Celebrating 20 Years of Impact
Meet Ammon Lyle: an Usher’s New Look alum passionate about giving back and building more African American content creators to help diversify his industry.
Ammon’s story began in the northside of Milwaukee where he grew up in an area that faced racial discrimination alongside many social and economic challenges. Ammon describes Milwaukee as “sometimes a horrible place to raise a Black person” because of the city’s racial separation. Ammon’s community on the northside is home to “a lot of violence and a lot of poverty” because of the lack “of resources being poured” into the area. Ammon also describes how people in Milwaukee become “trapped in that system” of violence and poverty and “it becomes a cycle” that’s “hard to grow from.”
Despite having moved away from the city, Ammon still remains connected with Milwaukee through his family and friends who currently live in the city. And the dangers of the city continue to cause him a great deal of stress. He explains how when “a murder comes across the (television) screen” he feels troubled and has to see if he’s related to them, or if they are a friend. The passing, imprisonment, or lack of progress for some of his childhood friends also troubles Ammon because they are “good people” with “good hearts” caught in a system they can’t escape.
“New Look completely changed my life and how I view the world.“
Ammon Lyle
In sharp contrast, Ammon notes how “New Look completely changed his life” and how he viewed the world. New Look supported his passions and helped Ammon navigate the complexities of racial discrimination in a positive way so he “could impact and change the world.” Ammon was able to successfully graduate from Howard University where he earned his BBA in Finance and Financial Management services. He has worked at The Walt Disney Company, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, and now at Audible as the Manager of Content Acquisition and Development for Entertainment Originals.
Thanks in part to New Look, Ammon is indeed ready to change the world, starting with his profession! He describes how “there aren’t many African Americans systematically” working in his profession because they have been “held back economically.” As a result, Ammon is eager to apply his personal knowledge to “help build creators and give back in a way that will change the industry!”
~ Rachel Meiselas
Marketing & Communications Intern
Rachel Meiselas is a senior at Syosset High School in New York. In addition to working with Usher’s New Look Foundation, Rachel is a published author and works for the female football news outlet, Gridiron Queendom. She is also a contributor to the political entertainment and media company, MeidasTouch, whose objective is to encourage democracy and equality.