Dear Friends and Supporters,

I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to share with you the story behind CG
Empowers, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the filmmaking
and visual effects industries.

Reflecting back on my own journey, I recall a pivotal moment during my freshman year of high school
when I faced a challenging time after being let go from my first job at the young age of fifteen. It was
my mother who came to my rescue, arranging an internship for me at the local public access channel.
Those four years spent working at the station not only boosted my self-esteem but also ignited a
passion for film, leading me to pursue a major in film during college. From there, I was fortunate
enough to secure a fantastic position in visual effects at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Throughout my career, I have encountered a stark reality: the lack of diversity and representation in the
industry. As a female artist, I often found myself as one of the few women in the studio. Thankfully, I
had the support of exceptional mentors who guided me along the way. Yet, it became painfully clear
that there were significant gaps in educational opportunities, post-grad mentorship, and equal
participation based on race and gender in the production and post-production sectors.

Today, the world of filmmaking and visual effects is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by
advancements in software, hardware, and cloud computing technologies. These innovations present
an incredible opportunity to address these inequalities and strive for a more diverse and inclusive
education system, AI models, job market, and even our very existence.

It is with this aspiration in mind that CG Empowers was born. As a team of like-minded professionals,
we are dedicated to broadening the mix of students attending courses at CG Pro, an Unreal Authorized
Training Center, in order to foster greater diversity within the industries we serve. To further this vision,
we are now embarking on a fundraising endeavor to establish targeted training programs and
scholarships that will meet the needs of aspiring professionals who may otherwise be excluded.
 

This brings us to the purpose of this letter. We humbly invite you to join us and support this important
cause. Your contribution will enable us to provide much-needed opportunities to those who cannot
afford the workshops and mentorship programs we offer. Every donation brings us one step closer to a
more inclusive and representative industry, where talents from all backgrounds can thrive.
 

In addition, we are excited to announce an upcoming free event organized by CG Empowers. This
event aims to not only raise awareness but also bring together individuals who are passionate about
CGI and virtual production. It will serve as a platform for sharing knowledge, networking, and
celebrating our collective efforts to bridge the gaps in our industry. We will provide further details about
the event soon, and we encourage you to mark your calendars and spread the word among your
networks.

Your support, whether through donations, participation in the event, or sharing this message, is crucial
in turning our vision into a reality. Together, we can create lasting change and empower the next
generation of diverse talent in the filmmaking and visual effects industries.

Thank you for considering our cause and for being a champion for diversity and inclusivity. We look
forward to your involvement in this important endeavor.

With gratitude,
Jacqueline Cooper
Founder, CG Empowers