On Sept. 7, members of the media and fragrance industry gathered at Melba’s Harlem to debate The Fragrance Foundation‘s #FragranceForwardTFF initiative, which was launched in 2021 and seeks to extend diversity, equity and inclusion within the industry.

Amongst those present included Teri Johnson, founding father of the Harlem Candle Company, Francisco Costa, founding father of Costa Brazil, Chris Collins, founder, World of Chris Collins, artist Rebecca Moses, and former model Musa Jackson, who’s now the chief executive officer and editor in chief at Ambassador Digital Magazine.

“We’ve made our number-one priority diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Linda G. Levy, president of The Fragrance Foundation, on the event. “People must see those that appear to be them within the industry. It’s time for us to attach with BIPOC [Black and Indigenous people of color] brands, and we should not going to stop until america population is represented within the industry.”

Last 12 months, The Fragrance Foundation inaugurated its Profession Paths series. The initiative, which goals to supply those looking for a profession within the fragrance industry with the data and resources to accomplish that, debuted at Spelman College and can proceed touring colleges across the country.

This October, the organization may also launch the second iteration of The Fragrance Foundation FIT Diversity Scholarship, a $100,000 academic awarded to 2 students enrolled in the college’s Cosmetic and Fragrance Marketing programs undergraduate and graduate programs.