Minnesota Marketing Firm, Rae Mackenzie Group, Honored with Gold Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Inaugural Anthem Awards

MINNEAPOLIS (PRWEB)
February 24, 2022

Rae Mackenzie Group RMG announced today that it has been awarded Gold designation—the highest honor—for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion DEI Service in the DEI Product, Innovation, or Service Categories For Profit) in the inaugural Anthem Awards, the new award platform by The Webby Awards. Additionally, the firm announced that RMG CEO Sharon Smith-Akinsanya has been awarded Silver designation for DEI Product Leader of the Year in the DEI Product, Innovation, or Service Categories For Profit).

Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include Daniel Dae Kim Actor, Producer, and Activist); Ashley Judd Actor, and Social Justice Humanitarian); Mitchell Baker CEO and Chairwoman, Mozilla); Lisa Sherman President and CEO, Ad Council), Sarah Kate Ellis President and CEO, GLAAD ; Renata Erlikhman CIO, OW Management); Shayla Tait Director of Philanthropy, The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation); Russlynn Ali CEO and Co-founder, XQ Institute); Marc Ecko CCO, XQ Institute); Heidi Arthur CCDO, Ad Council); and Alexis M. Herman Chair and Chief Executive Officer, New Ventures).

Rae Mackenzie Group is an award-winning DEI Marketing and Communications strategy firm that advises companies on how to best position their brands to build authentic and meaningful relationships with People of Color. With a business track record spanning over 20 years, RMG has become an authority in the DEI Marketing space. CEO Sharon Smith-Akinsanya has built a career advising CEOs and providing them with strategies to become stronger leaders in the DEI space.

“It is our distinct honor to recognize the work that brands, organizations, and individuals are all making to create an impact in their community,” said Jessica Lauretti, Managing Director, The Anthem Awards. “We launched this platform to show the world that all corners of our culture, from sports and entertainment to business leaders and celebrities, are all standing up to say, it is time for systemic change and that social good is what we value as a society.”

“It’s an honor to be recognized for two separate awards by The Anthem Awards for our work in the DEI space. At RMG, we’re committed to breaking down barriers in our quest for equity for all,” said RMG CEO, Sharon Smith-Akinsanya. “We are proud to be recognized for Leading Out Loud and working to create sustainable change in America. Being an award recipient alongside others like Naomi Osaka and Trevor Noah who are using their voices and platforms to call for change is really special. We believe uniting together is a strong step towards letting those who are in power know that the status-quo isn’t going to cut it anymore.”

Winners for the inaugural Anthem Awards will be celebrated at the first annual Anthem Voices conference followed by a star-studded virtual Awards Show on Monday, February 28, 2022. Fans will be able to hear from social impact leaders during the day and then watch the show, featuring special moments, and hallmark speeches from all the winners at http://www.anthemawards.com.

The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The inaugural competition received nearly 2,500 entries from 36 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized in the inaugural Anthem Awards.

About Rae Mackenzie Group

Rae Mackenzie Group RMG is an award-winning DEI Marketing and Communications strategy firm specializing in helping corporations best position their brands to build authentic and meaningful relationships to recruit and retain Talent of Color. With a business track record spanning over 20 years, RMG has become an authority in the DEI Marketing space and has built a past and present client list consisting of Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and top employers, including U.S. Bank, Midco, Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx, Andersen Windows & Doors, Thrivent, Minute Media, Make-A Wish® America, Best Buy, Target, Verizon Wireless, and more. RMG helps corporations avoid DEI landmines by looking at how they approach procurement, recruitment, corporate sponsorships, social responsibility, and leadership through a DEI lens. RMG provides consulting on speeches, websites, social media, advertising, press releases, and more. RMG also advises CEOs on ways to become stronger leaders and allies in the DEI space. To help even more leaders make change, RMG CEO Sharon Smith-Akinsanya authored COLORFULL Competitive Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent of Color—a people-centered approach that shares simple actions we can take to help solve complex issues. COLORFULL lays out a playbook on how everyone has a role to play in making the world more just and equitable, starting with building intentional and authentic relationships with people of different racial, cultural, and ethnic identities.

About The Anthem Awards:

The Anthem Awards, The Webby Awards’ newest initiative, was developed to recognize the breadth of social good work (online and offline) around the globe by honoring organizations, brands, and people creating long-lasting impact; including, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Education, Art, & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment, & Climate. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, GLAAD, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.

About The Webby Awards:

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites; Video; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Mobile, and Voice; Social; Podcasts; and Games. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received more than 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences IADAS . Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Verizon, WP Engine, YouGov, Brandlive, Canva, NAACP, KPMG, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Podcast Movement, and AIGA.