Meaningful Gigs Challenges Companies Building the Metaverse to Make 'A Meaningful Pledge' for Black History Month and Black Futures

The call to action asks major players in the creation of the Metaverse to allocate at least 18% of their budgets to Black creators

Washington, D.C. — Meaningful Gigs, the marketplace for skilled designers that aims to create 100,000 skilled jobs for Africans by 2028, today announced its Meaningful Pledge campaign in honor of Black History Month (February); however, the campaign will extend beyond BHM and companies can make the pledge at any time.

A Meaningful Pledge calls on companies creating ‘centralized’ metaverses (a metaverse built and controlled by a single company) to commit 18% of their resources to Black creators, as approximately 18% of the world population is Black and should be represented in the Metaverse.

The Metaverse is an opportunity to create new worlds and realities, so Meaningful Gigs wants to challenge and support companies to create more diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces where Black people have robust economic opportunities, real representation, and a sense of belonging.

“With the advent of the Metaverse, which has been touted as a $1 trillion opportunity, there is a chance to effect real change as it relates to the distribution of wealth and equity for Black creators,” said Ronnie Kwesi Coleman, CEO of Meaningful Gigs. “If the Metaverse becomes our reality, or at least influences it, we can work together to design things in a more inclusive and representative way.”

Based on the amount of money that’s already been committed to bringing the Metaverse to life, an 18% pledge from those companies would put Black creators on a meaningful path toward equity. Companies like Facebook/Meta and China-based Tencent have already pledged a combined $80 billion to the Metaverse, while others like Epic Games, Niantic, Microsoft, Apple, Roblox, and Amazon will continue to commit billions more.

“This Black History Month, Meaningful Gigs hopes to begin conversations and collaborations with other innovative companies who wish to truly move the needle on representation and equity in the creative community,” Coleman said. “Please consider joining A Meaningful Pledge.”

CALL TO ACTION

If you are interested and would like to stay updated on our pledge and on our work in the Metaverse, please sign up here.

To join our pledge, please email timothy@meaningfulgigs.com.