CENTRIC BRANDS HONORS BLACK HISTORY MONTH THROUGH EDUCATION AND CELEBRATION
March 1, 2022
Through the month of February, Centric Brands celebrated Black History Month with organized events that drove education and awareness, supported Black-owned businesses and organizations, and highlighted our Centric Brands associates across our offices.
Check out key highlights from the month below:
- We announced our partnership with The Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund to provide scholarships, internships, and early career development opportunities for students at Centric Brands. The Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund directly supports underrepresented communities within fashion and design undergraduate programs to ensure they are able to complete their degree without unnecessary roadblocks, including tuition gaps or lack of access to materials and supplies needed for their technical training.
- We launched the first-ever Centric Brands Diversity & Inclusion Book Club. This month’s chosen book was Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, and copies were purchased at Revolution Books in Harlem, NY.
- We launched our Associate Spotlight Series, highlighting the amazing talent across our divisions and offices. This month, meet Quineece Huntley and Beverly Gayle, who go above and beyond every day to create community within our company.
- The Centric Brands Diversity & Inclusion Committed hosted a Black History Month virtual panel, called: “Moment to Movement”: Continuing the Conversation About Access and Equity in the Fashion Industry. The panel featured James Carter, VP of Merchandising at Lucky Brand, Emiko McCoy, Designer at Nike and formerly part of the Serena Williams Design Crew, Ricki Robinson, Associate Designer at Hudson Jeans and Co-founder of The Fearless in Fashion, and Alicia Pinckney, Designer at Jordan Brand and Nike, and Founder of The Black Talent in Design & Fashion Fund. The panel was moderated by Marcella Leeds, Executive Associate to the CEO and the Co-chair of the Centric Brands Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Topics included:
- The fashion industry’s commitment to support authentic change
- Access and awareness in the fashion industry
- Internship accessibility and personal career journeys
- Support and mentorship
- A sense of belonging and community in the fashion industry
- How to leverage your power to create change
These initiatives support our larger mission of providing access to a wider range of people in the fashion industry. However, we understand that there is still more work to be done. Centric Brands is committed to continue driving racial equity and change, in the workplace, and in the greater fashion industry, all year around.
