Interesting Web sites for the Week of December 8!

The World Wide Web is huge, therefore I wanted to share some interesting blog posts/articles that are related to diversity. Hope you enjoy! =)

May's New Media: New Media & Minorities:

http://maymedia.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-media-minorities.html

Behind the Spin: Lost in Translation:

http://www.behindthespin.com/features/lost-in-translation

Hispanic PR Wire:

http://www.hispanicprwire.com/news.php?l=in&cha=13&id=2908

If you would like to share some links, e-mail me at Debbielobo@gmail.com. Have a great day! 

Diversity in PR; Us vs. Institutionalization

I preach diversity, but I often get the question...Debbie, what if I am not diverse? Or worse, most people are afraid of me and the things I create ( i.e. the diversity committee), because they think that I am part of a minority club that they are not invited to.

To qualm the fears of those individuals, I wanted to address the issue. In the end, I am tired of being a PR anomaly--a crusader for diversity in the industry. I hate the glaring eyes that think diversity is a joke subject.

So, what do I want? Instead, I want willing allies to help make PR better instead of merely "letting" me do my "thang".

So, let us begin with the question--Debbie, what if I am not diverse?

First, I have to say...Ouch! Why? Having that "I am not diverse" mentality as a PR person is suicide. If you are a good PR professional, you have to understand that you have something to offer (um... a.k.a. something unique?!) If you are a PR person without any kind of "diversity", your career will stop at an early stage; therefore, please stop that thought.

But, what is diversity? Do you think it is race? Is it African-American, Asian, Latino, blah blah blah? Yes? Well, diversity is far more than race. Socio-economics, religion, etc. The world is a diverse place, and race is only one component.

So, the first step is to stop thinking about diversity as you vs. them. That's how we halt progress.

It's us vs. institutionalization (social theory to denote the process of making something (for example particular values and norms, or modes of behavior) become embedded within an organization, social system, or society as an established norm within that system.*) In the case of PR, we have created a narrow point of view. The norm is to look at a client and a campaign from the eyes of a white female. Granted, this is not always true, but most often, it is. And though, we try to look from another point of view, it is embedded within us to look from one singular viewpoint--our own; therefore, we have to challenge that norms that confine the growth of our industry.

Then, comes the next question...Debbie, how can we fight institutionalization?

Well, the answer to this question is not so cut and dry. I do have a few suggestions, but I want to hear from you before I say my piece. What do you think we can do? Or, is it a subject that we cannot fight? Think from a student's perspective, a teacher's perspective, and then a professionals point of view. If you disagree, then go on, comment. I want ALL sides. I can handle the criticism.

I will post my thoughts in a week, but till then, what do YOU think?


(*institutionalization definition taken from wikipedia.com)

Public Relations Diversity a Bad Idea?

I was searching the web for diversity related PR blogs, and one blog post caught my attention. I ALWAYS want to hear the other side--this post talks about diversity as it relates to public relations, but this PR professional believes it is a "false idol". It's interesting. Take a look, and tell me what you think.

http://barnettmarcom.blogspot.com/2006/10/diversity-in-public-relations-great.html

Why do you think diversity matters?

I have preached about my beliefs about diversity and PR, but I want to hear what other professionals, students and professors think. Is it THAT imperative or am I making a big deal about an issue that is present in all industries? 

I want to see what YOU think so that I can update this blog to answer the questions and concerns that everyday PR people have. The content (i.e research, blogs, Web sites) for diversity and PR is lacking, therefore I am calling on you to help me gauge why diversity is or isn't important in relation to the PR industry? 

Don't be afraid to play devil's advocate! This is a place for OPEN conversation. Here are some questions to ponder (but don't limit yourself to the questions asked):

1. Why has it taken so long to address diversity in PR? 

2. Though diversity niche fields exists, they are constantly coming and going--what does this signify about diversity and PR ?

3. DO you think diversity in relation to race is being emphasized too much--should diversity in experience be more relevant?

4. Men are often found in small numbers when looking at the entire PR field, but what about women in executive roles?

5. Do colleges emphasize the importance of diversity in relation to communication? Should they emphasize it more?

So, with that being said, what do you think?

