U.S. Secretary of Education to Join Other Leading Experts at CAA Virtual Summit on Public Education and the Urgent Need to Prevent a Generation of “Lost” Students

Event to Provide Specific Action Steps to Avoid Further Long-Term Harm

Speakers and Appearances to Include

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona; Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; Former U.S. Secretary of Education and Education Trust CEO Dr. John B. King, Jr.; DonorsChoose Founder and CEO Charles Best, Communities in Schools CEO Rey Saldaña; Former Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools Kaya Henderson; Chiefs for Change Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer; Philanthropist and National Board Chair, Communities in Schools, Elaine Wynn; Rockefeller Foundation Advisor on Covid-19 Diagnostics, Mara Aspinall; Save the Children’s Mark Shriver and Ambassador and Actress Jennifer Garner; Leading Entertainment Figures Yara Shahidi, Anthony Ramos, and Edward James Olmos

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As the pandemic continues to significantly impact communities and student enrollment in public schools nationwide, the CAA Foundation and CAA Amplify will host an urgent, public Town Hall on Thursday, March 18, 2021, to focus on what can be done to prevent a “lost” generation of students. Per national public education non-profit Bellwether Education Partners, as many as 3 million American students have not attended school, online or in-person, since March of 2020.

“Beyond even the devastating health and economic consequences of the pandemic lies a critical, long-term cost in education, particularly for the most educationally marginalized students,” said Deborah Marcus, CAA Foundation executive and former CEO of drop-out prevention organization Communities in Schools, Los Angeles. “Many students who lack access to connected devices and other educational materials, due to low family income, homelessness, foster care, disability, insufficient English language skills, or other circumstances, are being left behind. Working with leading educators and experts, our event is designed to create a shared understanding of the issue and provide tangible, immediate action steps to help mitigate the problem before any other long-term damage is done to families and our nation.”

Featured event speakers and appearances, among others, will include:

U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona

Former U.S. Secretary of Education and Managing Partner, Emerson Collective, Arne Duncan

Former U.S. Secretary of Education and Education Trust CEO, Dr. John B. King, Jr.

DonorsChoose Founder and CEO, Charles Best

Communities in Schools CEO, Rey Saldaña

Former Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools and Founder of Reconstruction, Kaya Henderson

Save the Children Senior Vice-President, U.S. Programs & Advocacy, Mark Shriver

Emmy-Nominated Actress and Save the Children Ambassador, Jennifer Garner

Emmy-Winning Actor, Edward James Olmos

Actor and Musical Artist, Anthony Ramos

Actress, Producer and Activist, Yara Shahidi

Chiefs for Change Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer

Philanthropist and National Board Chair, Communities in Schools, Elaine Wynn

Professor of Practice, Biomedical Diagnostics, Arizona State University, and Advisor, The Rockefeller Foundation, Mara Aspinall

Educational Equity Advocacy Organization Student Voice Leaders, Maya Green and Jimmy Rodgers

The event will be held on Thursday, March 18, 2021, 12:00PM – 1:30PM PST. Visit https://amplify.caa.com/live/education to register. Action steps the public can take to address the crisis will be posted at the same website at the conclusion of the event.

The CAA Foundation, established in 1995, and CAA’s Amplify diversity platform have long focused on issues of social impact and inclusiveness. CAA Amplify launched in 2017 as an annual invitation-only event convening of leading artists and executives of color from the most powerful organizations in entertainment, sports, media, brands, technology and social justice. It has become a dynamic platform and influential community that leverages the collective expertise of leaders and executives to drive transformational change across business and society with the goal of creating a more inclusive and equitable world for underrepresented communities.

In June 2020, CAA hosted its first virtual CAA Amplify Town Hall in a call to action and further underscoring the company’s commitment to ending systemic racism. The event was an unprecedented gathering of more than 9,000 leaders in popular culture, sports, technology, social justice, and beyond, and delivered critical action steps to create real and permanent change. Speakers included Sherilynn Ifill; Founder, CAA AMP, Dwyane Wade; Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Patrisse Cullors; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver; Managing Partner, Emerson Collective, and Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; Actress, Producer, and Change Agent Yara Shahidi; and LinkedIn Executive Chairman Jeff Weiner, among other leaders.

The agency is also deeply committed to issues of voting and civic engagement. In 2020, the CAA Foundation launched the Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan business coalition that strengthens democracy by supporting safe, healthy, and trusted elections and inspiring every American to participate in shaping our country’s future. Founded in partnership with Democracy Works, the Civic Alliance has grown to include more than 1,050 organizations with a reach of 5.2 million employees. In 2018, the CAA Foundation launched I am a voter.®, a nonpartisan movement that aims to create a cultural shift around voting and civic engagement, while making voter identity mainstream, aspirational, and an integral component of how anyone identifies themselves.

CAA Foundation

The CAA Foundation activates the power and reach of the entertainment, media, and sports industries to create systemic social change for a more equitable and optimistic future. Its efforts are focused on public education, climate change, civic engagement, and in times of critical need, mobilizing into action through crisis relief. Since its launch in 1995, the CAA Foundation has served as the heart of the agency, investing in our communities and helping our clients achieve their humanitarian goals.

About Creative Artists Agency

Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is the leading entertainment and sports agency, with global expertise in filmed and live entertainment, digital media, publishing, sponsorship sales and endorsements, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, trademark licensing, and philanthropy. Distinguished by its culture of collaboration and exceptional client service, CAA’s diverse workforce identifies, innovates, and amplifies opportunities for the people and organizations that shape culture and inspire the world.

The trailblazer of the agency business, CAA was the first to build a sports business, create an investment bank, launch a venture fund, found technology start-up companies, establish a philanthropic arm, build a business in China, and form a brand marketing services division, among other innovations. Named Most Valuable Sports Agency by Forbes for seven consecutive years, CAA represents more than 2,000 of the world’s top athletes in football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer, in addition to coaches, on-air broadcasters, and sports personalities and works in the areas of broadcast rights, corporate marketing initiatives, social impact, and sports properties for sales and sponsorship opportunities.

Founded in 1975, CAA is headquartered in Los Angeles, and has offices in New York, Nashville, Memphis, Chicago, Miami, London, Munich, Geneva, Stockholm, Shanghai, and Beijing, among other locations globally. For more information, please visit www.caa.com.

Contacts

Jenna Powell, CAA, [email protected], 424.288.2724

Allison Lin, CAA, [email protected], 424.288.2245