Legendary Hollywood Costume Designer and Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumnus, Ruth E. Carter, Unveils Virtual AR Experience Created to Inspire Next Generation of Multicultural Artists

ATLANTA, Oct. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether they create inside the classroom or tour a museum exhibit, teens derive an undeniable happiness from art, design, and creativity. As the brand that is Here for Happy, Chips Ahoy! wants to help design a world where all teens have the same opportunity to access multicultural art and be inspired by two top passions: art and creativity. Unfortunately, while 48 percent of teens identify as persons of color1, only 15 percent of creative work in museums is made by artists of color2. Because Chips Ahoy! believes representation matters, today the brand unveiled Happy by Design. It is a campaign to inspire change featuring a national Augmented Reality (AR) experience. The AR provides a national platform to highlight works of art created by up-and-coming multicultural artists.

The Chips Ahoy! 'Happy By Design' campaign loops in two organizations that share the brand's ethos. The first is Atlanta'sHigh Museum of Art, where more than 62 percent of exhibitions from its most recent fiscal year feature woman-identifying or female artists, artists of color and LGBTQIA+ artists3. The second is Boys & Girls Clubs of America which provides young people with access to arts resources and programming designed to foster creativity and encourage self-expression.

The immersive AR experience features artwork from eight aspiring multicultural artists, including teens from Boys & Girls Clubs. Anyone nationwide can view, interact and learn about the teens' artwork virtually – anytime, anywhere. And every time their art is viewed through this virtual experience Chips Ahoy! donates $1 to fund arts programming, which supports multicultural creativity.4

To demonstrate the AR experience and share the importance of inspiring the next generation of multicultural artists, Chips Ahoy! partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and legendary Hollywood costume designer and  Boys & Girls Club alumnus and advocate, Ruth E. Carter.

"Boys & Girls Clubs of America provided me the opportunity to develop my passion for artistic expression at a young age, which I was able to share with audiences around the world through the power of film," said Carter. 'The 'Happy by Design' AR experience provides other young artists with a national platform to exhibit their creativity, and in turn, inspire future generations of artists.'

The virtual experience can be accessed HERE. It features art from the following teens:

• Langston Howard (Detroit, MI): Introduced to the world of fashion in 2022 through Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Michigan, Langston's designs celebrate Black power and identity and have already been recognized on national stages including a recent feature at New York Fashion Week.
• Amara Aleman(Ridgewood, NJ): Based in Rhode Island, Amara is an up-and-coming content creator who loves to feature her vitiligo in unique, artistic ways. Through highlighting her condition in an uplifting and aesthetically pleasing manner, she encourages her audiences to accept and celebrate their differences.
• Shawn Woodward (Detroit, MI): Another Southeast Michigan native and up-and-coming fashion designer who found his passion for art through Boys & Girls Clubs of America recently launched his own brand, Skullxer, which was recently featured at New York Fashion Week.
• Natalie Osborne (North Tulsa, OK): Growing up in the historic Greenwood district of Tulsa, Natalie's art draws inspiration from the community's resilience and pride. Creative self-expression brings her happiness and provides an outlet to dream of future endeavors.
• Sarah Inoue (Providence, RI): Sarah is a college student and video creator who primarily creates art-related content. She loves exploring different areas of art, such as makeup and fashion and is always learning new ways to express herself in ways that fit her personality.
• Ja'lyn Johnson (Fort Stewart, GA): Living in different cities and countries throughout her childhood, Ja'lyn has always been inspired by the many landscapes, people and culture she was introduced to. Her artwork is a colorful portrayal of how she sees herself within world.
• Jordyn Williams (Wake Forest, NC):Current Boys & Girls Club member, has always had an interest in art. Jordyn continues to explore and expand her knowledge in various mediums. She plans to pursue a business interest in creative design, as well as a career in engineering.
• Amari Jones (Atlanta, GA): Amari is an Actress, Dancer, Creative Director, and Screenwriter who recently graduated from the Savannah College of Arts and Design where she majored in Performing Arts. Looking to the future, Amari 's ultimate goal is to produce her own television shows and movies one day.

The Happy by Design Program is part of a $1MM pledge from Chips Ahoy! over three years to fund arts programming at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The pledge drives awareness to communities where arts programs have been defunded. Through this commitment, Chips Ahoy! wants to ensure more teens have access to the tools, resources and inspiration to pursue their artistic passion, and in turn, find their happy place.

"At Chips Ahoy!, we're proud to champion multicultural artists and give them an opportunity to share their inspiring creativity with the world, because a world filled with diverse art brings happiness to not only those who design it, but those that enjoy it as well," said Sabrina, Senior Director for the Chips Ahoy! Brand.

In addition to the national AR experience, visitors to the High Museum of Art can use the AR experience inside the museum to see this vision come to life on gallery walls. For everyone who uses the filter inside the museum, Chips Ahoy! will donate an additional $1 to the museum and its ongoing efforts to champion multicultural artists.5 The filter further demonstrates the museum's mission to champion inclusion for all in the arts, which in turn has led to a 240 percent increase between 2015-2020 in visitations from members of the BIPOC community.6

For more information on Chips Ahoy!'s efforts to champion multicultural artists as part of being Here for Happy, follow the brand on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @ChipsAhoy.

About Mondelēz International Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2021net revenues of approximately $29 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as Oreo, belVita and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericaFor more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Over 5,200 Clubs serve 3.3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

About the High Museum of Art Located in the heart of Atlanta, the High Museum of Art connects with audiences from across the Southeast and around the world through its distinguished collection, dynamic schedule of special exhibitions and engaging programs, all of which aim to reflect the ever-growing diversity of its community. Housed within facilities designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, the High features a collection of more than 19,000 works of art with an increasing range of artists represented in its African, American, Decorative Arts and Design, European, Folk and Self-Taught, Modern and Contemporary and Photography departments. The High is dedicated to reflecting the diversity of its communities and offering a variety of exhibitions and educational programs that engage visitors with the world of art, the lives of artists and the creative process. Visit www.high.org for general information and visit www.high.org/art-inclusion to learn more about the High's commitment to inclusivity.

1 Pew Research Center 2 National Library of Medicine 3 High Museum of Art 'Art & Inclusion' Report (2015-2023)4 Combined donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and High Museum of Art up to $15,0005 Combined donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and High Museum of Art up to $15,0006 High Museum of Art 'Art & Inclusion' Report (2015-2023)

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SOURCE Chips Ahoy!