September to November, 2023

Nominated

Hello Team! I am new here, but upon creating my account via my invitation, I have learned that this is such a great community that is truly a catalyst for change. That is why I would like to nominate BYP100, an organization that seeks to change policy in the United States with a Black Queer Feminist (BQF) Lens. BYP100 consists of 10 local chapters, 1 alumni chapter, and 1 national chapter, making BYP100 an organization that seeks to generate country-wide change and justice for the Black diaspora.

Specifically the WA Black Trans Task Force -money must be earmarked for this task force

OTEC holds an annual AfroComicCon Conference in Oakland, CA. From OTEC:

AfroComicCon continues to tackle the diversity gap in the Comic Book Industry as it relates to Animation, Tech, Film/TV, and more. As we highlight and celebrate the talent of our community, the AfroComicCon Conference serves as the destination for those fueling more inclusivity in the entertainment industry.

As AFCCs returns in person, our mission remains the same: to further build Black Voices in the Comic Book, Animation, and Tech & Entertainment spaces. We do this by helping fast-growing businesses in LA, Silicon Valley, and the greater Bay area effectively hire Black professionals, including people with skills gained through our Workforce Development programs.

Hally Bellah-Guther and Michael James, CEO and Founder(s) of AfroComicCon, state, “We are thrilled to announce our largest lineup of diverse industry speakers and brand partners looking to engage in meaningful discussions about tech disruption and Black innovation.

We are excited about the ideas and career advancement opportunities manifesting through the support that we've received from the National Endowment for the Arts and the California Arts Foundation. We can’t wait to enhance the AFCC celebration with our first-ever music festival collaboration with Art and Soul, where we are adding our signature brand Hip-Hop and Comics representing the U.S. Black Diaspora including but not limited to Afro-Latinx and Afro-Asians, and Black artists globally.”

The AFCC conference features fireside chats with TV/Film and Animation producers, cartoonists, writers, animation technology leaders, storytellers, digital creators, and music performances.

More than 50 speakers will participate in this year’s AFCC conference, which will cover such timely topics as:
• From Mock-up to Reality - Funding your Media Ideas
• How Tech Training Leads to Studio Jobs
• College to Career; Climbing to the Top of the Tech production Ladder for designers and producers, writers
• Web3, Crypto and the Black Economy: Cosplay Fashion, Animation, Unlocking Inclusive Access with a New Wave of Writers, Producers, and Commerce
• Inclusive Product Animation Merchandise, Brand NFTs Design: What It Is and Why It Matters, and more.

Sponsorship Opportunities Include:
Branding and More!
Stage sponsorship and
naming/branding
Activation area/exhibitor booth in
free outdoor fair to promote
products/services
Sponsorship of lead-up events
Product placement in Gala and/or
swag bags
Employee engagement and
volunteer opportunities
Blerd Comedy Show Sponsor
Sponsor a celebrity guest
Gaming area Sponsor
Fashion Show Sponsor
Cosplay Contest Sponsor
Hip Hop & Comics Tribute Sponsor
Nichelle Nichols Tribute Sponsor
Musical Guest Sponsor
Sponsorship of keynote address

This nonprofit changed my life personally and the lives of countless others. The basic goal of the nonprofit is to take adults from underserved communities in Chicago and teach them business, leadership and technology. It allows those in the program to learn about coding and the lifecycle of an application all while networking with C-Level people in various corporations.

It does this by partnering with a corporate sponsor, that sponsor issues a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the interns, the interns then break into teams and respond. The RFP that is chosen is then worked on by all teams and an app/website is developed. The 'finished' products are finally presented to the company by each team, and the winning product will potentially be implemented into the company by their employees.

At the end of the program i.c.stars helps those who successfully complete the program find a job within tech. While this of course is not 100%, many former interns have gone on to have successful tech careers, myself included. Others have started their own businesses, formed charities, bought homes, achieved things that were once thought to be out of reach.

i.c.stars consistently changes the lives of Black and Brown people every year. The most recent Cycle, which is what each new group of interns is called, just landed multiple jobs at United Airlines, which was the sponsor of the Cycle. i.c.stars has been doing this in Chicago since 1999 and has since expanded to Milwaukee, and most recently Kansas City.