The Power of Social Media

Before I begin this post, I want to say my disclaimer. I love social media, but I believe that it is not a panacea for diversity or any other problem in the industry. It is merely a tactic that we, as practitioners, teachers, and students, use to communicate more efficiently and to a wider audience.

So, with that disclaimer--I think social media is a new-wave superpower. To some, referring to social media as a superpower is over-the-top and somewhat geeky, but in my experience, social media has empowered me in so many different ways. 

But, why should you believe me? I have a biased view on the topic of social media...right?

Knowing that audiences, like you, are more skeptical than ever, I wanted to walk MY walk to demonstrate why social media is breaking ground. How do I do that? Well, with a couple of examples from my own social media experiment--my blog. When I found out about social media, I chose to combat the evil of homogeneity in the industry of PR. Okay, so that was nerdy, but nonetheless, it is MY cause. 

So first, a little history. I started a blog entitled "Diversified PR" this semester.

Why? I love public relations. I love diversity, and wa-la!

That was the general premise, however by writing about my passion, I found others who share my zeal for diversity. Whoopee you say?

Well, whoopee indeed because the is where the true power of social media is found. I have networked with a public relation's researcher in Oklahoma to the former diversity chair in PRSA to a PR practitioner in China. I am a testament to what social media can achieve.

It can cross borders, but moreover, it can create communication between diverse individuals. And not just in terms of ethnicity, but much more--these individuals bring diversity of experience to the table.

Moreover, social media allows much needed dialogue to occur between generations. I am an undergraduate student. To some, I am not very influential, and though it is sad. it is how things are, but when I start to get backing from professors and industry leaders, I become a powerful voice. I must say--I feel quite empowered.

It is true that I don't have a new invisibility power or new telekinetic powers, yet I am still better because of this blog. I communicate my concerns, frustrations, and more, to individuals around the world. I am practicing PR through the web. My blog allows me to participate in two-way communication. I help shape my industry. Though it is small, I am still part of the change.

To me, diversity is an issue. I could not deny it. I could not ignore it. So, instead of fighting it, I acknowledged the facts, and I wrote about it.

"Diversified PR" is one blog, but it has already started a conversation between student, practitioners, and industry leaders. Hopefully, it will begin to generate action. The fact that I can become a catalyst to change is the beauty of social media, and thought I have spoken about the relevance of new and social media in diversity before, and I have preached about the opportunity in these tactics to companies, college, and agencies, it is not until I immersed myself in it that I began to believe. 

In the end, I want people to know that social media is a powerful tactic, and though it won't save the world, it is still changing it. What will you do with this new power? Spiderman's uncle said it best, "With great power comes great responsibility." I used mine to address diversity, what hero will you be?

Career Workshop Equals a Sigh of Relief

I have been meaning to write about a career workshop that I attended last week, but I have had an onslaught of midterms for school lately...so, a week later, here is the overdue post!

The workshop, which was held on September 26, 2008 by Porter Novelli and THE LAGRANT FOUNDATION, was very informative for a me, so I wanted to share.

As we talked about beginning and maintaining a career in marketing, PR, and advertising, some of the tips that professionals gave were the following:

-Always ask questions! When you are in an interview and you are asked if you have any questions, ALWAYS ASK A QUESTION. If you don't, then you look like you are not interested in working for them.

-When you only have 2 minutes to network, ask questions. Those questions will often allow for the timeframe to go from 2 minutes to BILLIONS of hours (well, not billions, but more than before). People like to talk about themselves, so assuage them.

-When you only have 2 minutes to network, ask INTERESTING questions. Don't be a bore. Asking a good question makes an impression.

-Sell yourself! Make yourself wanted by other companies and agencies. You are a product whether you know it or not.

-Don't take an unpaid internship with a for-profit company. They are swindling you so hard.

-Act professional BUT be yourself. If you are a cookie cutter candidate, you will be lost in the pool of applicants.

-Lastly, don't give up. Everyone knows its hard to get a good internship nowdays. Its even more difficult to find a great job, but if you stick through it, you will end up doing what you love.

These tips may seem like common sense, but I never thought about the true importance of some of these things. It is imperative that you learn the ins and outs of finding work, because if you don't someone else will-just plain and simple logic.

