GMC and Marcus Graham Project Invest in Diverse Leaders
Photo: GMC
GMC and General Motors have begun a multi-year collaboration with the Marcus Graham Project. This nonprofit organization offers training and mentorship to aspiring BIPOC leaders, helping them have successful careers in the media, marketing, and advertising industries.
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What will this collaboration entail?
The Marcus Graham Project’s collaboration with GMC is the first of its kind for the organization. It comes shortly after GM made a commitment to invest more in racially diverse media. Together, GM and the Marcus Graham Project will provide more opportunities to BIPOC leaders.
“When GMC approached us offering their support of the program ahead of our 15 year anniversary, it felt like a perfect marriage from the beginning, due to the true interest in the brand’s commitment to building a pipeline of diverse marketing professionals,” said Lincoln Stephens, co-founder and chairman of the Marcus Graham Project.
If the advertising, marketing, and media industries continue to hire, retain, and promote employees at their current rate, they will not have the same level of diversity as the U.S. population until 2079. As of 2019, only 0.7 percent of promotion and advertising managers in the U.S. were Black.
To help increase this percentage, GMC and GM will sponsor the Marcus Graham Project’s annual iCR8 Boot Camp from 2022 to 2024. This camp gives relevant, real-world experiences to diverse workers in the media and marketing fields.
For the next few years, participants will have the opportunity to make a marketing campaign for a GMC model. While doing so, they will be able to speak with GMC and GM marketing stakeholders in one-on-one meetings. They will also act as a pop-up agency providing consulting services for GMC and other brands, minority-owned small businesses, and nonprofits.
If you’re interested in taking part in the 11-week iCR8 Boot Camp sponsored by GMC, you can find out how to apply on the Marcus Graham Project website. You can apply between now and Nov. 5 to take part in the spring of 2022.
Amanda Drago lives in West Chester, Ohio with her wonderful family, which includes her adorable dog, Coco. Amanda recently graduated from Miami University with degrees in both marketing and creative writing. However, if she was ever forced to change career paths, she imagines that she would train dogs for movies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and watching Netflix. She also has a special place in her heart for theatre and purchases tickets to as many shows as she can. See more articles by Amanda.