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New Campaign Encourages Hispanic Parents to Store Their Firearms Safely

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Brady, Casanova//McCann and the Ad Council partner for the first national Spanish language public education campaign on safe firearm storage, aimed at reaching Hispanic gun owners, which are among the fastest-growing demographic groups purchasing firearms

NEW YORK, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — This Gun Violence Awareness Month, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Casanova//McCann and the Ad Council have launched “Da El Siguiente Paso” or “Take the Next Step,” the first-ever national public education campaign on safe firearm storage reaching Hispanic gun owners. The effort, which is the latest campaign by the award-winning End Family Fire program, responds to the fact that the number of Hispanic adults who own firearms has doubled since 2017.

By expanding the audience focus and adding educational materials in Spanish, this work can reach one of the fastest-growing populations of gun owners in the US, especially as Hispanic individuals account for 19 percent of the 7.5M new gun owners between 2019-2021. The latest available data shows that over a quarter of Hispanic people own a firearm, or approximately 14M Hispanic adults. And with such a dramatic rise in ownership comes an increased need for public education on safe firearm storage. As part of the new campaign, a new Spanish-language website, DaElSiguientePaso.org, launched featuring in-language videos and resources.

Developed pro bono by Casanova//McCann, an integrated marketing agency specialized in reaching Hispanic audiences, this new campaign focuses on reaching both Spanish and English-speaking Hispanic parents who own firearms. The work builds on and further extends End Family Fire’s existing efforts to encourage gun owners to take the next step to store all of their firearms more securely. 

WATCH THE PSAS IN SPANISH and ENGLISH

Currently, in the U.S, approximately 4.6 million children live in a home with access to unlocked and loaded guns. According to a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association, despite 70 percent of parents believing their child could not access firearms within the home, over 30 percent of children from those households claimed to have the ability to access a firearm in less than five minutes.

Family fire refers to a shooting caused by someone having access to a gun from the home when they shouldn’t have it; this includes children as well as those who display behavior that indicates they could harm themselves or others when accessing a firearm. Access to unsecured guns in the home can lead to a broad range of gun violence — including unintentional shootings, intentional shootings, and firearm suicide — which can be prevented through safe gun storage.

“We are so proud to bring this campaign to life with Brady and the Ad Council to help our community. While the data shows the need, we were floored by the lack of information available for Hispanic gun owners,” said Ingrid Smart, president/CEO, Casanova//McCann. “As parents ourselves, it was very meaningful to have this opportunity and we are grateful to the End Family Fire team for trusting and supporting us. We hope this work reaches gun owners and will create lasting change.”

“When people make the decision to buy a firearm for the home, they’re often doing it with protection in mind, but protection does not immediately equal safety,” said Kris Brown, president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence. “Safe storage is essential to preventing a means of securing your home from causing an irreversible tragedy. With the number of Hispanic gun owners doubling in recent years, a national Spanish campaign is vital in eliminating barriers faced by Spanish speakers in accessing safe firearm storage education. We are grateful for this critical partnership with Casanova and the Ad Council that will ensure nearly 14 million Hispanic gun owners have the resources they need to take the next step and end family fire.”

“As a parent, you want your home to be the safest place for your children,” said Michelle Hillman, chief campaign development officer, the Ad Council. “We are thankful for our amazing partners at Brady and Casanova//McCann for their collaboration and commitment for reaching Hispanic audiences on such a critical issue. It is our hope that through this lifesaving work, gun owners across America will be inspired to take the next step in protecting their homes and communities by storing their guns securely.”

The new PSAs feature two Hispanic fathers who are real gun owners, not actors, sharing how they currently store their personal firearms. The parents are presented with heartfelt letters written by parents whose children were killed in gun-related tragedies, emphasizing the importance of safe gun storage and prompting the two fathers to reconsider their storage habits in real time. The spot ends by encouraging viewers to visit EndFamilyFire.org and DaElSiguientePaso.org for information about safe gun storage and resources to help prevent shooting injuries and deaths.

Since 2018, End Family Fire has been working to shift the way gun owners think about and store their firearms. Gun violence is an issue that impacts everyone and by including gun owners throughout research, development, and production, the program intentionally brings these voices in as a part of the solution to reduce preventable firearm deaths.  

