Today was a powerful and unforgettable one for all of us at Adweek.
Over the past week, as our communities, our nation and our world were focused on emotionally intense debates around inequality and justice, we did our best not only to listen and cover these conversations, but also to foster them whenever possible.
That commitment (along with an incredible amount of hustle by many of my colleagues) resulted today in the most powerful presentation I've ever attended: A State of Revolt. This virtual event brought together 13 incredible Black leaders in brand marketing and agencies.
The conversation, moderated perfectly by JPMorgan Chase's Katrina Craigwell, was raw, unfiltered and earnest in a way you'd never expect from a marketing event. And for that reason, it was also profoundly impactful and resonant.
Here are a few of the comments from the event that have stuck with us:
• "How can you ask if we're healing when we're still bleeding?" —Lincoln Stephens, co-founder of the Marcus Graham Project
• "I'm doubling down on being vulnerable right now." -Julian Duncan, CMO of the Jacksonville Jaguars
• "It’s time to have those tough conversations. You cannot protect and dismantle the same system." —Victoria Russell, chief of diversity, equity and inclusion for Papa John's International
• "I was the only black person when I first started at an agency. If it wasn't my job to stand up and speak up, I don't know whose job it would be." —Jabari Hearn, vp of brand for Lyft
• "What we are experiencing today is a reckoning, and there will be no turning back." —Justina Omokhua, svp of brand marketing for Endeavor
• "Everyone's asking, 'How can I help?' I say: 'I need you to keep the same energy one week, a month, a year year from now." —Tiffany R. Warren, svp and chief diversity officer of Omnicom
On that note, I'll be thinking about this conversation for a very long time and looking for ways each day to bring these lessons to life.
You can read more and watch the full presentation on Adweek. And be sure to check out our special episode of Adweek's diversity podcast, D&I TBD, featuring guest hosts Kai Deveraux Lawson and Simeon Coker of the Mixed Company podcast. It's a tremendous conversation, as well.
Hoping that you're keeping this dialogue going in your own ways, now and well into the future,
David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com
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