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?