To date, End Family Fire has garnered over $120 million in donated media and over 5.2 billion impressions and has had proven success at changing attitudes and behaviors around gun usage and safe storage: According to an Ad Council study, 42 percent of respondents with a child in the home who are aware of the End Family Fire campaign have reported seeking information on safe gun storage in the past 12 months, compared to 10 percent of those not aware. (Source: Ad Council online survey of 1,815 U.S. adults who reside in gun-owning households, fielded by Ipsos January 1, 2024March 31, 2024).

This new creative will run across broadcast TV, social, digital, online video, radio and print media nationwide donated by both Spanish and English media. TelevisaUnivision is providing additional support to ensure the new PSAs further reach intended audiences by donating TV, social and digital inventory. Additional forthcoming audio assets will be produced by SiriusXM Media’s Studio Resonate and supported by donated inventory. To learn more about End Family Fire and how to promote responsible gun ownership, visit EndFamilyFire.org or DaElSiguientePaso.org.

About End Family Fire
End Family Fire, a joint effort from Brady and the Ad Council, encourages safe gun storage by putting a name to the preventable tragedies that occur when guns in the home are misused. “Family fire,” a term developed for the campaign, refers to a shooting caused by someone having access to a gun from the home when they shouldn’t have it. This includes children as well as those who display behavior that indicates they could harm themselves or others. The national public education program brings awareness to the issue of family fire, gives gun owners a role in preventing firearm death and injuries, and encourages a national dialogue around safe storage practices—all of which can help prevent tragedies of family fire.

End Family Fire (then known as the ASKing Saves Kids, or ASK, campaign) was rated the only effective national safe storage education effort by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in an analysis that included programs from notable gun organizations across the country.

About Brady
In America, there are more guns than there are people. And that’s matched with a gun homicide rate that is 26 times greater than that of other high-income countries. Brady – the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization – works to enact reasonable solutions to free America from gun violence. We tackle three critical areas: change the laws, change the industry, and change the culture. This three-point strategy is unique in the movement and follows the roadmap behind other successful public health campaigns, like those around youth smoking, seatbelt use, and drunk driving. By changing hearts and minds and fostering a culture of responsible gun use and ownership, we can free America from gun violence. Join the movement at bradyunited.org.

About Casanova//McCann 
Casanova//McCann is one of the leading Hispanic integrated communications agencies in the U.S. Founded in 1984, the company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, CA and handles Hispanic advertising and integrated communications services for Clients like Nestlé, Chevrolet, Pernod Ricard, US Postal Service, U.S. Bank, among others. Casanova became a minority and female owned certified Agency in 2020 and continues to be an affiliate of McCann.

About The Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America. Since the non-profit’s founding, the organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country’s most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. With a current focus on mental health, gun safety, the opioid epidemic, skill-based hiring and other critical issues, the Ad Council’s national campaigns encompass advertising and media content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and influencer engagement, and employer programs, among other innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important issues of the day. To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X, and view campaign creative on YouTube.

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SOURCE The Ad Council

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Jtibot Showcases Autonomous Outdoor Sweeping Innovation at Interclean Amsterdam 2026, Accelerating European Market Expansion

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AMSTERDAM, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jtibot, a developer of autonomous outdoor cleaning solutions, concluded a successful showcase at Interclean Amsterdam 2026, highlighting its focus on large-scale, AI-driven sweeping for industrial, municipal, and campus environments.

At Hall 8, Booth 538, Jtibot presented its autonomous outdoor sweeper designed for environments exceeding 10,000 sqm. Positioned between traditional equipment and emerging robotics, the system addresses the growing demand for more efficient and less labor-dependent outdoor cleaning operations.

During the exhibition, Jtibot attracted strong interest from European distributors and facility management professionals seeking scalable solutions for large-area maintenance. The company was also featured in an official media interview at the event, reflecting increasing attention toward autonomous technologies in the cleaning industry.

Jtibot’s approach centers on human-machine collaboration. By reducing repetitive manual work while maintaining operational flexibility, its systems support more sustainable and efficient facility management practices. This aligns with broader ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) priorities, including improved resource efficiency and enhanced working conditions.

