This black woman moved to Italy as a child and has become a huge influence across the country.
Michelle Francine Ngonmo, founder of the Afro Fashion Association in Italy, announced Thursday that it will recognize the achievements of minorities in Italian society in an effort to promote greater diversity and inclusion.
According to ABC News, the first Black Carpet Awards will premiere during Milan Fashion Week in February.
Ngonmo’s inspiration came from a note he received from the late fashion designer, Virgil Abloh, founder of the Off-White label. In the note, Abloh wrote: “I see you,” acknowledging Ngonmo’s service in promoting people of color (POC) in Italian fashion.
“I know there are a lot of projects here in Italy that are doing real things and you don’t see them,” Ngonmo told The Associated Press.
“Why not celebrate them all? When you celebrate someone, you empower them, open their minds and talk about what diversity is.”
Ngonmo will reportedly distribute 10 awards that recognize leaders who have fulfilled the mission of promoting inclusion, diversity and equity through culture, creativity, community, legacy and entrepreneurship. Five prizes will be chosen by a jury, while the remaining five will be chosen by the public.
Award winners will include people from underrepresented communities working in sectors such as fashion, design, art, food, music, technology, business, sports and film. People of color, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community will be considered.
According to Vogue, Ngonmo founded Afro Fashion in 2015, expanding her passion for global communication. The cultural association currently has more than 80 members, with a database of more than 1,000 POC designers from around the world.
In February 2022, Ngonmo founded and launched TheUnseenProfiles, with support from Vogue Italia. The Italian platform works to create equal access for qualified candidates from diverse cultural backgrounds in the professional market.
Source: news.google.com