Creativity Demands Diversity
Do you recognize who made these apologizes?
Major brands and agencies are apologizing because of their unconscious, cultural bias. They have created work that is offensive and hurtful to different ethnic or racial groups.
What can we do to fix this?
In three years Miami Ad School more than doubled minority enrollment. The diversity program we developed is really working!
— Pippa Seichrist, Co-founder, Miami Ad School
Miami Ad School knew if we could attract and train more minority talent we could help companies have more diverse creative departments. In 2016 the school developed and launched a comprehensive minority scholarship and mentorship program. We asked our existing minority students the obstacles they faced in trying to enter the industry. Then we developed a program that addressed these obstacles: knowledge of creative careers, funding, role models and industry connections.
The first 51 students in our minority scholarship and mentorship program graduated. They were hired by these brands and agencies.
There are a lot more students of color getting ready to follow in their footsteps.
The program is getting support from industry leaders.
This year Facebook, R/GA, VaynerMedia, Canvas, Carmichael Lynch and Campbell Mithun partnered with the school. They are providing funding and mentorship. Learn how your company can do this too!
Cannes Advertising Festival, the largest industry event in the world, has invited Miami Ad School to present the diversity program at the festival. Pippa Seichrist, co-founder of the school, will be presenting along with design student, Sheba Lee, and graduate, Mya Passmore, copywriter at Pandora Music.
Thank you for the photo Shenice Bee, art direction graduate. Shenice is now Production Coordinator at Cashmere Agency, multicultural agency of the year.
