Being an ally to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and other minority communities is more important now than ever before, and there are many ways to show your support. From shopping minority-owned to staying in tune with black-owned ad tech firms or organizations championing multi-ethnicity in our industry, there are numerous ways to drive diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Within the marketing and ad tech industries, specifically, there are many organizations and affinity groups for specific communities you can engage with on a professional level today.
The FreeWheel Council for Premium Video’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee has curated a list of such organizations below. Engage with these organizations when it comes to mentorship opportunities, hiring and recruitment, thought leadership, content creation and more!
Scroll down for a selection of organizations you need to know and check back as the list grows to include new ones.
AAPI
Asian Creative Network
Founded in November of 2018 as a Facebook group, the Asian Creative Network has since then evolved into a connected community of Asian creatives all over the globe. Their network consists of aspiring and professional creatives in vastly different disciplines, ranging from portrait photography to screenwriting to the culinary arts. Asian Creative Network’s purpose is to inspire, support, connect, elevate, and empower Asian creatives around the world.
3AF
The purpose of 3AF is to broaden members’ knowledge and share expertise on the Asian American market through conferences, seminars, events and programs, and to provide networking opportunities for Asian agencies, media and research professionals.
Center for Asian American Media (CAAM)
The Center for Asian American Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. For 40 years, CAAM has exposed audiences to new voices and communities, advancing their collective understanding of the American experience through programs specifically designed to engage the Asian American community and the public at large.
Pacific Islanders in Communication
The mission of Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) is to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges.
Black
Blacks Who Design
Focus: Recruitment/HR
Blacks Who Design highlights all of the inspiring Black designers in the industry. The goal is to inspire new designers, encourage people to diversify their feeds, and discover amazing individuals to join your team.
National Association of Black-owned Broadcasters (NABOB)
Focus: Media Events, Networking
NABOB is the first and only trade organization representing the interests of African-American owners of radio and television stations across the country. The association was organized in 1976 by a small group of African-American broadcasters who desired to establish a voice and a viable presence in the industry and to address specific concerns facing African-American broadcasters.
National Black MBA Association
Focus: Recruitment/HR, Networking
The mission of the National Black MBA Association® is to lead in the creation of educational, wealth building, and growth opportunities for those historically underrepresented throughout their careers as students, entrepreneurs and professionals.
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Focus: Engineering Events, Networking, Recruitment/HR
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. NSBE, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1975, supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology. NSBE’s mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.
Black Women
#HireBlack
Focus: Recruitment / HR, Women Focus
Helping 10,000 Black womxn get trained, hired, or promoted. What started as an idea to help 19 Black womxn with resume review sessions on Juneteenth has evolved into an initiative serving a network of 3,000 people and counting.
Hispanic
Hispanic Marketing Council
The Hispanic Marketing Council’s mission is to champion the Hispanic consumer segment and the importance it signifies to corporations seeking to grow their revenue and market share. And to advocate for responsible & intentional investment in Hispanic marketing, commensurate with the enormous opportunity the multicultural majority presents.
LGBTQ+
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the business voice of the LGBT community, is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for the LGBT business community. NGLCC is the exclusive third-party certifying body for Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) companies. Over 1/3 of Fortune 500 recognize this certification and partner with NGLCC to create fully LGBT-inclusive supply-chains.
People of Color
ADCOLOR
Focus: Media Events, Advertising Events, Networking, Recruitment/HR
ADCOLOR champions diversity and inclusion in creative industries. Their process is twofold. First, they help individuals and organizations RISE UP, letting their accomplishments and ideas shine. Then they teach these new leaders and would-be-mentors how to REACH BACK and find others who deserve to be noticed and promoted. ADCOLOR’s goal is to create a community of diverse professionals who are here to support and celebrate one another.
Hue
Focus: Recruitment/HR, Networking
Hue aims to amplify voices of color working in marketing, to increase visibility, and to pave a path to rise. You can join as an experienced marketer of color or as an ally who wants to support.
International Radio & Television Society (IRTS)
Focus: Media Events, Recruitment/HR
The IRTS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to bringing together the wisdom of yesterday’s founders, the power of today’s leaders, and the promise of tomorrow’s young professionals to build the next generation of media leaders, which we feel should more accurately reflect the diverse demographic of today’s media consumers. To achieve this, IRTS has spent over 35 years actively supporting diversity through their programs and initiatives. IRTS provides education through access with a series of academic programs, industry events, and mentorship pipelines.
Media Sales Institute (MSI)
Focus: Media Events, Recruitment/HR
The MSI was created to address the media industry challenge of ensuring a diverse workforce. In order to meet this challenge, the industry needs a large base of qualified and diverse candidates. The MSI is the best long-term plan to recruit highly qualified and diverse entry-level employees. The MSI is an affirmative and proactive way to recruit future sales executives into the media industry. MSI candidates are pre-screened and have demonstrated a strong desire to pursue a career in media sales.
National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC)
Focus: Media Events, Communications Events, Recruitment/HR
Founded in 1980, the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) is the premier organization that educates, advocates and empowers for multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. NAMIC’s success stems from their ability to provide the resources that allow members to cultivate their individual careers. Equally important, NAMIC partner with the country’s leading media companies that are committed to leveraging diversity as a business imperative.
Students
AdCamp by the American Advertising Federation (AAF)
Focus: Networking, Youth Focus
AdCamp introduces high school students to the many facets of advertising through hands-on learning activities. It provides them the opportunity to work on a real client campaign, interact with industry professionals, as well as explore career options through company immersions and classroom activities.
Women
Association for Women in Communications
AWC is a professional organization that champions the advancement of women across all communications disciplines by recognizing excellence, promoting leadership and positioning its members at the forefront of the evolving communications era.
Alliance for Women in Media
The Alliance for Women in Media is an organization for women, by women. They are committed to supporting women across all media segments, to expand networks, educate and celebrate accomplishments.
See Her
Launched in 2016, SeeHer is a growing group of media, marketing and entertainment leaders and influencers united in their commitment to eliminate gender bias across the industry.
The Female Quotient
Through their work, The Female Quotient tackles three fundamental, persistent challenges to parity: Gender inequalities still exist — and, in many cases, are getting worse. Women in business lack a community and a platform to raise their visibility. Organizations lack effective ways to close their equality gaps and engage the best talent.
She Runs It
She Runs It is a Century + old organization with roots and origins in membership and service to a community united in its intention to see more women as leaders. Established in 1912 – eight years before the 19th amendment was ratified – as “League of Advertising Women”, She Runs It has evolved to be a global organization with a mission to pave the way for more women to lead at every career level.
