Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Aurora James and Leon Ford to Judge The Anthem Awards
Meet the latest impact experts to join the Anthem Academy
At The Anthem Awards, we curate a judging body of revolutionary activists and transformative strategists through the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS). A membership body of diverse executives, Anthem judges hold a wealth of knowledge spanning the breadth of impact work—from LGBTQIA advocacy to racial equity, corporate sustainability, healthcare access, legislative reform, and many more.
Since the start of the 4th Annual Anthem Awards season, we’ve welcomed an impressive slate of trailblazing activists and experts to the Anthem Academy.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Actor & Activist
Jesse Tyler Ferguson is a Tony-Award-winning actor, author, producer, and host known not only for his creative work but for his ongoing advocacy in the LGBTQIA+ community. Ferguson made his Broadway debut at the age of 21 in George C. Wolfe’s revival of “On the Town.” Ferguson later went on to star as the widely beloved character “Mitchell Pritchett” on the award-winning ABC comedy “Modern Family,” which ran for an impressive 11 seasons. A longstanding advocate for marriage equality and LGBTQIA+ rights, Ferguson co-founded Pronoun, previously known as Tie The Knot, which has proudly raised over 1.5 million dollars and has supported important and impactful LGBTQIA+ organizations across the nation.
Aurora James, Activist & Designer
Aurora James, author of the widely acclaimed memoir “Wildflower,” Creative Director and Founder of luxury accessories brand Brother Vellies, and founder of the non-profit advocacy organization Fifteen Percent Pledge, has long worked to make the global economy a more equitable place for historically excluded groups. Founded in 2013, Brother Vellies began with the mission of keeping traditional African design practices and techniques alive. In June 2020, Aurora founded the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a non-profit advocacy organization urging companies and individuals to make a long-term commitment to increased diversity across their business practices and buying habits. Since its founding, the Pledge has signed 29 pledge takers including Nordstrom, Vogue, InStyle, and Sephora U.S., and helped over 625 companies launch their products with pledge takers.
Leon Ford, Activist & Author
Leon Ford is a celebrated author, social entrepreneur, impact investor, international speaker, and changemaker dedicated to driving positive change in his community and beyond. In 2022, Leon joined forces with former Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Chief Scott Schubert to co-found The Hear Foundation. This trailblazing nonprofit seeks to bridge the gap between residents, community leaders, and law enforcement. cultivating a safe and thriving community for all. As a respected activist and mental health ambassador, Ford passionately addresses disparities by focusing on holistic wellness. His inspiring approach emphasizes the importance of resilience, transforming personal challenges into purpose, and creating a lasting societal impact.
Alia McCants, Director of Social Impact, Peloton
Alia McCants has been fortunate enough to build a career in the pursuit of a more equitable world. In her role as Senior Director of ESG and Social Impact Lead at Peloton, Alia leads the development and execution of strategies aimed at addressing systemic inequities in physical and mental wellness, leveraging Peloton’s wide-ranging resources to bring about social change. Alia’s dedication to this important work stems from her extensive background in education, including her leadership at both the Relay Graduate School of Education and the Match School. Her commitment to social justice has been recognized through her selection as a Pahara Fellow and membership in the Aspen Global Leaders Network.
Beth Lynk, Executive Director, When We All Vote
Beth Lynk is the Executive Director of When We All Vote. She brings a wealth of knowledge as a strategist and expert in campaigns, crisis communications, and strategic planning with experience working in civil rights, health care, housing, government, political, nonprofit, and corporate environments. Beth previously served as HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs under the leadership of HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, supervising the Office of Public Affairs and leading HUD’s branding, outreach, external engagements, press, and overall communications strategy. Beth has also served as the Senior Advisor to the CMS Administrator and Director of the Office of Communications for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In this role, she drove the campaign strategy for the most successful Affordable Care Act Marketplace open enrollment period in history, which resulted in more than 14.5 million people signing up for health coverage.
Wendy R. Weiser, Vice President, Democracy, Brennan Center for Justice
Wendy Weiser is Vice President for Democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School, a non-partisan think tank and public interest law center that works to revitalize, reform and defend our systems of democracy and justice. She oversees the Center’s work on voting rights and elections, redistricting and representation, federal reform, abuse of power, and the courts. A strategic nonprofit leader, Weiser directs research and policy development, litigation and legal strategy, legislative advocacy and public education strategies to strengthen democracy so that it works for all Americans. She has launched multiple successful programs, including a voting rights and elections program that has helped increase voter access and participation across the country and was the first to combine a focus on voting rights with a deep engagement with election administration; a judiciary program that works to reform the Supreme Court and to strengthen state constitutionalism as a source of protecting rights and freedoms; and an initiative to strengthen the guardrails against the abuse of executive power that included a bipartisan National Task Force on Rule of Law and Democracy, among others.
Submissions to 4th Annual Anthem Awards are now closed. Finalists will be announced October 2024. Subscribe to our Newsletter here to get all the updates first!