For The Africa Center, home isn’t just a place–it’s a feeling. Located in New York City’s iconic Harlem neighborhood, The Africa Center exists as a cultural bedrock focused on centering African people on the continent and across the diaspora. Through its programming, the institution amplifies African history, heritage, and global influence, and offers a deeper understanding of contemporary Africa through authentic engagement with African culture and people living in communities across the world.
Droga5 New York created an inaugural brand campaign, “Home is Here,” which establishes The Africa Center’s role as a place for belonging and co-creation of the future of both community and continent. Highlighting the diversity of communities and experiences of Africans and those of African descent, the campaign kicks off with this :60 directed by Jared Malik Royal via Moxie Pictures. The film serves as an open invitation for Kinfolk to connect with their unique feeling of home at The Africa Center.
Launched the week of Juneteenth, the film is set throughout Harlem to capture sentimental moments that showcase common threads amongst a shared past and ancestry between Africans and those of the African diaspora.
Credits
Client The Africa Center Agency Droga5 NY Tim Gordon, Felix Richter, co-chief creative officers; Courtney Richardson, creative director; Gabe Santana, Roselyn Pia, copywriters; Germany Lancaster, Martha Gill, art directors; Ana Rice, associate designer; Mike Hasinoff, executive producer, film; Kenya Agunloye, producer, film; Mike Ladman, sr. music supervisor; Teia Meigneux, producer, interactive; Harry Roman-Torres, chief brand strategy officer; Claudia Vitarelli, Justin Clagette, sr. brand strategists; Isaiah Brown, brand strategist. Production Moxie Pictures Jared Malik Royal, director; Evan Burris Trout, DP; Michael Lenic, exec producer; Jake Riswold, production coordinator. Casting Nina Day Editorial Work Editorial Niles Howard (Kid Sister), editor; Julian Laing, assistant editor; Erica Thompson, exec producer; Samara Kelly, producer. Postproduction Nice Shoes Kaya Ono, Flame artist; T.J. Sponzo, exec producer; Serena Bove, producer. Color Electric Theatre Collective Luke Morrison, colorist; Oliver Whitworth, exec producer. Music James Tillman Song: “Ways” Audio Significant Others/Machine Sound T. Terressa Tate, sound engineer; Alek Rost, head of production. Experiential Production Company DotDot Kate Stevenson, creative producer; Chris White, design director; Elizabeth Perez, producer; Chris Liu, developer; Jacques Foottit, technical director; Chris Andersen, art director. Interactive Production Company Second Child Nereida Valles, graphics producer; Lisa Bishai, quality control manager; Hoyo Yiu, quality control specialist; Emmanuel Perez, George McAvoy, production artists; Laura Standley, head of copy & language services; Andrew Waldron, managing editor of copy & language services; Eric McQuade, sr. copy editor.
The Ad Council, partnering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and AdoptUSKids, launched a public service campaign, created pro bono by Edelman, which aims to inspire prospective parents to consider adopting a teen from foster care.
This centerpiece PSA titled “The Rewards”--directed by The Hudson Dusters (Michael Kuhn and Niles Roth) via Greenpoint Pictures--spotlights real adoptive families who have personally experienced the mutual benefits of adoption. This longer form PSA (and cutdown versions) begins with a touching display of openness and vulnerability as adoptive parents reflect on their adoption journeys and their initial questions and hesitations about adopting a teen. Then, in a deeply emotional turn, the adoptive parents witness their children recounting the profound rewards of adoption in their lives. The teens speak of the love they share with their parents and how the decision to become a family is reciprocal. The campaign directs viewers to the AdoptUSKids website to learn more about adopting a teen from foster care.
