August is PRSA Diversity & Inclusion Month
By Alyssa Badalamenti, PRSA Diversity and Inclusion Chair
PRSA recognizes August as its Diversity and Inclusion month, a time to focus the spotlight on advancing the profession through representation of the hardworking communications professionals of diverse backgrounds and thought.
Throughout the last couple of months, we’ve asked our members to share with us what diversity and inclusion means to them. Through these messages, we’ve been able to gain a better understanding of how our chapter defines diversity and inclusion. Check out our Twitter and Facebook as we share more quotes this month and in the long-term so that we can continue to shape what diversity and inclusion means to the PR profession.
PRSA’s National Diversity and Inclusion Committee has also been working diligently to advance the diversity discussion through industry events, mixers, awards and more. The PRSA Orlando chapter has followed suit. We will continue to work toward making diversity and inclusion a yearlong recognition by increasing the visibility of our members and providing best practices and resources to advance diversity in all levels of the profession.
Do you have a quote to share? Send an email to Alyssa Badalamenti on what diversity and inclusion means to you.
Easy, breezy value for new members
by Beth Swanson, Co-VP Membership Recruitment
We’ve got a hot offer for new members – use promo code SUMMER18* on your membership application before August 31 and receive a $25 Amazon gift card and waived initiation fee ($65).
For less than $300/year you can connect with colleagues in PR, marketing and communications for advice and fun. Here are some of PRSA’s career-advancing benefits:
- 24/7 access to the members-only MyPRSA online community. Share insights and ask questions of your fellow PR and communications professionals while elevating your thought leadership profile.
- Member discount program for a wide variety of goods and services.
- Discounted registration to a wealth of training programs and webinars.
- The PRSA Membership App gives members access to the latest PRSA publications, including Issues & Trends, top-rated webinars, PRSA’s online community and membership directory.
- PRSA Jobcenter
- Opportunities to network with more than 21,000 communication and public relations professionals.
- Subscription to the NEW industry-specific publication, PRSA Strategies & Tactics.
Summer is a perfect time to relax and reconnect with Central Florida colleagues. So take advantage and join today!
Have questions? Check out these links or email Beth Swanson, Co-VP Membership Recruitment
*Offer is valid for persons joining at the Member and Associate Member 3 levels. Not valid for current members, renewing members, PRSSA Graduates, Graduate Students, Associate Members at levels 1 or 2. Refer to https://www.prsa.org/membership/membership-categories for details.
Diversity Should Be Celebrated All Year Long
By Alyssa Badalamenti, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
June 12 marked two years since the Pulse nightclub tragedy in Orlando. 49 beautiful lives were taken senselessly. Through the heartbreak, our city has since become more unified in its strong voice for diversity and inclusion because of who we are and who we represent. But when remembering this tragic incident and many others along the way, it’s hard not to be reminded of how much hate still exists in the world.
“Ultimately, America’s answer to the intolerant man is diversity.” – Robert Kennedy
That being said, while we can’t raise a magic wand this minute, we can do our part to build a greater immunity to hate and be more representative of diversity by deliberately being inclusive within our companies, our associations, and our own daily lives.
Just check out this list of 26 companies who celebrate diversity all year long. These companies are LIVING their differences, not just preaching it. Embracing all types of people, ridding the norms, and seeing a good person as a good person are what help shape D&I for all members of society.
“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and test of our civilization.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Recently our PRSA Orlando chapter board of directors decided we wanted to make a statement to our members that reflects our chapter on diversity and inclusion in addition to PRSA’s national defined role. After some brainstorming, we quickly realized….ONE STATEMENT? That’s like trying to sum up 200+ resumes on one Post-it note. Rather than providing one local statement that represents our chapter, we decided to reach out to our members to gather their own thoughts directly about D&I and use it to enforce our policies more authentically. Because like true practice, we should always incorporate our members into the discussion.
“We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” – Max de Pree
Here’s a little glimpse of what’s to come:
June 2018 Membership Promos
by Beth Swanson, Co-VP Membership Recruitment Chair
During the month of June, PRSA is offering two promotions for new members.
Promo #1
Join PRSA between now-June 30, 2018 and you can receive membership to a Section of your choice free* ($60 value) when you use the code SECTIONS18. Explore each Section to see which is right for you!
Eligible Professional Interest Sections:
- Association/ Nonprofit
- Corporate Communications
- Counselors to Higher Education
- Educators Academy
- Employee Communications
- Entertainment and Sports
- Financial Communications
- Health Academy
- Independent Practitioners Alliance
- Public Affairs and Government
- Technology
- Travel and Tourism
As a Section member, you’ll receive:
- A Section newsletter
- Professional development opportunities
- Networking opportunities online and at select events
- Volunteer opportunities
- Discounts to Section sponsored events (when applicable)
Have questions? Please email Beth Swanson, Co-VP Membership Recruitment at beth@swansoncomm.com.
*This offer does not include the Counselors Academy or New Professionals Sections and is not available to Associate member types ($200 or less annual dues) and current or renewing members. Refer to https://www.prsa.org/membership/membership-categories for details.
Promo #2
Just starting out in your PR or Communications career? Now is the best time to join PRSA! For a limited time, you can receive a FREE New Professionals Section membership ($20 value) when you join as an Associate Member with 1, 2 or 3 years of experience. Just use the code AM18 on your application. The New Professionals section provides resources and networking opportunities to get you started out in your career. Learn more at PRSA.org!
Even if these promotions don’t apply to you, let your friends and colleagues know about the benefits of being a member of PRSA.
One size does not fit all: Diversity within communications roles
By Alyssa Badalamenti, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
I previously led communication strategies for an accounting firm and gained invaluable experience from this role. However, I remember feeling a little “out of the group” among my peers who had the traditional PR role for the local agencies who market for big brand names. Here I was, building out tax marketing lingo for a campaign I was proud of, yet sensed it wasn’t “sexy” enough to share with others.
Then, a PRSA member asked me to lunch so I could share some advice on best practices for email headlines based on what I’ve learned from my job. I was honored. Although I knew that I could write a book on the subject, I assumed this person would rather ask someone else since my financial audience may have been too lackluster.
Removing bias and embracing differences
This encouraged me to remove my own bias within the diversity of communications roles and instead embrace the differences between us. PRSA has given me reassurance that all of us have something sexy about our jobs because we all have something the others do not. Each of us brings something unique to the table. That’s what makes us stand out from the crowd.
Besides, we already have diversity in most other aspects of our roles, despite the strength that unifies us by being in the same industry. Some of us are single executives. Others have three children and two pets. Some work from home. Some communicate to employees and some communicate to the media. Some work on websites while others tweet.
One size does not fit all
Just like how our society continues to make changes to be more inclusive, we as a profession are doing the same thing. Last year, PRSA changed the use of “public relations professional” to “communications professional.” This will better reflect our membership base and avoid having members feel “out of the group” because our profession expands beyond traditional PR roles. This change will help show that PRSA encompasses a society for all communications roles to learn and advance from.
Our network of members provides a huge benefit to continuing your professional growth. So no matter what company you work for, what title you have, or what audience you communicate to, we are all unique and diverse within communications; and we all have something to learn from one another.