Building on its presence at Interclean, Jtibot is currently advancing discussions with multiple European partners for regional distribution and deployment. The company is also in the final stage of a fleet procurement agreement valued at approximately $1.4 million, signaling early commercial traction in large-scale applications scenarios.

“As outdoor environments continue to grow in scale and complexity, automation is becoming essential,” said Steven, VP at Jtibot. “Our goal is not to replace people, but to empower them—making operations more efficient and labor more sustainable.”

Following Interclean Amsterdam 2026, Jtibot is actively expanding its European partner network and preparing for broader market deployment across key regions, as it accelerates its global commercialization strategy.

About Jtibot
Jtibot specializes in autonomous outdoor sweepers designed for large-scale environments. By combining AI-driven navigation with industrial-grade hardware, the company enables efficient, scalable, and sustainable cleaning operations worldwide.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2965027/PR_image.jpg

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2U Refinances and Raises Growth Capital

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ARLINGTON, Va., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Many education technology companies spent 2024 and 2025 scaling back. New university partnerships slowed as institutions built internal capacity. Against that backdrop, 2U completed a growth recapitalization, with its existing owners putting growth capital into the business alongside a refinancing of its current credit facilities.

The question worth asking is: why now, and what did they see?

2U operates edX, a global online learning platform originally co-founded by Harvard and MIT that now reaches more than 100 million people through over 5,300 programs with 250-plus institutional and enterprise partners. Employees from more than 60% of Fortune 500 companies use edX for professional development. To date, over 76,000 people have graduated from 2U-powered degree programs from leading institutions, including UC Berkeley, Howard University, and Georgetown. The company has been privately held since completing a financial reorganization in 2024, and Kees Bol has served as CEO since January 2025.

Lincoln International, which advised 2U on the transaction exclusively, described the refinancing outcome: extended credit maturities, improved capital structure, and financial flexibility to continue executing on 2U’s long-range plan. Managing Director Alex Stevenson said the deal “reflects the confidence of 2U’s owners in the long-term value of the business.”

Confidence in what, exactly? The AI workforce training market. Skills in AI-affected roles are evolving 66% faster than average according to PwC research, and IDC has estimated that unfilled AI skills gaps could cost the global economy $5.5 trillion. Universities and enterprises are both trying to solve that problem, and both are looking for platforms with the breadth and accreditation backing to do it credibly.

2U’s partnerships are designed for exactly that. IBM’s six technical microcredentials on edX train the engineers and data scientists who build AI systems. Microsoft’s CxO Edge program, launched in late 2025, targets the C-suite executives who need to move from AI pilots to enterprise-wide adoption, part of a Microsoft presence on edX that has drawn over 40,000 learners in the past six months alone.. Oxford’s Faculty of Law program addresses governance: what board members and legal advisors need to understand about AI liability, compliance, and fiduciary responsibility. UC Berkeley’s Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) online program prepares learners to shape the future of AI and data science with human-centered values and focuses on solving the world’s most pressing data challenges. Each program exists because a specific employer community identified a specific gap.

That’s the differentiation investors are backing. Generic online courses are abundant. Programs designed in partnership with IBM, Microsoft, UC Berkeley, and Oxford’s Faculty of Law and delivered on a platform with proven Fortune 500 adoption are not.

Credentials earned on 2U’s edX platform carry the academic standing of the issuing partner institutions. Its programs span executive education, professional certificates, microcredentials, and accredited online degree programs, all powered by 2U’s infrastructure but conferred by partner universities and institutions with their own accreditation.

HolonIQ data puts the broader trend in context: microcredentials grew from 7% of global online program offerings in 2022 to 19% by 2025. The shift toward stackable, job-aligned credentials, in addition to traditional degrees,  is real and accelerating. The global online education market is projected to exceed $200 billion as that trend matures. 2U’s decision to build depth in short-form, employer-designed AI training aligns directly with where learner demand is heading.

None of this is abstract for the organizations that use edX at scale. When a company needs to certify 500 engineers on AI development, or prepare its entire C-suite for a board presentation on AI governance, the platform’s reach and credential quality both matter. A certification backed by IBM and a degree from institutions such as Berkeley carries weight with hiring managers in a way a generic online course does not.

