Event raised more than $100,000 for Project Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (April 13, 2017) – On Monday, Mayor Joe Hogsett joined the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC) to host the 16th annual Celebration of Diversity Awards. For the first time, the event raised funds for Project Indy, Mayor Hogsett’s summer youth employment initiative.
Project Indy seeks to connect Indianapolis teens with summer jobs, soft-skill development and job readiness training. The initiative leverages a network of non-profit, community and private sector partners all devoted to strengthening Indianapolis’ pipeline of diverse talent and providing opportunities for local youth. In an effort to meet Mayor Hogsett’s goal of matching 2000 high school students with meaningful summer employment, Project Indy recently launched a unified jobs portal, ProjectIndy.net.
Close to 800 people attended on Monday to celebrate local businesses that foster a culture of diversity and inclusion. During the ceremony, Mayor Hogsett highlighted success stories from Project Indy’s first year and encouraged local business and community leaders to become involved in supporting the next generation of Indianapolis’ diverse workforce.
“Let us realize our potential again today. Let us continue building upon our legacy of diversity,” said Mayor Hogsett. “And in order to fully realize what we can truly achieve as one city, as one community, it’s going to take all of us – acting, in the words of Dr. King, with ‘the fierce urgency of now.’”
Three awards were presented at Monday’s ceremony:
Leadership Award: presented to an organization that encompasses a vision to develop and support diversity strategies throughout the organization.
Awarded to May’s Chemical Company
May’s Chemical Company, Inc. is a minority- and woman-owned business that takes intentional steps to attract and retain diverse talent. The organization’s leadership is 60% minority.
Workforce Diversity Award: presented to an organization that strives for diversity in the workplace.
Awarded to Pacers Sports and Entertainment
Pacers Sports and Entertainment is committed to sourcing diverse candidates for all levels of employment including internship and entry-level positions. Pacers Sports and Entertainment recently completed a conscious inclusion training for their entire workforce, and has partnered with JOPWELL, the leading career advancement platform for Black, Latino/Hispanic and Native American students and professionals.
Sam H. Jones “Best of the Best” Award: named in honor of the first president of the Indianapolis Urban League who was a tireless advocate for peace, justice and racial understanding, this award recognizes exemplary performance in all aspects of diversity.
Awarded to Indianapolis Airport Authority
The Indianapolis Airport Authority’s Diversity and Inclusion initiative is designed to bring a crucial depth of perspective and culture to their workplace through diversity. The initiative’s objectives include advancing a culture of inclusion, promoting cultural understanding, increasing diversity in leadership positions and increasing engagement with the community. Indianapolis Airport Authority’s senior leadership is made up of 50% women and minorities.
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Contact:
Taylor Schaffer
Communications Director
Office of Mayor Joe Hogsett – City of Indianapolis
taylor.schaffer@indy.gov
P: (317) 327-2793 C: (317) 694-0463