Originally posted by blackstorytellers

One of my biggest takeaways and something that I hold close to my heart is that the industry needs more people of color within its agencies. As I went from agency to agency some of them making my top 3, I was disheartened by the fact that only thing holding me back from wanting to be there was the lack of people who look like me. I have been to many schools and many places where I am one of the few Blacks and that has never stopped my progress. But I have been in situations, groups and environments where there were more of me and I felt more secured about my ideas and my opinions and I created more thoughtful work. 

At 72andSunny, Gabby asked Glenn Cole and the team, “What does diversity look like to you?” Almost everyone scanned the room and noticed it was all white people sitting in the chairs around us. Everyone gave great thoughtful answers but Mr.Cole’s in particular stuck to me. He expressed how people of color need access to this industry, to this creative environment. And I agree, most of my black friends getting into ad are juniors so they may or may not will need an extra year to complete the major and for others it’s was too late. So I will be that access, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that each agency I work in and my future agency searches and finds people of color with the creative, intelligent ability to make good work. I think the biggest stigma is is that they’re only in advertising, but that’s not true. Many of the people who spoke to us at agencies were anthropology majors, political science majors, English majors, so creative people aren’t just getting a B.A. in ad. So that is my 5 year mission to increase the percentage of people of color within the industry by at least 3%. Who’s with me?

Tylynn Burns.