December 18, 2025
Dear Friends,
With the holiday season upon us, we want to take a moment and thank you all for another year of meaningful growth and success. 2025 has been a year marked by tremendous change – from the January wildfires that devastated our Los Angeles community to the continued technological and economic transformations of our industry. Through it all, we have come together as a community to focus on collective impact and resiliency, uplifting and serving people in need.
The focus of our shared work this year was investing in the next generation, prioritizing their overall well-being and growth. We are excited to highlight some of our key partners spearheading this portfolio of work, including The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program, Carmela Wallace and Live Free 999, Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp, and the Roybal Film and Television Magnet. It is critical that we lead with kindness and bring opportunities to the changemakers of the future.
As we close out the year, we invite you to continue supporting EIF and our philanthropic partners to create positive social change on a local, national, and global scale. Through the power of partnership and awareness, and leveraging the strength of our industry, we can amplify our impact for years to come.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season,
Nicole Sexton
President & CEO
Entertainment Industry Foundation
For more than 15 years, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) Women in Entertainment (WIE) Mentorship Program has been providing college scholarships to talented students from under-resourced schools across Los Angeles. Founded by Stephen Galloway, advised by Sherry Lansing, and facilitated in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and EIF, the initiative pairs young women with influential women executives in entertainment to guide, inspire, and champion their dreams.
Earlier this month, the program hosted an intimate evening to celebrate its fifteen years of impact with current and incoming participants, alumni, funders, and key industry supporters. Attendees enjoyed refreshments and meaningful conversation in Hancock Park, highlighting the power of community, connection, and opportunity. At the event, WIE shared an impact report spotlighting the lives it has changed over the last fifteen years. Of note, since its inception, the program has facilitated 261+ mentorship matches and 45+ full-ride scholarships to leading universities, including Loyola Marymount University and Chapman University.
During this year’s THR Women in Entertainment Breakfast Gala, Chase Infiniti, Dakota Johnson, and Regina Hall announced three full-ride university scholarships and a $10,000 scholarship for each of the remaining 2025 mentees to use toward tuition at the school of their choice. The gala honored Jennifer Lopez with the Equity in Entertainment Award and Gwyneth Paltrow with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, highlighting the extraordinary achievements of two women changemakers in the industry.
Learn More About The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program
FISCALLY SPONSORED FUND SPOTLIGHT
LIVE FREE 999
Founded by Carmella Wallace, the mother of artist Jarad “Juice WRLD” Higgins, Live Free 999 supports young people in their battles with addiction, anxiety, and depression. At the height of Juice WRLD’s fame, he tragically passed away from an accidental drug overdose, a loss his mother turned into advocacy and action.
This past Spring, Live Free 999 hosted its inaugural Mental Health Day event at Jarad’s high school alma mater, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, located in the Chicago metropolitan area. Called Shatter the Silence, the full-day event drew 2,700 students to raise awareness and destigmatize conversations around mental health. Held in partnership with Homewood-Flossmoor’s Bring Change to Mind organization, students participated in conversations and hands-on activities addressing stress, anxiety, depression, and suicide.
EIF FUNDS COLLABORATE
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CAMP X ROYBAL FILM AND TELEVISION MAGNET
In October, Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp (KYRC) hosted its 15th camp at the Roybal Film and Television Magnet campus in Los Angeles. Given the unique challenges facing the L.A. region over the last year, the event centered on immigration rights, education, and empowerment. Youth attendees participated in workshops and panels led by KYRC presenters, community partners, and educators, gaining access to tools for resistance, healing, and hope. This collaboration unites KYRC’s mission to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown youth with Roybal’s focus to prepare the same target population for family-sustaining film and television careers.
PSA SPOTLIGHT
HISPANIC FEDERATION
“AMERICA IS US”
The Latino community is interwoven into the fabric of our country, both historically and presently. As one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the U.S., Latinos have significantly contributed to our nation’s identity, shaping our democracy, economy, and culture. Contributing over $4 trillion to our GDP, they serve as small business owners, artists, athletes, public servants, farmworkers, construction workers, caregivers, and more. Latinos shape the American experience and story, continuing to drive progress and enrich our society.
In September the Hispanic Federation (HF), the nation’s premier Latino nonprofit organization that seeks to empower and advance the Hispanic community and ecosystem, launched a bilingual PSA in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Narrated by award-winning songwriter, actor, producer and director Lin-Manuel Miranda, the campaign highlights the essential contributions of Latinos to the American nation. HF promotes its mission through advocacy, community programs, and partnerships in key areas, including education, economic empowerment, immigration, and health, uplifting millions of individuals and families across over 40 states and territories.
PSA SPOTLIGHT
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM USA
“FILL THE SILENCE”
Global hunger is at an all-time high, representing a crisis that demands the collective will, awareness, access, and funding needed to provoke change. Every day, more than 343 million people struggle with, yet survive, life-threatening levels of hunger, while every 10 seconds, a child dies from hunger. It is critical, now more than ever, that we do everything in our power to address this long-standing crisis, which has the ability to change the trajectory of countless lives.
The World Food Program USA, in partnership with EIF, launched a national out-of-home billboard campaign to raise awareness and critical funds to support children and families facing hunger around the world. The campaign aims to showcase how access to food fuels futures, especially important amidst the recent decline in humanitarian funding. The World Food Program USA supports the mission of the World Food Progamme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses, and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger.
PSA SPOTLIGHT – ANTHEM AWARD WINNER
SOCAL FIRE FUND
“THERE IS HOPE”
We’re excited to share that the SoCal Fire Fund’s “There is Hope” PSA has been selected as a winner in the 5th annual Anthem Awards in two categories:
Presented by the Webby Awards, the Anthem Awards are the largest and most comprehensive social impact award, accepting works across five areas of impact work including: Awareness, Fundraising & Resource Development, Community Engagement, Product, Innovation or Service and Team & Internal Initiatives.
The There is Hope PSA was launched to highlight the long road to recovery for residents impacted by the Los Angeles January 2025 wildfires, and the SoCal Fire Fund’s mission. The SoCal Fire Fund is a collaborative relief effort launched to assist affected students, individuals, and families through critical, flexible, financial assistance, case management, and mental health services. The fund is spearheaded by the CAA Foundation, Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), a global humanitarian organization that empowers communities in and beyond crisis, and the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation.
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