MY HERO is a Winner at the Inaugural ANTHEM AWARDS 2022

Press Release

February 2022

MY HERO is proud to announce we are a winner in the first-ever Anthem Awards in the category of EDUCATION, ART, & CULTURE: Product, Innovation, and Service (Not-For-Profit). With approximately 2,500 submissions from 36 countries around the world, this is indeed a true honor and accomplishment and a tribute to the hard work of the team at MY HERO.

Said the Anthem Awards organizers: “Inclusion as a finalist means your work not only demonstrates world-class talent, insight, leadership, and execution, it is also a best-in-class example of the work leading the way in the Impact Industry…Together we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities.”

Said Jeanne Meyers, Co-Founder and Director of MY HERO: “We are truly honored to be recognized as a winner in the category of EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE. The other finalists are doing wonderful work and this recognition means a great deal to our team at MY HERO and to those who support our nonprofit organization.  I am grateful to the judges and the devoted staff and contributing professional artists, writers, filmmakers and students that have been helping build MY HERO’s media library for the last 25 years. Our mission is to empower people of all ages to realize their own potential to create positive change in the world using media, art and technology to celebrate the best of humanity. Through our website, salons, festivals and media arts  workshops, we mentor teachers, youth and adults to use media to discover, create and share stories that raise awareness of amazing local and global heroes working to solve the great challenges of our time.”

The Anthem Awards - CELEBRATING PURPOSE & MISSION-DRIVEN WORK

Driven by the need for a platform to share and celebrate companies and organizations who work to build ‘a more purpose-driven society,’ The Webby Awards team recently launched their new initiative, The Anthem Awards.  The program was developed in response to recognizing the breadth of the work done around the globe by organizations, brands, and people creating a long-lasting impact across seven core purposes: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Education, Art, & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment, & Climate.

Said the organizers: “Over the past 20 years, we’ve witnessed a massive culture shift where humans worldwide have led and organized in new ways to build a more purpose-driven society. More than ever, people live their values and make active choices around the local and global impact of their daily actions—including the food they eat, the media they consume, the clothing they wear, the causes they support, and how they choose to spend their money. This cultural shift coupled with the social and technological revolution has brought this new global consciousness to the professional world at scale. Consumers are demanding more of brands and organizations—and they’re answering the call. From groups standing up for human rights to brands creating inclusive workplaces, organizations across industries are actively re-imagining a better world for all.”

The MY HERO Project

The MY HERO Project hosts a virtual learning platform and multimedia library that promotes global competence with stories of diverse heroes from around the world. Founded in 1995, MY HERO draws more than 20 million visitors in 197 countries to a safe, non-commercial online venue where they can discover, create, and share essays, art, audio and films about extraordinary and everyday people in their worlds who are making a difference.

The MY HERO website features stories, art, and short films working for human rights, environmental protection, ocean conservation, social justice, climate justice, and peace.

Due to the challenges of COVID and the need for quality distant learning resources for students working from home and in the classroom MY HERO has become a more valuable resource than ever. MY HERO provides teachers and students with a safe online commercial-free venue with online mentors and support. Interns from colleges across the USA and around the world have been so supportive of MY HERO during the pandemic.  Kitty Richardson, a student at Leeds University in the UK is an award-winning filmmaker and singer-songwriter. Over the last two years she has produced numerous award-winning short films, music and social media for MY HERO.  Jessica Ordaz, while studying for a BFA in Animation at Woodbury College in California, co-directed a beautiful short animated film,  “Staying Well with Coach West” with support from a team of students at the college and a script written and narrated by MY HERO board member Carolyn Hodge West promoting mental health and wellness during Covid for teachers and students. 

The MY HERO Teachers Room hosts curated FREE multimedia content and thematic lesson plans to enrich learning for diverse subjects and students of all ages working in the classroom or at home online.

Through the stories of diverse heroes of all ages and from all walks of life celebrated on MY HERO, we provide our growing global learning community of teachers and students with much-needed messages of hope and courage to face the challenges that lie ahead.

The MY HERO International Film Festival, which is now in its 18th year, brings together professional and youth filmmakers who honor local and global heroes working for positive change in the world. Prizes and awards are awarded to primary, secondary and college students as well as professionals in a variety of categories including documentary, narrative, music video, animation and experimental.

For further information go to: myhero.com

InternsMY HEROMY HERO ALUMNI

Mohamed Sidibay - Law graduate, Mohamed Sidibay was once forced to be a child soldier, he then became a youth reporter for MY HERO, committed to making a difference in the world. Said Mohamed: “In a world where the media sensationalizes violence, the importance of organizations like MY HERO cannot be understated. MY HERO came at a time in my life when my world was in complete disarray. Unable to understand the world outside of the one I had grown up in, MY HERO taught me the true meaning of life by empowering me through the use of media and storytelling.”

Geeta Malik - Geeta is now a feature film director but her passion for film began when she interned with MY HERO: "After being behind the camera for MY HERO, I realized I loved telling stories through film, so I decided to go to film school. I received my M.F.A. in Producing/Directing from UCLA, and made several short films that have played in festivals around the world."

Gabrielle Gorman -  Gabrielle is a hugely successful film writer, producer, director, and activist was the 2016 MY HERO International Film Festival Student Honoree who went on to study filmmaking at UCLA.

Slater Jewell-Kemker - Slater is an award-winning director who has introduced her generation to the international youth climate movement. Slater grew up as a youth reporter for the MY HERO Project. On this journey, she discovered her passion for filmmaking and continues to use media for expressing her activist voice. Said Slater: “The MY HERO Project taught me the power of storytelling. It’s endlessly inspiring to me as an artist (and at a deeper level, as a human) to see the empowered community of young storytellers that MY HERO has fostered impact their own communities and bring a little bit more love, understanding and tolerance into a world that so badly needs it.”                                                           

Trey Carlisle was recognized with the Emerging Artist Award at the International Film Festival for his outstanding short films, poetry and music promoting peace, tolerance and racial justice during high school. While attending Soka University he continued to contribute short films, curriculum and mentorship to other youth taking part in MY HERO. Said Trey: "My introduction to MY HERO came in high school when my short film received an award at the annual MY HERO International Film Festival. After falling in love with the work and mission of MY HERO, I spent the next four years serving as one of their young filmmakers and arts educators. I can confidently say that the work of MY HERO is invaluable amidst the current global pandemic and crises we are facing. This is due to the MY HERO Project's innovative and far-reaching efforts to empower young people to be global citizens and advance the UN's SDGs in their local and global community. The MY HERO project made it possible for me--as a young black man--to get recognition for the films and songs that I produced about the heroes in my community."                                      

The ANTHEM AWARD

Finalists were announced on January 25, 2022. Other finalists include WarnerMedia’s Forces of Change, Disney’s The Lion King Protect the Pride campaign and ViacomCBS’ Mental Health Action Day. The finalists were selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, with judges including Daniel Dae Kim, Ashley Judd, Marc Ecko and GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. Winners will be announced on Feb. 15 at a virtual conference, which will be followed by a virtual awards ceremony on Feb. 28.

For further information go to: www.anthemawards.com

For more information on MY HERO visit the website: myhero.com

For more information about the judges go to: International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (www.iadas.net)