The American Advertising Federation unveils foundation to promote diversity

The American Advertising Federation (AAF) has announced the launch of an all-new charitable arm – the AAF Foundation.

The 501(c)(3) was created to help AAF deliver on its mission to prepare and connect diverse talent to the advertising, media and marketing industries via a focus on education and lifelong learning, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Through the Foundation, new revenue streams, such as event-driven donations, public and non-profit grants, employee matching funds and honorariums, will now become available.

Steve Pacheco, President and CEO, American Advertising Federation: “For more than 100 years, the AAF has served as the only organization that includes members across all disciplines and career levels. We are the ‘unifying voice for advertising. Over the years, a major focus of our efforts has been education and diversity – driven largely via our Mosaic Center multicultural and diversity initiatives. Now, with the launch of our AAF Foundation, we will be able to build and expand upon these efforts.”

Some of the current Mosaic Center programs that will now fall under the auspices of the AAF Foundation include:

• The Mosaic Awards, which honor those companies and individuals whose commitment to diversity and inclusion can be seen through their creative work and more
• The Mosaic10 Awards, a consumer-selected list of the top multicultural moments of the year
• The Mosaic Fund, entering its second phase of expanding the mission and programming of the Mosaic Center which, for more than two decades, has helped implement a myriad of dynamic initiatives, championing a more diverse industry

In addition, one of the AAF’s student-focused education programs – the Student Advertising Career Conference (SACC) – will now reside under the AAF Foundation. The SACC provides students with an opportunity to learn about the field of advertising and help ignite careers. 

Candace Queen, VP, AAF Mosaic Center: “In a climate where the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion practices are more needed than ever, the philanthropic efforts of the AAF Foundation will act as a necessary conduit of change for the individuals and communities that we serve through our programs. We’ll continue our commitment to being on the right side of history and challenging each other towards continued growth and advancement in creating a more inclusive society.”

Dawn Reeves, EVP Member Services and Programs and head of education activities, AAF: “The AAF Foundation is a way to ensure that our investments in people and programs can prepare the next generation of leaders for the advertising, media and marketing landscapes. These are programs that can help them be better equipped to make a meaningful difference in our world – a sentiment echoed by the AAF Board, which granted their full and unanimous support for the Foundation.”

www.aaf.org

 

Bron

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