Town and Style highlights Belonging Begins with Us Campaign, featuring Daniela Velázquez
TALK OF THE TOWNS: 1.20.21
clayton | The St. Louis Mosaic Project is committed to fostering a more welcoming nation where everyone feels they belong, regardless of their background or where they were born. As part of those ongoing efforts, it is supporting the Ad Council’s new national ad campaign, Belonging Begins With Us. “We’re excited to extend this important message of belonging as part of our long-term efforts to create a region where everyone knows they belong, and where we can all make connections across our differences,” says Suzanne Sierra of the Mosaic Project. Visit belongingbeginswithus.org, which features first-person stories from across the country, as well as ideas for welcoming actions people can take in their own neighborhoods and workplaces. Among the 40 stories selected nationwide, the local story of Daniela Velázquez (pictured at top) is included. A second-generation Puerto Rican who returned to The Lou after a career in journalism in South Florida, she struggled with feeling like she didn’t belong here. She parlayed her journalism experience into a career in public relations and is a strategist at Elasticity, a digital marketing agency. The 60-second PSA, created pro bono by NYC ad agency Pereira O’Dell, features an a cappella version of the 1968 hit “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” and reminds audiences what it feels like to be left out—and for people who moved to this country, that feeling can last a long time. You can watch the powerful new video on YouTube.