What is Diversity?

Every single time I am asked this question, I become irritated. I also get very bored rather quickly. Diversity? Are you serious?

I don't know if I am being arrogant, but I don't believe in an entire discussion about this question. It's archaic and a waste of time. It becomes a frilly mess. It becomes "I remember this time when..." Everyone claps. People cry. That is it. The end.

Um, what did that accomplish? Nothing. It is the easy way to discuss diversity--just put people together to talk. See? EASY! So, what should we do instead?

I think we need to put a little more effort into our talks.

First, spend less than 10-15 minutes speaking about the WHAT. We need to look deeper by examining case studies, experiments, and other factual information and draw them into the discussion. We need to be real! Experiences are nice, but once we arm people with facts, that's when things happen. Get with the picture folks. Some people may shake their heads because of individuals from homogenous environments, but they need to stop kidding themselves.

I know people are from small towns, but we need to stop babying them. Those initial 10-15 minute conversations will help out, and the conversation after will empower them. So, be a maverick in the diversity issue. Go past the diversity pow-wows and add something new.

I'm tired of going in circles. Aren't you?

Hello--The Real World Isn't Easy.

I have preached about the importance of diversity in PR, but after a real time internship in the big Apple, my world has been rocked (or shaken) a little bit.

I know that people think that I have a naive notion of diversity existing in the world (not just in PR), but this is what I believed. However, for a brief 2 months, I have been thrown into the depths of business and its heart--money.

I have always heard individuals tell me that diversity exists when clients ask for diverse people, but in all honesty, I thought this was bullocks. I thought that diversity needed to occur from the inside in--as if we needed to be the change. It frustrated me when people didn't see it like I did--success=diversity.

Well, shucks--I may have been too young to grasp what everyone was saying.

In my perfect world, I was encircled by the world of academia (which I love) and learned theories about what makes good PR and I assumed that this was that. I assumed that everyone knew that logic stood in the side of diversity, but academia, in all its glory, isn't real life.

Business is about profit.

I guess I have been dealing with this issue for a rather long time now because if PR was about profit, then my point was mute. So I have been rather silent for a long period of time, but after rethinking, I came up with a new "enlightened" point of view.

It needs to start with teachers. (don't even roll the eyes)

Teachers, like many of my Grady professors, teach me in a way that I am confident in my abilities. They push me to want more than what I have. How does this relate to diversity?

Simple--empower diversity through students. The most succesful people I know are smart. They are smart because of their teachers and the encouragement they felt. Cliched? I know, but there is always truth in a cliche.

I am starting to see increasing numbers of minorities entering PR--now that they are choosing the major, the skills need to follow.

So, what can you do? Mentor, teach, and be a support. It doesn't matter if you are still college (there is still someone that needs help) and it doesn't matter if you are a CEO (you still need to learn from younger people)--be cognizant of your role in the bigger picture.

Business is driven by profit--we can make diversity profitable if we support the professionals below and above us. It isn't a game to get to the top--it's making our industry better by doing something now.

So, students--
1. Find a mentor.

And, proffesionals & teachers--
1. Find a mentee

You can't surf unless someone teaches you. And you won't get better until you teach.



http://diversifiedpr.blogspot.com/