANA, P&G, Unilever, Verizon, AB InBev, IPG and Publicis Media, were chosen for:

• Having made a commitment to and established successful initiatives that advance diversity and inclusion within their organizations
• Demonstrating that advancing diversity and inclusion is good for business

A sneak peek at Advancing Diversity Week:

• Monday, September 20: "What's Next: D-E-I + Belonging!" If the industry is to remain relevant it must create viable pathways for long-term success of diverse talent. The panels will introduce the power of belonging and discuss how it is integral to meaningful transformation.
• Tuesday, September 21: "Belonging + Retention." Language, reviews processes and corporate norms favor the entrenchment of power. The panels will critically examine how these intuitions are often barriers to belonging and how we can reimagine them for a better industry.
• Wednesday, September 22: "Multicultural + Meaning" curated panels
• Thursday, September 23: Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors Induction Day

Additional programming will include:

• An "Award Tour Virtual Bus" road trip, in partnership with the AAF, bringing the industry to HBCUs and regions off the beaten path
• "Advancing Equality, Together" partnership with The Female Quotient
• Career Meetups + Job Fair Series connecting diverse groups currently working in our community with HBCU students, veterans, and other diverse individuals exploring career opportunities in our industry
• Expansion of the Advancing Diversity Education Fund and College Loan Relief Program

To learn more about Advancing Diversity Week and the year round AdvancingDiversity.org programs, visit https://week.advancingdiversity.org/. For the latest research on ad industry diversity census results, read The Myers Report here. For content created to explore diversity issues within the industry, visit The Pool, WomenAdvancing, Multicultural Media, LGBT+Advancing, The Age of Aging, and #Ask-GenZ.

For partnership opportunities, contact Claudine Waite at Claudine@mediavillage.com. For press inquiries, contact Diane Stefani at Diane@MediaVillage.com. Follow @AdvDiversity @MediaVillageCom @JackMyersBiz; hashtags: #AdvancingDiversityHonors #AdvancingDiversityWeek