Agency of Joy founder and director, Sean A. Watkins, has been named “Leader of the Year” in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Inaugural Anthem Awards Social Impact Celebration.
This esteemed global recognition is for their TEDx talk, The Game We Didn’t Know We Were Playing, released in 2021, that addresses how we might begin to dismantle white supremacy culture at work.
Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include Daniel Dae Kim (actor, producer, and activist); Ashley Judd (author, actor, and social justice humanitarian); Mitchell Baker (CEO & chairwoman, Mozilla); Lisa Sherman (president & CEO, Ad Council), Sarah Kate Ellis (president & CEO, GLAAD); Shayla Tait (director of philanthropy, The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation); Marc Ecko (chief commercial officer & board member, XQ Institute); and Alexis M. Herman (chair & chief executive officer, New Ventures, and former U.S. secretary of labor).
Sean A. Watkins is a nonbinary Brooklyn-based storyteller, consultant, public speaker, collaborator, entrepreneur, and activist. They founded Agency of Joy in 2018 as a “heart-centered” social change company to collaborate with people, organizations, and companies at the intersection of activism, environmental justice, social justice, and art.
Making An Impact
“Sean A. Watkins and Agency of Joy have set the standard for excellence for the Impact Industry. We’re so proud of what we’re building at The Anthem Awards and are humbled by the extraordinary support from global brands and national organizations to artists, creators, and local individuals making an impact in their community,” said Jessica Lauretti, Managing Director, The Anthem Awards. “It’s our distinct honor to showcase and highlight their work and recognize their impact across Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Change.”
“I’m honored by this recognition from The Anthem Awards,” said Watkins. “As a Black queer and nonbinary business owner, everything I do at Agency of Joy seeks to challenge white supremacy culture and invoke culture shift. I’m filled with joy to be in good company with so many other phenomenal social change leaders.”
Winners for the inaugural Anthem Awards will be celebrated at the first annual Anthem Voices conference followed by a star-studded virtual Awards Show on Monday, February 28, 2022. Fans will be able to hear from social impact leaders during the day and then watch the show, featuring special moments, and hallmark speeches from all you and your fellow winners at www.anthemawards.com.
The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The inaugural competition received nearly 2,500 entries from 36 countries worldwide.
Find The Anthem Awards Online
Website: anthemawards.com
Instagram: @anthemawards
LinkedIn: The Anthem Awards
YouTube: wbby.co/anthem-youtube
Agency of Joy is a consulting & cultural media agency specializing in social change, strategy, and storytelling. A queer and Black-owned business, we work with clients who share our values and are working to drive social change. We implement holistic strategies to help organizations and groups bring their visions to life and engage audiences online. With an emphasis on joy, we coach leaders to be their full selves in the workplace. As professionals in storytelling, the ever-changing digital landscape of today, and the content driving it, we understand the multi-layered needs of our clients to ensure authentic and impactful results. Our range of services is wide and is tailored to our individual client needs.
The Anthem Awards, the Webby Awards newest initiative, was developed to recognize the breadth of social good work (online and offline) around the globe by honoring the organizations, brands, and people creating long-lasting impact; including, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Education, Art, & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment, & Climate. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF and XQ.
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites; Video; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Mobile, and Voice; Social; Podcasts; and Games. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received more than 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Verizon, WP Engine, YouGov, Brandlive, Canva, NAACP, KPMG, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Podcast Movement, and AIGA.