GLAAD MEDIA INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES 2025 PROGRAMS, RESEARCH REPORTS, HONORS, PREVIEW OF NATIONAL TRAINING SCHEDULE

Entertainment Research Team Celebrates Honors for 2023 Studio Responsibility Index and 2023-2024 Where We Are on TV Studies

First Cities Announced for 2025 National In-Person Training Schedule to Combat Misinformation and Help Local LGBTQ Leaders Expand Reach & Impact

Applications Open for 2025 Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative Cohort  

New York, NY – Wednesday January 15, 2025 – The GLAAD Media Institute (GMI), the training, research, and consulting division of GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today announced its 2025 programs across teams encompassing training and advocacy, entertainment research, and communities of color, all aimed at advancing LGBTQ visibility and accelerating acceptance across every level of entertainment and news media. In response to the changing inclusion climate in the U.S., the GLAAD Media Institute will launch an expanded slate of national in-person training sessions and continue its groundbreaking media research initiatives which have transformed LGBTQ representation in the media landscape for nearly four decades.

EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP, PROGRAMS AND ENTERTAINMENT RESEARCH 

Nick Adams Named to Out100 List:
GLAAD Media Institute Vice President, Nick Adams, was named to Out Magazine’s 2024 Out100 List and was recognized as one of 2024’s most influential LGBTQ people. Adams joined GLAAD in 1998 and has been fighting for transgender equality ever since. Most notably, he leads GLAAD’s transgender representation teams, created the transgender section of GLAAD’s Media Reference Guide, and works closely with entertainment industry professionals at all levels to elevate industry standards for respectful and accurate storytelling when it comes to LGBTQ people. “I will make sure executives and creators know that the vast majority of their audiences expect and want to see our stories on screen,” he told Out Magazine.

DaShawn Usher Named to the 2024 Native Son 101 List
GLAAD Media Institute’s Senior Director of Communities of Color and Media Department, DaShawn Usher, was named to the 2024 class of the Native Son 101 List. During his time at GLAAD, Usher launched the Recording Academy’s LGBTQ initiative Academy Proud, produced both the inaugural Black Queer Creative Summit and the American Black Film Festival’s Queer Lens Brunch. Usher’s work garnered him several accolades, including the Vision Community Foundation’s Global Media Mogul and Influencer Award and was the Grand Marshal for New York City’s 2024 Pride March. The Communities of Color and Media team aims to accelerate equality and acceptance while elevating and amplifying the voices of Black LGBTQ communities and queer communities of color everywhere and is a leading force driving equitable and accurate representation of Black LGBTQ people, people living with HIV (PLWH), and queer communities of color in the realm of entertainment and media.

Industry Honors:
In November, it was previously announced that GLAAD was the recipient of 12 Anthem Awards and named Nonprofit of the Year. Eight of the 12 awards honored the impact work of the GMI:

• Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) in Networking or Community Organizations: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Gold
• Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) in Networking or Community Organizations: Education, Art & Culture – Gold
• Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) in Special Projects: Education, Art & Culture – Community Engagement Category – Gold
• Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) in Special Projects: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Silver
• Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) in Special Projects: Education, Art & Culture – Awareness Category – Silver
• Nonprofit Leader: DaShawn Usher in Nonprofit Leader: Education, Art & Culture – Gold
• #GLAADHonors in Event: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Bronze
• GLAAD Where We Are on TV in Impact Report: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Gold

Full coverage of GLAAD’s 4th Annual Anthem Awards wins can be found here.

Additionally, it’s been announced that GMI was the recipient of two Shorty Impact Awards at the 9th Annual Shorty Impact Awards in the Research Reports category:

• A Gold Honor for GLAAD’s 2023 Studio Responsibility Index (SRI)
• A Bronze honor for GLAAD’s 2023-2024 Where We Are on TV (WWATV) Report

The GMI’s Entertainment Research & Analysis team is responsible for producing GLAAD’s SRI and WWATV research studies. According the Short Impact Awards, “The [SRI’s] ability to engage stakeholders and drive change underscores its effectiveness and marks a significant achievement in advancing inclusive representation in film,” adding that the “WWATV report has reinforced its role as a vital tool for advancing LGBTQ representation, demonstrating its effectiveness and marking our efforts as a notable success.”

GLAAD’s full library of research can be found at GLAAD.org/Publications.

Megan Townsend, GLAAD’s Senior Director of Entertainment Research & Analysis, emphasizes the Institute’s impact, stating:
“GLAAD’s entertainment research is the cornerstone of our work to accelerate acceptance for LGBTQ people through media. Our Studio Responsibility Index and Where We Are on TV studies have driven cultural acceptance over the past two decades by revolutionizing LGBTQ characters and stories in film and TV. These groundbreaking studies, which include comprehensive and detailed research paired with actionable insights, ensure that studios, networks, and streaming services remain accountable for fairly representing the diversity of LGBTQ audiences. We are excited to continue this work as we know that nuanced and diverse stories are crucial in challenging the harmful disinformation being shared about our community in other media.”

GMI 2025 TRAINING & ADVOCACY SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

The GLAAD Media Institute’s Training and Advocacy team will kick off its 2025 in-person media training series with stops in cities across the country, providing communities and LGBTQ community leaders with resources to combat anti-LGBTQ disinformation and rhetoric, and enhance positive LGBTQ storytelling in local communities:

• January 14: Asbury Park, NJ – Garden State Equality
• February 20: Newark, NJ – Ironbound Community Corps
• April 8: Boston, MA – Out MetroWest
• April 23: Online – Telling Your Story Media Training
• April 30: Richmond, VA – Diversity Richmond
• May 6: Omaha, NE

These comprehensive training sessions empower attendees to become effective media advocates, offering strategies for impactful storytelling and media engagement. Those who successfully complete a GMI Training & Advocacy training or session areGLAAD Media Institute Alumni.

