Italian fashion house Prada recently announced through an official release that artist Theaster Gates, and activist, and award-winning writer, director and producer Ava DuVernay will co-chair the Prada Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council («the Council») to enhance voices of color within the company and the fashion industry at-large. The Council will advise the company as it invests in diverse talent development and expands opportunities for young students of color in the fashion industry. Prada's Diversity and Inclusion Council will include the voices of prominent academic and cultural experts from high-level social institutions.“In addition to advising the internal processes within Prada's organization, Prada and the Council will partner with universities and organizations to spearhead internship and apprenticeship initiatives in diverse communities to close the inclusion gap in the fashion industry. Prada will also work with the Council to sponsor scholarships and training programs in the United States and in every Prada office worldwide,” says the release.As per the release, «Prada is committed to cultivating, recruiting and retaining diverse talent to contribute to all departments of the company,» said Miuccia Prada, Chief Executive Officer and Lead Creative Director at Prada. «In addition to amplifying voices of color within the industry we will help ensure that the fashion world is reflective of the world in which we live, and we are thrilled to be working with long-time collaborators, Ava DuVernay and Theaster Gates, on this important initiative. We look forward to working with the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council to help us grow not only as a company but also as individuals.»According to the release, artist and activist Theaster Gates, known for his works that evokes African-American identity, and the broader historical struggle for civil rights, wear the another cap of the Executive Director of Chicago-based Rebuild Foundation, an arts, education, and cultural development organization committed to transforming urban communities.«My work amplifies the voices that have been absent from broad cultural conversations, and I am happy to partner with Prada to advise on processes that will make the company and industry more reflective of the world today,» said Theaster Gates, as per the release.Ava DuVernay needs no introduction as her directorial work is the Oscar-winning historical drama, «Selma,» along with the Oscar-nominated criminal justice documentary, «13th,» as well as Disney's «A Wrinkle in Time,» which has established her as the highest grossing African-American female director in the entire domestic box office history. DuVernay's work entails the stories of people of color while focusing on the role that racial identity plays in society, culture and history.Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the duo   https://www.blouinartinfo.com/              Founder: Louise Blouin Read more