The refinancing extends 2U’s ability to keep building that catalog and the partnerships behind it. Stevenson framed it as giving the management team “the financial foundation to keep executing on its mission.” The mission, under Bol’s leadership, is straightforward: help universities and enterprises close the AI skills gap by meeting learners where they are, at the pace the market demands.

The investors who contributed growth capital made a bet that a platform that reaches 100 million people and has 250-plus partners, including IBM, Microsoft, UC Berkeley, and Oxford in its program portfolio, is better positioned to close that gap than any platform that would need to build from scratch.

Media Contact:
Kees Bol
social@2u.com 

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Autonomous Resource Corporation and Oak Ridge National Laboratory Partner to Accelerate AI-Enabled Defense Manufacturing at National Scale

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Strategic partnership combines ORNL’s supercomputing and advanced manufacturing expertise with ARC’s autonomous production platform to address critical defense industrial base shortfalls

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. and NEW YORK, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Autonomous Resource Corporation (ARC), a Delaware corporation, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the U.S. Department of Energy’s largest multi-program science and energy laboratory, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a strategic public-private partnership to accelerate the on-demand manufacture of qualified, mission-critical components for U.S. national security applications.

The partnership combines ORNL’s HPC and manufacturing capability with ARC’s ARCNet distributed AI-manufacturing platform

The partnership — known as the Exascale Foundry — will combine ORNL’s computing and manufacturing capabilities with ARC’s ARCNet distributed manufacturing platform to create a closed-loop system for AI-enabled materials and manufacturing qualification and autonomous production at defense-relevant scale.

“The United States faces an urgent need to rebuild its manufacturing capacity for critical defense components,” said Bryan Wisk, CEO of ARC. “By combining ORNL’s world-leading computational, materials science, and manufacturing capabilities with our autonomous production infrastructure, we can compress manufacturing and qualification timelines from years to months and deliver manufactured parts at the volumes the warfighter needs.”

Partnership Highlights

Under the MOU, ARC will deploy advanced manufacturing equipment organized into seven production nodes connected to ORNL via ARC’s secure ARCNet infrastructure. ARC will expand capability through ORNL’s high-performance computing (HPC) resources.

ORNL will provide access to HPC expertise for simulation-driven materials characterization and qualification, along with technologies developed at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), the Department of Energy’s only large-scale, open-access advanced manufacturing facility. ORNL’s Peregrine AI software, which has analyzed over 1.9 million additive manufacturing layers, will be integrated into ARC’s production nodes for real-time adaptive control and quality assurance.

This partnership also supports DOE’s Genesis Mission, a national initiative to build the world’s most powerful scientific platform to accelerate discovery science, strengthen national security and drive energy innovation. ARC and ORNL’s collective capabilities will help reenvision advanced manufacturing and industrial productivity, accelerate defense production and qualification, and secure critical supply chain elements.

“ORNL’s advanced manufacturing and computing capabilities are uniquely positioned to help accelerate the transition of laboratory-proven technologies into production-scale defense manufacturing,” said Moe Khaleel, ORNL associate laboratory director for National Security Sciences. “Partnering with ARC ensures we are transitioning our research into real production outcomes.”

The initial implementation will focus on high-temperature nickel superalloy turbine components for autonomous air vehicle engines using metal binder jetting technology, directly addressing demonstrated production bottlenecks in the U.S. defense supply chain.

ORNL Chief Manufacturing Officer Craig Blue added, “This partnership exemplifies the type of relationship necessary to build and grow domestic supply chains for our national security.”

About Autonomous Resource Corporation

ARC is a New York–headquartered corporation building and operating an AI-enabled, autonomous manufacturing platform for national security and critical infrastructure applications. ARC’s Autonomous Resource Controller Network (ARCNet) connects distributed production cells into a secure, federated manufacturing grid capable of producing qualified components at scale. ARC’s leadership team brings deep experience across defense technology, capital markets, materials science, and additive manufacturing at production scale.

About Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest U.S. Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security. DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL partners with more than 300 companies, spurring over $5.5 billion in economic growth. ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

Media Contacts:

ARC: Bryan Wisk, Chief Executive Officer | bryan@autonomousresource.com | 929-523-3953

ORNL: Eric Swanson, National Security Sciences Communications Lead | swansonej@ornl.gov | 865-206-5794

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SOURCE Autonomous Resource Corporation

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