NTC “Illustrates” an Industry Need - The Armstrong Project

Our goal was to create a custom concept that functioned in a way that was not only effective for the target audiences, but impactful for any allies we touched as well. We wanted to create a groundswell of engagement, purpose and drive. Specifically, Peanuts Worldwide and Native Tongue Communications (NTC) were made aware that less than 4% of all animators are Black. This means that less than 4% of all of the animated content created, comes from a truly authentic place of experience for a Black audience, and perhaps most importantly, for an impressionable Black youth audience. Knowing how crucial it is to connect with someone through relatable conversations, we decided to forge a pathway to solve for this concern and increase that number. To achieve this goal, we launched "The Armstrong Project", named in honor of Charles Schulz’ iconic character Franklin Armstrong. It establishes $200,000 in endowments at HBCUs Howard and Hampton University. We are proud to say, through activating our annual scholarship, we can effectively step in and immediately start work to increase our desired student engagement numbers. The Armstrong Project will ensure scholarship, mentorship and internship opportunities for these students in entertainment fields such as animation, film, and television. Giving them access they may have never had before. By collaborating with our allies in these fields to build the program, we can also create industry wide memorability, touching anyone with an emotional connection to Peanuts and a desire for change. We are changing the world though the use of these iconic characters in a way they have never quite been leveraged before. The program has given us instant impact, visibility and recognition. By shifting the mindset, and changing the approach, we have been able to exceed our goals and give back to the Black community.