More U.S. cities and territories are to be added for the remainder of the year. 

Ross Murray, Vice President, GLAAD Media Institute, emphasized the impact, stating:
“In 2025, local news and local creators will be the most impactful at educating people about the LGBTQ community and motivating them to action. Through our coaching and training, we will collaborate with local leaders critical in combating misinformation, as they share moving personal stories, and build a groundswell of support and protection for the LGBTQ community in states around the country.”

For more information on GLAAD Media Institute training opportunities or to learn more on becoming a GLAAD Media Institute Alumni, visit GLAAD.org/Institute

GMI ANNOUNCES PRESENCE AT KEY INDUSTRY & GLOBAL EVENTS

Sundance Film Festival
As the first major independent film festival of the calendar year, the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah sets the tone for the film industry and subsequent festival circuit when it comes to presenting new and interesting stories from new and interesting filmmakers. The GLAAD Media Institute’s unique presence at Sundance, holding panels, events and activations ensures that LGBTQ stories and creatives have a seat at the forefront of the film industry at-large.

World Economic Forum
GLAAD will participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland will return to Davos again this year to raise visibility for LGBTQ people, and educate business leaders and world leaders about LGBTQ issues and the economic rationale for LGBTQ inclusion. This year, GLAAD has organized an Accredited Session and panel on the Economic and Business Case for LGBTQI Inclusion, hosted with Accenture, Deutsche Bank, Open For Business, and the Partnership for Global LGBTIQ+ Equality (PGLE). Together with PGLE, GLAAD will help lead the gathering of the third annual Pride on the Promenade, a rainbow light-up of multiple venues and signs across the Promenade in Davos, Switzerland during the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Annual Meeting. The event celebrates LGBTQ progress and is a united show of visual support for the LGBTQ community by major global companies and brands. Bringing together the public, private and social sectors at Davos presents a unique opportunity to amplify decades of progress in LGBTQ civil rights and inclusion on a global scale.

Kidscreen Summit
In 2018, GLAAD made history by co-hosting the first LGBTQ panel to take place at Kidscreen. This year, GMI’s entertainment research team will return to the annual Kidscreen Summit, the largest U.S. based conference for the kids and family entertainment industry to meet with and be a resource to executives and creatives across film, TV, and publishing. As anti-LGBTQ legislation continues to be proposed and instituted at alarming rates — much of which is directly aimed at access for LGBTQ kids to schooling, facilities, and education systems — it is vital that content made for kids and families depict the LGBTQ community in a positive and accurate light. GMI’s presence at Kidscreen enhances discussion of burgeoning LGBTQ inclusion in media for all ages and calls into focus the critical need for inclusive kids & family programming.

More information about GLAAD’s work and research in the Kids & Family Programming space can be found in GLAAD’s 2023-2024 Where We Are On TV Report.

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
The GMI’s subject matter experts in corporate engagement and agencies, alongside GLAAD executive leadership will attend the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the largest global gathering of the creative marketing community. Here, subject matter experts from the GMI will discuss the state of LGBTQ inclusion in the advertising industry and corporate responsibility as harmful rhetoric, anti-LGBTQ legislation, and DEI rollbacks continue to swell globally. In 2023 released GLAAD’s first Advertising Visibility Index at Cannes and a subsequent  scorecard, which established benchmarks for the industry for the first time, to show the quantity and quality of LGBTQ representation in advertising.

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2025 GMI EMEI COHORT

GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media department, a division of the GMI, in partnership with renowned visual artist Mickalene Thomas, announced the opening of applications for the third year cohort of its Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI).

Launched in 2022 with support from Gilead Sciences, EMEI is a transformative program designed to empower Black LGBTQ creatives and individuals living with HIV (PLWH) by providing mentorship, resources, and opportunities to amplify their voices in entertainment and media. Comprised of three year-long cohorts, the initiative has supported various genres of Black LGBTQ creatives across a range of disciplines: The first year cohort, in 2023, was made up of short form filmmakers. The second year cohort, in 2024, focused on musical artists.

This year, the final cohort will focus on emerging Visual Artists, exploring Black queer creatives working in disciplines such as painting, photography, mixed media, and sculpture.

Program Benefits

10 Participants will be selected for the 2025 EMEI cohort and will receive:

• Funding for a New Creative Project: Each participating creative will be granted $10,000 to fund a new creative project to be produced during their time with the initiative.
• Mentorship: Monthly sessions with Mickalene Thomas and other leading visual artists to explore their artistic processes and career growth.
• Professional Development: Workshops covering industry navigation, portfolio building, and leveraging art for social impact.
• Final Showcase: A culminating exhibition to present their work to industry leaders, media, and the public, taking place between December 2025 and February 2026.

Eligibility Criteria & How To Apply

To apply, artists must:

• Identify as Black and LGBTQ and/or be a person living with HIV.
• Be early-career visual artists committed to amplifying diverse narratives.
• Be available to participate in program activities, including monthly mentorship sessions.

Applications: Open HERE and will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, January 16, 2025.

Digital Assets: HERE, courtesy GLAAD

DaShawn Usher, Senior Director of GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media department shared a statement, stating:
“The Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) continues to be a beacon for Black LGBTQ creatives and storytellers. Partnering with Mickalene Thomas for this cohort is a testament to our commitment to empowering visual artists whose work challenges norms and uplifts marginalized voices.”

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About the GLAAD Media Institute: The GLAAD Media Institute provides training, consultation, and actionable research to develop an army of social justice ambassadors for all marginalized communities to champion acceptance and amplify media impact.