DEI isn’t just a checkbox — it’s about making Black voices impossible to ignore. Despite the backlash and defunding, the fight for inclusion presses on. Leading that charge is Adrianne C. Smith, Founder of the Cannes Can: Diversity Collective, who pulled off a major win with this year’s Inkwell Beach activation at the Cannes Lions Festival 2025 — setbacks and all. Let’s take a look at what continues to drive her forward.
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It’s no secret that diversity, equity, and inclusion has taken a serious hit under the current administration, with federal rollbacks pressuring companies to back away from public DEI efforts. That ripple effect reached Cannes, where some sponsors scaled back their support during the fifth annual Inkwell Beach installation. Still, Smith didn’t see the set back as defeat. For her, it was the perfect time to lean in, and push forward.
“Yes, people did pull back because of the pressures, but other people leaned in when people pulled out,” Smith told The Root. “There will always be a space and place for this type of work because people know the power of it.”
She continued: “Just because some people have decided to pull back, or because DEI — in some cases — is being defunded, doesn’t mean that the work, or our value is any less. The work has to continue.”
Since 2018, Smith’s Cannes Can: Diversity Collective (CC:DC) has worked to make the Cannes Lions more inclusive — “the right way.” According to her, of the nearly 20,000 people who attend the festival, only a tiny fraction have been Black. A ratio that just didn’t sit right with her. “If they did look like me, they were the help or the entertainment.”
While Black folks didn’t feel seen or included in years past, many have told Smith that this was the first time they felt like they truly belonged at Cannes — all thanks to Inkwell. And no policy pushback or budget cut can take that away. It’s not about the label, it’s about the effort and the legacy.
“Just because someone switches the label doesn’t mean the value disappears,” Smith added. “When their noise dials down, our noise has to pick up. You can’t be afraid to do the work — you just have to keep moving forward with it.”
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