13952: Delayed WTF 39—Spirited Diversion.

MultiCultClassics is often occupied with real work. As a result, a handful of events occur without the expected blog commentary. This limited series—Delayed WTF—seeks to make belated amends for the absence of malice.

During Advertising Week 2017, the oh-so-inclusive and progressive Advertising Club of New York presented another diversity initiative—Creative Spirit, which is described as follows:

Creative Spirit is a certified 501c3 nonprofit organization devoted to creating integrated employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) at the best companies in the world. We believe that hiring those with IDDs is not charity, but a privilege. Research strongly supports the fact that hiring neuro-diverse employees drives better thinking and brings a new base of loyal, productive employees to an organization.

Great. Here’s another underrepresented segment that will leapfrog over racial and ethnic minorities to grab a seat at the adland conference table of exclusive humanity. Hey, it’s “not charity, but a privilege.” As opposed to the ruling majority in the field, a group of people who mostly secured their positions via White privilege.

Plus, it’s sad how Advertising Week served as a stage for exposing the dearth of racial and ethnic diversity in 2006—and now, over a decade later, Madison Avenue dodges accountability by embracing every non-White-male group except racial and ethnic minorities in order to appear committed to change. When it comes to addressing true diversity, Mad Men and Mad Women (i.e., White adpeople) seem to suffer from special intellectual and developmental disabilities.