Sorrel Brae of Humble directed this web campaign in which each spot features an LGBT adult in a classroom setting, not only relating his or her life story and lessons learned but writing a synopsis of the main lesson on a chalkboard.
In “Jana,” we meet a young woman who hid the fact that she was gay. She concluded, “Hiding didn’t work for me. Hiding worked for my family.” The camera then reveals the lesson she wrote on the classroom chalkboard: “I learned to shine without permission.”
A voiceover intervenes: “What you know now can make a real difference for LGBT teens’ today. Gay it forward.”
The “Gay it forward” slogan is a mantra for The Homecoming Project initiative in which successful LGBT professionals connect with LGBT teens, inspiring and empowering youth to realize and take pride in their identities. The online spots drive traffic to liveoutloud.info, a website where more can be learned about The Homecoming Project.
In another spot, titled “Matt,” his chalk-written lesson is simply, “I learned that my happiness makes my family happy.”
Agency is Deutsch New York.
Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries Talks About AI, DEI, The Return Of BlizzCon
California gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment announced Thursday that its popular event BlizzCon is coming back after several years off.
The celebration of all things Blizzard, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, is scheduled for September 2026. Blizzard last held the event in 2023. Next year's BlizzCon will include staples like its opening ceremony — which typically includes big game announcements — as well as panels and other experiences.
Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment, said BlizzCon is part of Blizzard's role as an entertainment company that stretches beyond the boundaries of making games. BlizzCon, she said, is an entertainment platform and "an opportunity to create a different kind of gathering well for gamers."
"There are so many stories at an individual level, just at BlizzCon alone, about how people's lives were changed: I met my partner there. I finally could bond with my son in a way that I couldn't before, thanks to BlizzCon," said Faries. "We take that role very seriously."
Faries discussed gaming's growing popularity in pop culture, and why the medium is at the forefront of entertainment, with comedian Conan O'Brien at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Texas on Tuesday.
She recently spoke with The Associated Press.
Q: What do you think it is about the last few years that has propelled gaming to the forefront?
Faries: I love that it's happened. I think it's been really just wonderful to also witness that change in conversation and zeitgeist and understanding. A lot of the things we talk about now is it's really less about, you know, who is a gamer. It's really what is anyone playing at any given moment in time. This also goes back to, I think,... Read More