In conclusion, the workshop gave me a sense of relief. Some of these account executives had a difficult time finding jobs and internships as well, so if they are succedding, then so can I (AND YOU).

Overall, I can sum this day up with a few words: A SIGH OF RELIEF!

On a side note, I wanted to rank my top 80's songs. These songs are for Dr. Karen Russell. She kindly gave me a list of songs I should listen to on one of her blog posts.

These are in no particular order:

Africa, Toto

Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson

Uptown Girl, Billy Joel

Total Eclipse of the Heart, Bonnie Taylor

Jessie's Girl, Rick Springfield

Jack and Dianne, John Mellencamp

Material Girl, Madonna

My Sharona, The Knack

Take on Me- A-Ha

Tainted Love- Soft Cell

UGAConnect Conference; Diversity and Social Media

I learned so much at UGAConnect, but one thing that I found interesting is a word that kept being thrown around at the conference- community.

I want to elaborate on this because, in my opinion, diversity is integral in community.

Social Media is ALL about community, and though, diversity wasn't directly being targeted at the conference, I saw huge potential in terms of multiculturalism and pr, within the conversations that were occurring between professionals, educators, and students. 

One aspect is the idea of a conversation.

A two-way dialogue is important when anything is being broadcasted within the social media sphere; this becomes an asset to our cause!  This characteristic of new media allows minorities to be part of the conversation. 

Look at this blog; aren't you reading? I was allowed to speak though a blog, which is a form of social media.

Common Sense? 

Well, yes, but no real efforts have occurred with social media in terms of connecting minorities with the field of public relations.

The possibilities are endless; professionals, educators, and students who are all invested in elevating the industry to a higher level by increasing the importance of diversity in the field.

One outcome: the ability to connect minority professionals to minority students and recent graduates . These individuals will become vital in a student's success.

I know that my passion for  diversity has been fueled by two of my mentors, Kim L. Hunter and Bill Imada. They are always willing to help me with anything that I want to pursue in terms of diversity and communications. I have been lucky in finding mentors, but social media will make this easier to accomplish for other students. 

I can only imagine fueling the passions of other students for diversity through facebook discussions? or through twitter? or creating a LinkedIn social sphere? 

Moreover, PRSA could get involved! They could promote their multicultural scholarship. They could provide a connection to companies who are looking for diversity with students who are diverse.

This is just one aspect of social media that could help our cause, but what are your thoughts?

Is social media an asset or an obstacle? 

UGA Connect: Why do I care?

So, today...is UGAConnect and I am one of the few lucky students who will be attending the event, but what does this have to do with diversity?

Hmmmmm, well...first if you do not know about UGAConnect, let me give you a short background blip about this conference:

UGAConnect is a Public Relations & Social Media conference for professionals, educators & students that is held at the University of Georgia. This year it is sponsored by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and Porter Novelli. 

Hmmmm, so what does this have to do with diversity in public relations? 

Well, I am WAY pumped...because of my reason for attending.

As you may know, diversity in communications is my passion and I believe that social media is allowing greater multiculturalism in the dialogue of communications—I want to utilize social networking to reach minorities so that they can help the industry in growing. 

Moreover, I want to be effective in the space. The bottom line is that social media allows me to reach diverse people and in turn I can empower them to make a difference.

Deep right?

Well, it just common sense. Technology allows me to reach you. It allows you to reach me. The opportunity to educate about ANYTHING is limitless. Social media is changing how we interact--this conference is going to be a BIG deal to me and for many others out there.

I will update you on how it goes...

Frustrations: From the Mind of Asian PR student!

Today, I was sitting in the library...pondering life, and what I wanted to do. Then, in an instant, I was scared. 

Why do I not have a premiere internship yet? 

Why am I struggling to find a job? 

Why are companies not after me?

First, I am not trying to use this post as a marketing ploy to get a job. It is far from that! However, I am frustrated. So I wanted to look at two aspects that are hindering me and probably a major subset of minority leaders on campuses across the nation. I have done everything in MY power to be marketable, but employers want to see EXPERIENCE. Don't get me wrong, I have some experience, but I do not have the credentials of a student who has money--- ooooo why did I go there? 

