Pioneers of Change for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Celebrated at 7th Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors Event Organized by the MediaVillage Education Foundation (VIDEO)
Last night in downtown Manhattan, delegates from the NYC Mayor's Office for Media & Entertainment joined more than 400 champions of change from 50 organizations at the 7th Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors event to celebrate pioneering leaders of diversity and inclusion in the advertising-supported media community.
Oganized by the MediaVillage Education Foundation, a nonprofit championed by media ecologist Jack Myers, the Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors inductees were introduced by Myers and board members Marla Kaplowitz, CEO & President of the 4A's, and Dean Gracie Lawson-Borders, Howard University, Cathy Hughes School of Communications.
This year's ceremony honored the achievements of 14 standout media, marketing and advertising companies, nonprofit organizations, and trade associations that have embedded diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) at the core of their growth strategies. The inductees are from the AD CLUB of New York, A+E Networks, Alma Advertising, ANA/AIMM, Bold Culture, Disney, FUTURE NOW, General Motors, Horizon Media, MAGNA Global, Mattel, Inc., McDonald's, Reckitt, and Walton Isaacson.
Part of the evening included Alia Jones-Harvey (pictured below with Jack Myers), Associate Commissioner of Workforce Development and Educational Initiatives for the NYC Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment, presenting Myers with a citation from Mayor Eric Adams. The citation read in part: "Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors highlights the many achievements of stand-up professionals in the field of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, who have led the way. This celebration emphasizes the significance of these values not just in business, but throughout every facet of life in our city. My administration is committed to shining a spotlight on those deserving individuals who have been overlooked for far too long. We are grateful for allies such as MediaVillage for their dedication to reenergizing our media landscape and eliminating the way forward."
Participants in the event represent a wide array of organizations, including but not limited to 4A's, Active International, A+E Networks, Alma Advertising, AMC Networks, American Family Insurance, Ampersand, Ana Ceppi, Association of National Advertisers (ANA), Cigna, Corporate Synergies Group (CSG), dentsu, Disney, Fidelity Investments, FOX Corp., General Motors, Google, GroupM, Hallmark Media, Horizon Media, IPG Mediabrands, Johnson & Johnson, Media Financial Management (MFM), Meta, Modern Executive Solutions, Multicultural Marketing Resources (MMR), NBCUniversal, Netflix, NPR, P&G, Paramount Advertising, Publicis Media, reachTV, Reckitt, Screenvision Media, Scripps Networks, Simulmedia, Talon, TelevisaUnivision, TikTok, UP Entertainment, VML, Walton Isaacson, Warner Bros. Discovery, Wide Orbit.
Jack Myers, the visionary behind this initiative, said: "The Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors has served as a beacon for recognizing and celebrating those committed to enhancing diversity since its inception in 2018. These efforts have not only enriched their businesses but have also set best practices across the industry. The MediaVillage Education Foundation continues its mission to empower and elevate talent, fostering an environment where innovation thrives and sustainable growth is achieved through diversity."
To watch a 12-minute video of the 2024 Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors inductees, watch above or visit here. For more information about the MediaVillage Education Foundation, visit www.mediavillage.org. Learn more about the educational resources of MediaVillage at www.aboutmediavillage.com. For partnership inquiries, contact Robin Wallace at robin@MediaVillage.org or Maryann Teller at Maryann@MediaVillage.org, and for media inquiries, reach out to Diane Stefani at Diane@MediaVillage.org.
