We Are Digital Appoints Legendary Civil Rights Leader Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. As Chairman of Advisory Board
From civil rights to space rights, Dr. Chavis takes the helm to help We Are Digital lead global efforts to disrupt education, promote the future of work and ensure diversity and inclusion in space travel--the new frontier.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- We Are Digital, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to digital literacy, equitable access to the #FutureOfWork and space travel for underserved communities worldwide—today announced the appointment of legendary civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., as the Chair of the We Are Digital advisory board, effectively immediately.
"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. to the We Are Digital Board," states Mike Johns, founder and board member of We Are Digital. "Dr. Chavis has distinguished himself as a civil rights leader for more than 60 years and brings broad, deep knowledge, as well as a range of expertise and passion to the table. His experience, expertise and guidance will further strengthen our efforts to promote digital literacy and future of work skills for underserved communities around the world. We look forward to his contributions."
Over the course of his expansive career, Dr. Chavis has been an iconic advocate for equality and inclusion. In 1993, he was selected as the Executive Director and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)—the youngest to hold that office. Chavis later served in 1995 as the National Director of the Million Man March. Since 2001, Dr. Chavis has served as CEO and Co-Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN). Since 2014, Dr. Chavis has been the president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the national trade association of 230 African American owned newspapers and media companies throughout the United States. In July 2021, President Joe Biden acknowledged Dr. Chavis for his leadership of the Black Press of America.
"It is an honor to be appointed Chair of the We Are Digital advisory board alongside other esteemed leaders—particularly at such a critical time. As a global society, we are having to explore equity, inclusion and diversity on an entirely new level. I am committed to working with We Are Digital to ensure that young people and underserved communities globally are not left behind, but rather at the forefront of this new frontier," Dr. Chavis emphasized.
Mike Johns, the founder of We Are Digital believes it is essential that children be prepared for the workforce of 2030 and 2040. "The future of work requires a set of skills that are not taught in schools today. The American education system needs to be radically refocused in order to remain relevant and to adequately prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow," Johns states.
About We Are Digital™
We Are Digital™ is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization comprised of members from around the world who are committed to the promotion of digital literacy and ethics. We Are Digital works with companies and institutions to offer branded, for-credit and non-credit programs that empower students with education and skills to help them out-pace the changing job market. We Are Digital programs are ADA, FERPA, CCPA, and SOC-2 compliant and integrate perfectly with major learning management systems including Canvas, Blackboard and Brightspace, so that faculty and students can access the programs in a familiar environment. Students graduate with a co-branded certificate and access We Are Digital career services to help them reach their goals. We Are Digital's approach is anchored by keen insight into the #FutureOfWork, upskilling, diversity and inclusion, democracy and governance, internet policy and government, health data, personal data, big data, ethics and distributed ledger technology. In addition to educating students, the We Are Digital network of experts and professionals develop and facilitate multi-stakeholder discussions and debates for solutions-focused strategies to ensure equitable reorientation between civil society, government and business. The We Are Digital advisory board humbly boasts celebrated innovators and leaders—including the legendary civil and human rights leader, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. best-selling author and motivational speaker, Dr. George Fraser, three-time world heavy weight champion Lennox Lewis, and U.S. Army Brigadier General Arnold N. Gordon-Bray. To learn more about We Are Digital and its initiatives, visit: http://www.WeAreDigital.ai.
About Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is a 60-year veteran leader in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Chavis is an acclaimed author, international entrepreneur, chemist, ordained minister and now the executive producer and host of the The Chavis Chronicles on PBS television—which reaches over 90 million households across the nation—including the PBS premium World Channel. Headed into its second season, The Chavis Chronicles half-hour weekly show features open, meaningful and diverse conversations about current global affairs, while amplifying the continuing evolution of Hip-Hop culture—and now more than ever—space exploration and technological innovations throughout the African diaspora. Dr. Chavis' journalistic analysis explores the intersections between civil rights, human rights and space rights—in an effort to ensure that equity, access, diversity, and inclusion are at the forefront as we enter into this new frontier. Dr. Chavis is currently president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)—representing the Black Press of America, based in Washington, DC.
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SOURCE We Are Digital
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