Fashion Minority Alliance Launches 75,000 Creative Industry BIPOC Interns Campaign in US Companies

Following the success of its Internship Agency in Europe Fashion Minority Alliance Inc (FMA) will debut its 75,000 Creative Industry BIPOC & Underserved Groups Interns Initiative throughout the United States. Under the umbrella of the FMA’s Internship Agency, the organization aims to place 75,000 students and recent graduates, who hail from BIPOC and Underserved groups, in a six week paid internship at top companies, over the next 10 years, across the creative industries.

The program will offer real-world work experience for a minimum of six weeks that will create positive, sustainable and long-term mentorship and sponsorship across the various industries within the Creative sectors, and will include, but is not limited to, fashion & textiles, design, advertising, architecture, brand marketing, visual & graphic arts, music, photography, film & video, gaming, radio & TV, writing & publishing and professional services providers marketing and events.

FMA Founding Committee Member Barbara Kennedy-Brown says: “In chatting to our lawyer, Kevin O'Connell at Verrill, as well as brands and businesses, we realized that there is a lack of a centralized location to procure top underserved talent at the entry level. As an organization dedicated to forging opportunities for underserved groups, it is crucial that we carve the path for talent at the very beginning.”

The Fashion Minority Alliance has worked arduously since its inception to link BIPOC and Historically Marginalised talent across the fashion, beauty, and creative industries with its comprehensive digital database.

In 2022, the FMA launched its Internship Agency, the first of its kind, to run in parallel with its longstanding Talent Directory platform — both of which are aimed at creating an equitable playing field in creative industries for BIPOC and underserved professionals - which has placed underrepresented students and graduates in publishing houses, globally renowned fashion brands, public relations agencies, art galleries, and ad land amongst other creative sectors across Europe and the USA.

Today, international companies and worldwide FMA members interact on the site to provide opportunities at all levels to support and foster the next generation of creative industry leaders from the start.

"We know talent is everywhere but opportunities are not and this program is a part of our work to address the disparities and barriers that keep BIPOC and underserved young people from gaining experience and the connections that they need to compete for good creative sector jobs. The program will help transform the horizons and prospects of underserved groups in the USA and build a more inclusive economy that works for everyone and is why we are encouraging leaders from the North American creative sectors to pledge to our #75,000 CREATIVE BIPOC and UNDERSERVED INTERNS program and make a commitment to participate." Kennedy-Brown concluded.

Student and Graduate Applications for the 2024 program will open in September 2023.