Like many minority students, I have to pay for college on my own. I have to pay for rent on my own. I have to pay for food on my own. It's hard when you have to have experience to gain experience. I can't afford to take a semester off. I am in a bind. This is one aspect that I want PR agencies who are not a non-profit to hear--it is not right having an internship program that is unpaid--it is a rip off! 

Another reason involves extracurriculars. 

I am very active in my college campus--in MINORITY issues, but in my opinion, employers are only looking at involvement in career related organizations. I am a victim of this fact. I'm president of various multicultural organizations from the Asian American Student Association to APIAVote, but I have limited involvement in professional organizations. It hurts me! Minority students have to choose between their culture and work. It's sad!

I wish that my passion as well as the passion of others for diveristy issues would resonate in companies, but I feel like companies just talk the talk. They try to fill their quota. I know that I am generalizing ALL companies, but it is true for a lot of organizations.

I love PR. I love it to death! I think that is a great field, but it is disheartening to speak about diversity in the field when I cannot even have a legitimate conversation with people who care about the issue. 

I want to help people and I do not think enough people want to do that!

So for professional agencies that speak about diversity, you have to walk you talk. Students are interested in the field, but they need to know that they are wanted. Communications needs to revamp in terms of their diversity recruitment. We need to look at the entire industry and make changes that are appropriate for the field. 

I may make people angry at this post, but I have to be real-DIVERSITY IS LACKING! Come on people--look around, do you see diversity? 

So, if you can make a difference, step up and do it! We need you!

We are losing talented minorities because industry leaders are not part of the cause. They give the task to other people, but it needs to be a collaborative effort from EVERYONE! Sighs, I am only one student, I need some backing... will you back me up?

Diversity Committee... Part Dos!

The diversity committee met for a brief 45 minutes this week, and though we are a small group--I see a lot of potential in this sub-committee of PRSSA.

Here is the project that we are currently working on:

Public Relations Packet: PR packet will be distributed to ALL multicultural organizations on campus.

Part One--Includes public relations resources that student organizations can utilize including free publicity, how to write a press release, how to pitch a story, how to create a basic website, etc.

Part Two--The do's and don't of public relations for their organization.

Part Three--Research and Evaluation Examples/Template for their organization to use.

Part Four--Diversity committee contact information

The packet will be given to a targeted audience which includes Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Multicultural Services and Programs, and International Student Life.

Their are seven individuals working on the packet, and it should be done by next week. The beginning of our cause has begun--hooray!

If you have any ideas on what else we can put in the packet, please do not hesitate to put your ideas on the comment section and I will bring up to the entire committee.

It will be directed to their public relations chair

Any Ideas?

The first meeting for the diversity committee will be September 10th and I have a slew of ideas for what PRSSA can do to help UGA as well as Grady in recruiting diversity, BUT as a blogger...I want to know other ideas.

If you have any ideas, please do not hesitate to comment or contact me.

This blog is dedicated to increasing diversity...but I need people to help!

It is not about MY ideas...its about a collaborative effort to make the diversity happen.

I am passionate about this topic...yes! I know that, but at the same time... I want this initiative to be a community effort. I want others to be invested in this cause. I know diversity does not happen over night--It happens when people are open to change and are willing to bring their ideas to the table.

So again, if you have a comment on what we can do, please post it! Or email me at debbielobo@gmail.com . I love getting feedback.

Some cliched saying once said that "One person can change the world." ..IMAGINE what more that one person can achieve?

Diversity Research pt.2

First, I wanted to thank Dr. Russel for giving me a few tips on finding diversity research!

I found a research study yesterday from the Journal of Public Relations Research entitled "Diversity Issues and Public Relations" by Linda Childers Hon and Brigitta Brunner from the University of Florida [oh how I shudder at the mere clicks from typing University of Florida--true bulldawg =) but I must admit that it is a good study]. However, the study used qualitative interviews from 28 practitioners and 5 executives and asked them about their organizations diversity strategy.

I am not done analyzing the study, however I wanted to speak about some of the comments from the interviews.
Before I do so, I have to acknowledge something, these people who are interviewed are professionals. Sighs! It is scary reading some of their answers!

One participant mentioned that she had never heard of diversity.

The interviewers had to give her a generic definition before she could even answer their questions.

