The New WAY (Who Are You?) culture campaign, an initiative to empower youth to redefine career success, partnered with The Weeknd’s “After Hours Til Dawn” tour for its Atlanta stop at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The campaign is a partnership between Stand Together, a philanthropic community created to address issues like racial and socioeconomic disparities, and Dream Studios. The project aims to empower youth to explore career options through a non-traditional approach.
“No More Dreams Studios exists at the intersection of entertainment and creativity, and we’re proud to partner with Stand Together to help young people and society at large imagine what career success can look like,” La Mar Taylor, creative director and founder, XO Records and No More Dreams Studio, said in a press release.
“This partnership allows us to break down outdated narratives around education and achievement, and instead, uplift stories of passion, purpose, and possibility.”
Ahead of the Aug. 21 show, concertgoers had the chance to visit the WAY station video booth, which urged visitors to reflect on what makes them unique. The campaign also features inspiring video messages from WAY influencers, such as rapper Killer Mike. The video includes Melissa Proctor, executive vice president and CMO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena; Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group and tech innovator; and Iddris Sandu.
Colette Weintraub, head of Stand Together Music, Sports & Entertainment, explained the importance of the WAY campaign, which encourages youth to think beyond traditional norms.
“The prevailing belief in society has many believing there is one path to success, and success looks a certain way. WAY is intended to give people social permission in a time when there is a lot of social pressure. We want people to know they can define their own pathways to success, and there is more than one pathway. Most importantly, what success looks like is up to you,” Weintraub stated.
Each U.S. tour stop features a “WAY Station” video with upcoming concerts in Tampa, Houston, San Antonio, and Indianapolis. The tour makes its final stop in New York City on Sept. 27.
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