Inviting Candidates of Color Into Public Relations

Have you ever noticed how people are ambitiously aspirational at the start of a new year? 

That’s when New Year’s resolutions are made — a new or renewed commitment to exercise more, eat better, volunteer or build healthier relationships. Or maybe we have new professional ambitions. This year, I’m going to look for that new job. This year, I’m going to try for that promotion.

According to research by Strava, most people give up on their resolution by Jan. 19. When I worked in a gym during college, we saw new gym members stop coming by mid-February. What’s interesting is if you map a seven-day week, there seems to be an aspirational peak and decline in motivation and disciplined behaviors as well. I saw this as both that front-desk gym attendant in college and as a professional who worked in health and wellness programming and communication. There is higher gym traffic on Monday, but as the week goes on, the number of people working out declines. By Friday and through the weekend traffic was slow. But on Monday morning, the treadmills were full.

A new year

As we think about the start of 2022, it’s important we think about that cultural pattern of aspiration. So many of us start with good intentions. And then over time, the work to bring those intentions to life declines or fades. 

When it comes to working with groups that have been historically disenfranchised, like minority groups, women, people with disabilities and the LGBTQ community, I think that same aspirational intent starts to wane over time. How do you keep trying to be equitable? 

Last June, I wrote a column called Rebranding Latino Leadership in PR. In it, I described a huge gap in how many Latinos work and lead in public relations compared to our population’s representation. I shared my theory that there’s nothing exclusionary about public relations that prevents Latinos from succeeding.

Rather, many are not aware of the industry. Or not prepared for public relations due to lack of hands-on experience. Or maybe we don’t see ourselves as a fit for the profession because of lack of visual representation or personal affiliation with a pro of color. 

Regardless of the reason, an extra effort needs to be made by existing pros to find, educate and invite us to promote ourselves. That’s the equitable approach.  

A commitment to inspire

A PRSA member read that column and contacted me. He asked if I knew a Latino pro who may be a fit for a job with a national nonprofit who was conducting a nationwide search for a PR executive. The job required a special combination of Latino cultural competency, bilingual capabilities, governmental relations and PR experience. 

I knew the perfect person, so I made the introduction and encouraged her in multiple ways to apply. She applied, was offered the job, commuted for a while, and then moved her family to a new city soon after. Congratulations to Anais Biera Miracle!

That example illustrates the “invitation” theory that I presented in the Rebranding Latino Leadership in PR column. This new year, let’s make a measurable effort to find and reach out to students or PR pros who come from diverse backgrounds. Let’s commit to inspiring more students of color to take a chance on public relations. Or seek out candidates who diversify our organizations. Encourage pros you know to apply for a leadership role, even if that takes some of your personal time to refer and coach them. 

This endeavor will pay off both inside and outside of organizations to elevate people who were systematically told they were subpar for generations. As the heart and conscience of our organizations, we need to make more of a conscious effort.