PURCHASE, N.Y., Feb. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This Black History Month, LIFEWTR, a premium bottled water brand committed to advancing and showcasing all sources of creativity, celebrates and uplifts Black creatives who continue to shift the culture of today and reimagine the future of tomorrow through the latest chapter of its Black Art Rising initiative.

Actress and producer Marsai Martin joins this year's effort as Creative Curator, contributing, collaborating, and spotlighting the unique expressions of Black content creators on the newly launched LIFEWTR TikTok, the brand's latest digital platform dedicated to celebrating diverse creatives, their stories, and their work.

Four Black creatives have also been tapped to join the initiative, developing original artwork inspired by their personal and artistic journeys, which will be featured across LIFEWTR social channels. These creators include:  

• Performance artist, Ajani Huff (@ajani.huff)
• Creative director and photographer, Kihmberlie (@kihmberlie)
• Makeup artist, Cakeface RJ (@cakefacerj)
• Musical chef, Gabrielle Reyes (@onegreatvegan)

Together, Marsai and this year's Black Art Rising artists will invite everyone to join the conversation and show their own future-forward creativity on TikTok using #BlackArtRisingContest for a chance to win a $1,000 prize, a chance to see their artwork featured on a LIFEWTR bottle, and have their artwork featured on LIFEWTR's TikTok channel.

"Having grown up in the entertainment industry and being a creative myself, I've seen the lack of resources and representation within the Black content creator community," said Black Art Rising Creative Curator, Marsai Martin. "That's why I'm excited to partner with LIFEWTR and their Black Art Rising campaign. Being able to create opportunities that spotlight and celebrate Black digital creators who are pushing the culture forward is something I will always support."

Additionally, understanding that while non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have become an innovative tool to help democratize access to consumers, works by Black artists represent only a small portion of the total global NFT market. LIFEWTR also announces it has commissioned multidisciplinary artist, Julian Gilliam and surreal artist and graphic designer, Shaylin Wallace to bring to life a series of 100 limited-edition prints that will be created, owned, and issued by the artists in celebration of Black History Month.  Consumers are invited to follow the LIFEWTR Instagram and TikTok channels for full details on how they can get their hands on the limited-edition drop by the artists, which will be made available for purchase from the artists via Nifty Gateway, a platform for buying, selling and storing digital art and collectibles later this month. NFT ownership will not convey additional or future benefits from the artist or LIFEWTR.

As part of the brand's ongoing sustainability journey toward building a circular economy, LIFEWTR will balance out the carbon emissions resulting from the launch of the Black Art Rising NFTs by investing in a carbon insets project. Furthermore, LIFEWTR is committed to using 100% recycled plastic (rPET) for its bottles, which is expected to eliminate more than 8,000 metric tons of virgin plastic from being produced and over 10,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

"The LIFEWTR brand's commitment to supporting creatives of all kinds is anchored in our unwavering belief that creativity begins and ends with diversity of thought and expression," says Zach Harris, Vice President, Water Portfolio at PepsiCo Beverages North America. "Black creatives have historically been at the forefront of culture's most pivotal works and social movements, yet systemic obstacles continue to prevent inclusive artistic representation. We're thrilled to unveil the latest iteration of our Black Art Rising program this Black History Month, as part of our year-long efforts to help provide a platform for Black and other diverse creatives everywhere." 

The Black Art Rising campaign from LIFEWTR made its debut in October 2020 as a digital time capsule documenting the diverse responses to the Black Lives Matter movement on TheBlackArtRising.com. The effort was followed by a limited-time bottle collection that launched in February 2021, featuring the artwork of three purpose-led Black artists.  

Since the brand's inception in 2017, LIFEWTR has remained committed to developing programming and partnerships that amplify and support the work of diverse creatives. In addition to campaigns such as Black Art Rising, in 2021 LIFEWTR unveiled its LIFE UNSEEN® platform to raise awareness of the systemic disparities that continue to stifle equitable access and exposure across the arts, celebrate the work of diverse creatives and help cultivate new opportunities for the next generation. 

To learn more about Black Art Rising, follow LIFEWTR on Instagram and TikTok.

About PepsiCo 
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com. 

About Nifty Gateway
Nifty Gateway is an all-in-one platform that makes it easy to buy, sell, and store digital art and collectibles, otherwise known as Nifties (or NFTs). Nifty Gateway was founded by Duncan and Griffin Cock Foster in 2018, and acquired by Gemini in 2019, with the belief that crypto networks and the blockchain have the power to fundamentally change the art world by creating greater choice, independence, and opportunity for artists, creators, and collectors.

Media Contact:
LIFEWTR at Golin
golnyclifewtr@golin.com

SOURCE PepsiCo