(CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP)
The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation Launches the Careers in Entertainment Tour in Support of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative
WASHINGTON, DC – The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation (WSJFF), launched the “Careers in Entertainment Tour” (CIE) in support of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative (MBK).
The domestic tour launched with its first stop in Brooklyn, New York. Partners for the New York launch include The Rockefeller Foundation, the New York City Mayors office of Media and Entertainment and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The event hosted close to 600 youth from NYC Public Schools and colleges who gained an insightful perspective of alternative careers within the entertainment industry through panel discussions moderated by actor, author, and activist Hill Harper, and an interactive experience with immersive and experimental workshops with top executives, producers, educators, talent and production crew.
Panelists included Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Leona Lewis, actress Regina Hall and actor Jussie Smollett.
Domestic Tour Will Introduce Underserved Youth to Careers and Professionals in the Entertainment Industry
The CIE tour will engage young people who are interested in careers and entrepreneurial opportunities within the entertainment industry.
Will and Jada are proud to respond to President Obama’s call to action made through the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative to increase opportunities for all of America’s underserved youth, and specifically for boys and young men of color who are disproportionately affected by opportunity gaps in education and exposure to a variety of career paths.
(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
“The Careers in Entertainment Tour is an engine for change in our industry, and a means of closing the gap between dreams and the tools necessary to achieve them,” said Jada Pinkett-Smith. “This initiative in support of My Brother’s Keeper will engage our underserved young girls and boys in hope to inspire future generations — a responsibility I do not take lightly and one I cannot wait to bring to fruition.”
Two years ago, President Barack Obama launched My Brother’s Keeper to address persistent opportunity gaps and eliminate barriers that often prevent boys and young men of color from realizing their potential. Since then, the call to action has been answered by individuals, businesses and organizations across the public and private sectors.
The CIE tour will support these efforts by helping the next generation of young people increase their exposure to and build their marketable skills, in the hopes that their dreams, talents or interest in entertainment can be turned into meaningful professional careers and successful business ventures in the industry.
“The My Brother’s Keeper Task Force applauds the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation for responding to President Obama’s call to action to ensure all youth have clear pathways to opportunity and success in the entertainment industry,” said Broderick Johnson, Assistant to President Obama, Cabinet Secretary, and Chair of the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force. “We commend Will and Jada for leveraging their unique platform and networks to inspire and engage our nation’s most vulnerable youth, whose tremendous talents are too often underrepresented in this and other industries.”
“The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to support the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation in its work to expand opportunity to young New Yorkers of all backgrounds to pursue careers in the entertainment industry,” said Judith Rodin, president of The Rockefeller Foundation. “We are committed to building more inclusive economies and addressing the challenges facing unemployed youth today, and this program promises to open exciting, meaningful employment pathways for our city’s talented young workers.”
Each CIE tour stop will feature industry panels and an interactive career fair with an emphasis on segments of the entertainment industry. Tour participants will have the opportunity to hear from professionals who represent a variety of film and television industry careers, including filmmaking, television production, cinematography, composing, writing, project development, representation, distribution, sound design, film editing, public relations, and marketing, among others.
To learn more about the Careers In Entertainment Tour, please visit www.cietour.org.
