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The U.S. labor market has a perceived shortage of qualified workers, yet millions of workers with in-demand skills are being overlooked, undervalued, and filtered out before even being considered. We call these over 70 million workers STARs: workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes. STARs make up 50% of the U.S. workforce and have developed valuable skills through community college, workforce training, bootcamps, certificate programs, military service, or on-the-job learning, rather than through a bachelor’s degree.

STARs face a "paper ceiling" – the invisible barrier that comes at every turn for workers without a bachelor's degree. Lack of alumni networks, biased algorithms, degree screens, stereotypes, and misperceptions all contribute to the paper ceiling, creating barriers to upward economic mobility for STARs, even though they have demonstrated skills for higher-wage work.

It's time to let STARs shine. Run these PSAs to help Employers and STARs tear the paper ceiling and join the movement at TearThePaperCeiling.org.

Racism and oppression have historically impacted and continue to profoundly affect Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities and the nation at large. The Ad Council is committed to using our platform to support other external organizations dedicated to dismantling systemic racism and injustice.

In this series, we’re spotlighting content created by these organizations that will help spark more dialogue and action around racial justice. We hope you’ll take the time to learn more about these organizations and the great work that they’re doing.

The Bail Project: Equal Justice for All - Ending Wealth-Based Detention
The words “Equal Justice Under Law” are carved above the entrance to the U.S. Supreme Court, reflecting a fundamental democratic principle: that everyone should be treated fairly by the justice system. But in reality, this promise is broken by the use of cash bail. Under cash bail, people must pay money to stay out of jail while awaiting trial, and only those who can afford it can remain free. Despite the U.S. Constitution’s protection against excessive bail, hundreds of thousands of Americans are in jail every day simply because they cannot pay. This means they are punished before being proven guilty, contradicting the presumption of innocence.

Cash bail contributes significantly to mass incarceration, with nearly 70% of people in jail waiting for their trial. It also makes racial inequality in the justice system worse, with Black and brown communities hurt the most. On top of that, it costs taxpayers nearly $14 billion each year to keep people in jail who are still presumed innocent. This injustice harms not just individuals but entire families and communities.

The Bail Project’s “Freedom Should Be Free” PSA campaign spreads the message that justice should not be for sale. Everyone deserves fair treatment, no matter the size of their bank account.

The Sentencing Project – 50 Years and a Wake Up
The U.S. prison population has grown nearly 500% in the past 50 years. Increasingly, punitive changes in sentencing laws and policies, not changes in crime rates, explain most of this increase. Despite increasing evidence that large-scale incarceration is not an effective means of achieving public safety, these trends have resulted in dangerous prison overcrowding as well as weighty fiscal burdens on taxpayers to accommodate a rapidly expanding penal system.

The Sentencing Project’s latest campaign raises awareness about the dire state of the U.S. criminal legal system and the devastating impact of incarceration on communities and families.

One Single Light Can Dispel Darkness
Antisemitism incidents can occur unexpectedly and when we least expect them. Being discriminated against because of religion, race, and/or ethnicity can be traumatic for adults and children, and fear can make it challenging to speak up and stand up for oneself. Discussing this topic is difficult, and navigating this terrain can feel daunting and explosive.

The Shine A Light PSA aims to spread the message that light has the power to dispel darkness. It uses the inspiring story of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, to encourage conversations about antisemitism and promote greater understanding within and between communities. The hope is that this will lead to more people taking action to respond to antisemitism and combat it effectively.

Shine A Light is a purpose-driven convening platform for organizations, companies, institutions, and individuals to unite in shining a light on antisemitism in all its modern forms.

We’ve all had moments where we’ve felt we didn’t belong, but for people who moved to this country, that feeling lasts more than a moment. We all want to feel safe and included in the community we call home, but today, too many of our neighbors experience exclusion, isolation, harassment, and even violence on the basis of their identity.

Belonging Begins with Us is a new campaign with PSAs that empower viewers to foster a more welcoming nation where everyone - regardless of background - feels they belong. Each of us has the power to welcome others into our communities.

Visit BelongingBeginsWithUs.org to read real stories of welcoming and belonging from across the country and find ways to get involved in your own community.

The best way to help those affected by a humanitarian crisis and natural disaster is by donating money rather than goods. Financial donations help support communities in crisis and in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Financial donations are also critical for longer-term recovery efforts—they can respond to changing needs as people move to safety, resettle, or rebuild.

The number of forcibly displaced people has hit a record high with over 84 million people forced to flee from their homes due to conflicts and persecution. At this moment, millions of refugees and displaced people from  Afghanistan,  Syria,  Yemen , Sudan, and Ukraine are facing the most challenging moment of their lives. Audiences are encouraged to support refugees at SupportCrisisRelief.org.

For communities impacted by natural disasters, like the recent Hawai’i wildfires, Hurricanes Idalia and Ian, and the earthquakes in Morocco, Turkey, and Syria, it is important to encourage audiences to support disaster relief efforts through cash donations. This campaign drives audiences to SupportDisasterRelief.org to disaster-specific relief funds through GlobalGiving to help support these communities in crisis in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and for their longer-term recovery.

What is #Dadication? It's just like dedication but it means that as a father, you never stop being a dad. There’s no one right way as long as you show up for your kids, even when it's not so easy.

The Fatherhood Involvement campaign PSAs highlight the diverse experiences of real dads who share a commitment to being there for their kids through parenting highlights and challenges. By acknowledging the hard work they put forth in the face of hardships, the campaign seeks to provide all fathers with confidence to keep going in their efforts to be present for their children.

All PSAs direct audiences to visit Fatherhood.gov for parenting tips, fatherhood programs, and other resources.

An estimated 47 million people in America experience food insecurity. That’s 1 in 7 individuals facing hunger, including 1 in 5 children. Food nourishes more than just our bodies—it also nourishes our futures. The Ending Hunger campaign highlights what we can achieve when we have reliable access to nutritious meals. The campaign PSAs inspire audiences to join Feeding America in the movement to end hunger, ensuring that our neighbors facing hunger are able to access the nutritious foods we all need to thrive.

Feeding America supports tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to access nutritious food and resources. The Feeding America network consists of food banks, pantries, meal programs, state associations, and the Feeding America national organization working together alongside communities to end hunger.

Hate crimes are on the rise, and yet 85% of Americans consider themselves unprejudiced.

Bias and discrimination are among the most pressing issues facing our nation today. Love Has No Labels is a movement to promote acceptance and inclusion of all people across race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age and ability.

Throughout its duration, Love Has No Labels has opened a dialogue about our implicit biases—our assumptions, stereotypes, and unintentional actions toward others based on their perceived differences or labels—and erodes those biases by flooding the market with diverse images of love.

We believe love is the most powerful force to overcome bias. Together, we can create a more inclusive world.

Thousands of teens in foster care are waiting for the love and support from a family, but unfortunately almost 20,000 young people leave foster care without a family every year. But no matter our age, we never outgrow the need for family, and the teenage years are an especially critical time for parental help and guidance.

Inspired by real families’ stories, this honest and heartfelt campaign reveals the remarkable value of adoption for both teens and parents. With the tagline, “You can’t imagine the reward,” these emotional messages reassure prospective parents and inspire them to consider adopting a teen.

This successful campaign has contributed to the more than 1,000,000 children and youth that have been adopted from the U.S. foster care system since 2004.