Adobe recommits to diversity, donates to wildfire charities

Adobe recommits to diversity, enhancing opportunities for underrepresented filmmakers and supporting LA creative communities. It also donates $1 million to wildfire-affected communities.

With the mood music in corporate America starting to become indifferent if not actively hostile to DEI initiatives, it is refreshing to see Adobe recommit to its own diversity program.

“As the presenting sponsor and official editing platform of the Sundance Film Festival, Adobe is committed to fostering diversity in the film industry,” it writes in a blog post. As such it is announcing an additional $5m commitment to its Adobe Film & TV Fund. This brings the fund total up to $11m which, to date, has supported underrepresented creators and filmmakers in finding career opportunities on-screen and behind the camera.

Three filmmakers who were supported through the Adobe Film & TV Fund grant to The Latinx House last year have films premiering at Sundance this year: María Gabriela Torres, editor of The Librarians; Isabel Castro, director of Selena y Los Dinos, and Mario Fierro, editor of Sweet Talkin’ Guy.

The Adobe Film & TV Fund is also partnering with Group Effort Initiative (GEI) to provide Adobe training courses for the next generation of filmmakers, editors and marketers that will be essential for corporate, creative and production jobs in film and television. GEI aims to provide education, training, mentorship and professional development to underrepresented communities in the entertainment industry. The idea is that through this partnership, Adobe and GEI will support mid-career advancement for diverse professionals through employer engagement, career outcome analysis, and strategy development.

And with Sundance taking place in the long shadow cast by the LA fires, to help support the Los Angeles creative communities impacted by the recent wildfires, the Adobe Foundation has made a $1 million charitable grant across the California Community Foundation: Wildfire Recovery Fund and Entertainment Community Fund.

In response to the immediate need of those affected by the wildfires, and those in the creative community, the Adobe Foundation is donating $1 million across the California Community Foundation: Wildfire Recovery Fund and the Entertainment Community Fund. If you are also looking for ways to support the communities affected yourself, the company says it will match your donations to these organizations at 100%.

Read more here.

tl;dr

• Adobe has reaffirmed its commitment to diversity in the film industry by announcing an additional $5 million for its Film & TV Fund, increasing the total to $11 million to support underrepresented creators.
• Three filmmakers supported by the fund, María Gabriela Torres, Isabel Castro, and Mario Fierro, have films premiering at Sundance, showcasing the impact of Adobe's initiatives.
• Adobe's Film & TV Fund is collaborating with Group Effort Initiative (GEI) to provide training courses for aspiring filmmakers and professionals from underrepresented communities, focusing on career development in the industry.
• In response to the Los Angeles wildfires, the Adobe Foundation is donating $1 million to the California Community Foundation: Wildfire Recovery Fund and the Entertainment Community Fund, while also matching employee donations to these organizations at 100%.