W+K Radio rebroadcast Dan Wieden’s speech on diversity to the 4As this morning at 9:30 am PST.
Adweek covered the talk, but it’s much better to hear it from the man himself.
DJ Safi followed the rebroadcast by hosting a live discussion with Cheeraz Gorman on race in advertising. Gorman is a graduate of of Miami Ad School and WK12.5 and a former employee of Burrell Communications in Chicago, a prominent African American agency.
Recounting her experience in Miami, she says, “I was often the only black person in the school.” She told Pippa Seichrist, the President of the school (who claimed to be concerned about the problem), “You don’t recruit, you don’t go into places where brown talent and black talent exist.”
Gorman suggests white people examine their privilege and confront the way they have been socialized and admit they don’t know much about black culture. “Listening to rap is not a pass,” she says.
“I love getting the angry black woman title. God forbid, I have an opinion,” Gorman adds.
[UPDATE] Wieden’s speech is now available as a podcast.
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