How My Commitment To DEI Allyship Has Grown Through WMPRSA
By Becky Olson
On June 2, 2020, I posted a solid black image on my personal Instagram profile, honoring the social media call to be quiet and listen after George Floyd’s death. It was a small act that turned out to be the start of my journey toward becoming a stronger ally.
At the time, I wasn’t completely sure what my next step would be or how I could even begin to make a tangible difference in my profession and community. More importantly, I wanted to find ways to bring authentic support and opportunities those who have been silenced or sidelined because of their skin color, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation or gender.
I won’t lie – I was intimidated because I felt ashamed that I didn’t know where to begin and I was afraid to ask many questions. I committed to continue listening, reading and investing time to uncover answers. I have been encouraged to know that nobody will ever be expected to have all the answers or be perfect on this journey. But embracing the courage to begin, speak up and make an honest, ongoing commitment to be better goes a long way.
After all, as strategic communicators, we are charged with helping organizations establish and live out equally authentic commitments. Gone are the days where we write quick reactive statements that aren’t backed up by a company’s DEI “receipts.” It’s our responsibility as PR and communication professionals to learn, find the answers and firm up our comfort level advising businesses whose futures depend on visible allyship.
Resources and Learning through PRSA
Heading into 2021, I was presented with the opportunity to join WMPRSA’s new DEI Committee. We are responsible for supporting PRSA’s national DEI plan and developing a localized version for West Michigan. This was an initially intimidating ask because I didn’t feel I knew nearly enough to be the right person for this job.
I have been blown away by the abundance of support and resources available to me as a PRSA member and am working as quickly as I can alongside the Committee to bring a difference-making plan to West Michigan PRSA.
Beyond the shelf of books and library of DEI-focused podcasts, I have learned more about how to become an ally and counsel my agency clients over the past four months through PRSA than in the last year. Here are some of the tools and resources I would recommend to others:
Forum Diversity Discussions – There are dedicated national PRSA forum conversations focused on DEI. Each day, you can receive a digest of tips from professionals and gain access to templates and resources. It was through Diversity Discussions I learned about a free seven-week DEI Certificate program offered through the University of South Florida and forged connections with practitioners around the country. There is a hunger to help and collaborate.
PRSA Chapter Webinars – Through Diversity Discussions and other PRSA event notices, I am observing dozens of free and relevant webinars featuring some of the most prominent voices in the profession. They are offering case studies, real advice and suggestions on how to hold DEI conversations in the workplace. I learned about organizations to follow like the Diversity Action Alliance and newsletters like AntiRacismDaily.
Voices4Everyone – PRSA recently launched a new resource with timely counsel and examples on how PR professionals can develop plans, programs and statements on a variety of DEI topics.
The Diversity Style Guide – Every word matters and we are responsible for avoiding and replacing dated and offensive language from materials. There are several guides available, but this is a good one to start!
Nearly one year after sharing that initial Instagram post, I am seeing progress in my personal and professional growth as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-minded practitioner. Change starts with an individual.
WMPRSA’s DEI Committee is eager to bring you more resources and our chapter’s plan very soon. We also will maintain a blog series with tangible takeaways.
The more help we have at WMPRSA, the better. If you are interested in joining us and volunteering with the DEI committee, please reach out! E-mail becky@bolsonpr.com.
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Author’s note: WMPRSA is on a journey along with PRSA to grow, learn and strengthen our expertise around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. If you would like to provide feedback or suggestions to the author or WMPRSA on this topic and anything contained within the post, please email us at becky@bolsonpr.com and smartinez@smartinezcommunications.com. We want to hear from you. Thank you for helping us learn and become better allies.