An advertising workplace study by AdColor found that 57% of women have encountered sexual harassment, more than 70% of Asian Americans say they've experienced anti-Asian hate since the pandemic began and 38% of creatives of color say they have "experienced job loss due to ethnicity." The study also highlights the reasons diverse talent leaves the industry, including "psychologically unsafe work environments" and a lack of focus on truly improving diversity issues.

BBDO and Jones Knowles Ritchie have refreshed the characters and design of M&M's mascots to be more inclusive, and the updated mascots will be featured across the brand's channels, including social media, packaging, TV ads and in-store displays. "M&M's is on a mission right now to create a world where everyone feels they belong," says Jane Hwang, global vice president of M&M's at Mars.

Kramer Deans' love of craft beer extends to working towards his Cicerone Certification and making the consumer market more inclusive with The Beerded Brotha website, a platform he uses to share reviews, interviews, and podcasts on craft beers, all from his perspective as a Black aficionado. "Being able to come into and create a space I want to be in and expand it by bringing people in to see what can be of this community when it's truly diverse" is what Deans is hoping for, he said.

Anomaly Toronto created a "#TapeOutHate" campaign for the Hockey Diversity Alliance and Budweiser Canada that features an anthem short film showing NHL players of color sharing their experiences of racism within the sport. The campaign includes hockey tape displaying anti-racist messaging and is running across social and digital media, with public relations and influencer support.

Alma's Michelle Cobas writes about her experience of a recruiter who urged her to "escape the Hispanic advertising ghetto," insinuating that agencies specializing in multicultural work were inferior to general-market shops. "This entire situation has been a stark reminder that racism and bigotry continue in our industry," Cobas writes, urging agencies and their recruiters to take action.

Diversity and representation in the metaverse will be affected by user choice and what customization options are available on the platforms, Ellen Ormesher writes, adding that employers will need to be aware of discrimination issues while recruiting and hiring in the metaverse. Regan Gross of the Society for Human Resource Management says, "In an ideal scenario, users can create customized avatars to show their skin tone, identity as LGBTQ+, status as differently-abled, religious dress and or grooming practices, or simply if they prefer, alternative clothing and hairstyles."

CreativeX analysis of 3,500 US image and video ads from consumer packaged goods, alcohol and beauty brands reveals a tendency to feature males over females in professional settings, and light and medium skin-toned people over those with darker skin. That study is the genesis of a partnership between CreativeX and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in which the two seek to improve diversity and representation in advertising.

Martin Luther King Jr. continues to be commemorated throughout January as a civil rights activist, leader and hero for many citizens. Though seen as a divisive figure during the 1960s in the eyes of the media, King fought for Black Americans who had lacked human rights. With a dream focused on changing the way minorities were viewed in America, King aimed to speak up for his beliefs and unite communities for the better. However, many of King's speeches for equality have been diluted and lost in today's world; where police brutality, mass incarceration and critical race theory highlight the perpetual disparities between the oppressors and the oppressed in our nation. Although progress has been made with more integration of citizens with diverse backgrounds, racial ignorance within our world continues to subtly harm minorities from impoverished backgrounds. While the history of structural racism has contributed to creating persistent racial disparities, past policies and movements like redlining and the Civil Rights Movement have evolved to the influx of gentrification and the Black Lives Matter protests.

As we embark on this new year, King continues to be recognized as a universal hero whose imperative existence has changed our world. Pivotal to the activists and leaders of the world today, King's mindset and demeanor will forever be remembered within his legacy. Due to his notable contributions, leaders like King further connect to our Element of Culture, Provenance, focused on people-preserving and celebrating history and heritage.

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We're now accepting entries for the 2022 Mosaic Awards! If you have creative work that gives viewers a broader understanding of the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and Disability communities, or you've developed a company initiative that promotes systemic change through equity and inclusion, submit your entry by Feb. 25.