Ryan Reynolds has launched a new nonprofit to support accessibility to creative careers for people from underrepresented communities.
The Creative Ladder, which includes Deloitte as a founding donor with a $500,000 donation, will offer programs and services for students and creative talents to increase career options in marketing, advertising, design and commercial production. The organization will also provide leadership training, mentorship, networking opportunities and career development resources.
“We started talking about The Creative Ladder right after we launched the Group Effort Initiative, so I am so thrilled the day is finally here,” Reynolds said in a statement on Tuesday. “I love making ads and want to help make sure talent of all backgrounds have the access and information they need to succeed. Ads are just another form of storytelling and a more representative workforce will only make this industry stronger and enable it to tell better stories.”
The Creative Ladder will formally launch in the fall with a leadership conference and the six-month Leadership Academy that will virtually teach management skills.
“As a founding donor of The Creative Ladder, Deloitte is thrilled to support their mission to strengthen the pipeline of racially and ethnically diverse professionals seeking careers in the creative field, and create more leadership pathways for the next generation of creative professionals,” Deloitte U.S. executive chair Janet Foutty said. “Underrepresented communities haven’t had the same networking and career development opportunities as most creatives. Creating a more diverse pool of talent is a critical step in creating an equitable future across multiple creative segments.”
Reynolds’ co-founders include CEO Dorsey Calloway, founder of District Clothing; and chief content officer David Griner, an editor at Adweek.