After the explanation, she stated, "It's old news."

"Holey moley" is what I have to say. These are people who are working in OUR industry,

I have to put my 2 cents in and write about this comment before continuing with my life.

Having diversity in an organization is one way that a company can be sensitive to the issues of everyone. It's true that not everyone will be happy--but at least with a good diversity plan, a company can recognize and begin to understand the spectrum of publics that they are dealing with. A less diverse employee base will result in an organization ignoring potential clients.

Anyway, I will update soon on the rest of the study, but this is quite an interesting topic. Oh my, do I enjoy research...?

No diversity research?

So I have this assignment to find research in public relations in one of my classes...and I wanted to look at diversity and public relations.

I have searched for billions of hours [well not billions, but pretty dang long] for this specific subject in research, and I have to be frank, the search is not going very well.

I have found 2-3 full research articles on this topic which is very slim in my opinion. Diversity in communications is a subject that PRSA has pushing for a couple of years now, and the industry still does not have relevant research on the topic.

I am student and this is my first time truly looking at research, therefore I might be off in my comment about 'slim-findings' on the subject of diversity and public relations.

Hmmm, it's a bit disheartening for me to see this. The latest study I found was conducted in 2000 by a professor at the University of Florida. She even stated the lack of studies conducted on this topic--and that was 8 years ago.

If anyone has any suggestions on where I can find some studies on the subject of public relations and diversity...please contact me.

I am in need of some reassurance that diversity matters and that research is being conducted in the field.

Asian American Student Association PR efforts

I know this is a blog about PR and diversity, but I wanted to speak about the successful PR efforts of the UGA Asian American Student Association.

Before anything, I want to give a little background about the The University of Georgia Asian American Student Association [AASA].



It was was restarted in 2003 and it has had a difficult time reestablishing itself due to a few variables including but not limited to the plethora of language barriers, the spectrum of majors for Asian students and much more, however this year the executive board has done a fantastic job in recruiting freshman and current UGA students.



First from a PR standpoint, we had to look at the whole group. Minorities are different--that is the first premise people must acknowledge, however keeping that in mind, the sender must also acknowledge that they also share similarities with the majority.



So with this in mind, how do we get hundreds of students excited about an Asian organization when they don't relate themselves with the Asian race but instead think of themselves as a subset of the race like Filipino, Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean, etc?



And moreover, these subsets already have organizations themselves.



Hmmmm, interesting right?



Well, the approach was simple. First know that they are students first. Don't over complicate a situation. What do students want?

They want help. They want resources. They want a reason to join.



We, as AASA, must provide them [students] with what they want.



After assessing this--we looked at ways we can incorporate this with their culture.



The goal became clear--AASA is to be a resource for Asian students to succeed in school, while gaining friendships, along with becoming more aware of Asian issues across the board.



We implemented a mentoring program [FoundAsian] for freshman and upperclassmen, where freshman became mentees and upperclassmen became mentors. This was phenomenal. It did a few things. It broke the 'model minority' stereotype. It allowed members to feel needed. And lastly, it became a resource to build resumes and garner relationships.

Second, we looked at all the other Asian clubs [Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, etc.] and assessed what AASA can do for them.

It was simple--these clubs are small. AASA is big [or is suppose to be].

We had to bridge the gap. We had to welcome other organizations and explain that AASA is trying to help them succeed by allowing them to be part of a community.

One voice versus many voices?
Which louder?
Their issues will be heard,if they buy into the unification that AASA is trying to do.

Soon, we saw response and though it was slow, response was there.

As more organizations joined in, more organizations wanted to be part of the movement.

This Thursday on August 28th, UGA AASA had the biggest turnout in the club's history.

People were genuinely excited--PR efforts are still happening, but the beginning of the year has begun. I cannot wait to see what AASA will do next!

This is an example of minority PR, and how looking at the target audience allows the goals and objectives to be defined.

Diversity Comittee

Approximately, 2 hours ago (6:30 pm), UGA PRSSA had its first meeting!

WOOT WOOT!

It went off with out a hitch, but in the meeting, the NEW diversity initiative was announced! I was so proud! I think I cried a little.

