*No need to ask “where are all the Black people in the Advertising world?”
A solution has been created – The One Club For Creativity. One Club is a non-profit organization recognizing creative excellence in advertising and design. They recently, announced two initiatives to bring awareness to the lack of diversity in advertising.
ONE School, a free, online portfolio school with a mission to close the gap for Black creatives within the Advertising space – an industry known for profiting off of Black culture. This initiative recognizes the unconscious bias in the recruiting process and how unaffordable the top portfolio schools – some two year programs can cost up to $40,000.
The One Club also has, “Where Are All The Black People?” (WAATBP), an annual diversity career fair and conference for advertising professionals and students of all levels. Since there isn’t a lot of representation in this space, many Black creatives interested in this field tend to deter into other careers. The One School has divisions in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Adrienne L. Lucas, is pushing for change as she spearheads the “Where Are All The Black People” initiative. And Dominique Wynne is making history as the first Black woman to become the Head of Atlanta’s One School.
This year, The One Club will be hosting their 10th annual “Where Are The Black People” conference with keynote speaker Amber Ruffin from “The Amber Ruffin Show.” Past keynote speakers include Van Jones and Black Thought from The Roots.
EUR correspondent Ty Cole spoke to Lucas about her views on ‘Black firsts’ still happening in 2021 and advice for Black creatives entering the advertising space.
Cole: Why is WAATBP important?
Lucas: Many times we hear executives say there aren’t a lot of people of color to hire for their advertising agencies or marketing firms – now they have no excuse. If you show up to our conference, you will be able to see a plethora of diverse creatives to hire.
Cole: What is The One School and the benefits a Black creative can gain from being a part of the initiative?
Lucas: It allows Black creatives to gain training and create a portfolio they need in order to receive a job in advertising for free. Over the course of 16 weeks, you’ll receive training and meet mentors that are not only invested in you, but also introducing you to their contacts so you can receive a job after graduation.
Cole: What advice would you give to Black creatives to will help them succeed in advertising?
Lucas: To either be themselves or do not enter this space. If a job is causing you anxiety or depression, you will not be able to be your best creative self. It’s your uniqueness that will add to your creativity so find a job that allows you to show that.
Fall 2021 applications are now open to join The One School and are due September 10th.
You can also attend the virtual WAATBP conference – click here to grab tickets.
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