Anyway, I am heading the diversity committee this year, and I am so excited to get started in promoting diversity in public relations. I feel UBER passionate about multicultural PR so this was a culmination of everything the executive board, Dr. Jones, and I have brainstormed!

I didn't see the entire list of people interested in the diversity initiative, but I saw MILLIONS of people signing up...so WOOT WOOT again!

If you are a UGA PRSSA member, and would like to get more information, please do NOT hesitate to email me at Debbielobo@gmail.com. I heart emails!

Some of the ideas that we may be implementing this year are the following:

1. Workshop for minority organization's on campus about PR and what their organization can do to promote themselves.

2. Minority Scholarships for PRSSA dues.

3. Attend the GSPA conference and speak about diversity and public relations in Grady.

4. SO MUCH MORE!

The Democratic national convention uses minorities to recruit voters

The Democratic national convention uses minorities to recruit voters.

http://www.angryasianman.com/2008/08/convention-via-youtube.html


I was browsing around a favorite blog of mine www.angryasianman.com, when I came across a post about youtube videos that displayed prominent minorities urging others to get out to vote.


I posted this because it displays two things that I saw as very relevant to Diversified PR. One involves the use of new media [i.e. youtube] to get minorities to vote. As many of you know, new media is booming--and this is a prime example of how a PR tactic is being utilized toward minorities.


I am passionate about voting so this struck me as an AWESOME outreach tactic for the Democrats. Obama is really utilizing new media, and involving minorities in his campaign is crucial.


During the primaries, Obama lost to Clinton in California--this is huge since the Asian and Latino population is astronomical in Cali. Therefore, he did not reach out to those voters. He is changing that with his efforts now!


So kudos Obama and the Democrats!


Way to be aware of minorities in the U.S.

UGA PRSSA MEETING

UGA PRSSA will have it's first meeting this year at Sanford hall Wed. 6:30 pm and guess who is talking about the new diversity committee?

Hmmmm...if you said me, well...your SO SMART!

I will trying to recruit me in my efforts to increase diversity in PR as well as to spread the wonderful name of PRSSA to multicultural organizations at UGA.

How can you get involved?

hmmm...well, come to the meeting!
Listen to me along with a handful of other great people and if anything peeks your interest, then contact me.

I can't wait to get everyone excited about diversity and PR!

Public Relations Society of America Strives for Diversity

http://www.prsany.org/index.php?s=diversity

I searched in GOOGLE for diversity and PR today and found a website for the PRSA NY chapter. The site includes research about the diversity in PR and what is being done about it. Its quite interesting and a breath of fresh air, for me, to know that PRSA is aware of the problem in relation to diversity.

Here is a quote from the site:

"The findings revealed significant dissatisfaction with the PR profession's commitment to diversity, perceived pervasive discrimination, and widespread concern that multicultural practitioners are relegated to a slow professional track."
~Diversity in Public Relations - A Call to Action

Why diversity and public relations?

Why did I create this blog?

I had an idea for this blog in early summer, but never got around to writing about diversity in relation to public relations until now.

Why do I care about such a specific topic in PR?

It began when I sat in my first PR class in the wonderful Grady College at the University of Georgia. Don’t get me wrong–I love GRADY!!! I love…love…love it! BUT, I felt alone. I felt like I could not be myself. I could not talk like I usually talk. I could not act like I usually act. Why?

I was one of a only a few minorities in my class.

It was disheartening when I looked at the person to my left and right, and saw no one like me. I have always been active on campus with multicultural organizations, however I lacked proffesional development because I HATED going to a meeting or class because I felt like an outsider.

THIS WAS NOT RIGHT!

I should excel. I should be comfortable. I should be able to be myself.

So, early summer I began to contact our PRSSA chapter in order to increase diversity not just in Grady but in the PR major as well.

I talked to Dr. Jones who is one of the most open advisors I have ever spoken too, and she encouraged me to take action.

I did.

With the help of my wonderful mentors Mr. Bill Imada and Mr. Kim L. Hunter, I took action.

I drafted a proposal to give to PRSSA and…guess what happened?

We now have a diversity committee for PRSSA!

This blog is to going to speak about trials and tribulations of increasing diversity in an organization and in a college!

Wish us luck!

Debbie Ebalobo