PRSA Chair Reflects On Diversity & Inclusion and My #NetworkingWhileBlack Experiences are Confirmed

As a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), I receive weekly emails on industry news and the occasional letter from PRSA's national chair, Anthony D'Angelo. This evening I read Anthony's PRSAY post on diversity and inclusion in the public relations industry and some of the information provided confirmed what many people have been saying for years - the public relations industry is whitewashed. A couple of weeks ago I started using the hashtag #NetworkingWhileBlack. I attended an event for American Advertising Federation (AAF) and there were maybe 5 people of color in a room of about 80 people. I was disappointed and frustrated. I was disappointed because this is DC, why are there so few people of color at these networking events and in these professional organizations? I was frustrated because I know firsthand how hard it is to move ahead on sheer talent and hard work. In these moments I think about another edge that people are getting making these connections while so many others are being left out. I've asked friends, peers and colleagues have they had the same experience of being an "only" or "one of few" at their respective industry conferences, meetups, symposiums, etc. and they all had a story. In Anthony's post he stated that at PRSA's National Assembly last October, there was ONE Black person in a room of approximately 250 delegates. 1 out of 250! That's not surprising but again, disappointing. Where are all of the Black people at the networking events that are not affinity-driven? When I spoke with other people, a frequent response was their job either didn't pay for professional development or their job was "stingy" with professional development. My job falls in the former category - there is no financial support available from my current department for paid professional development so I finance all of my memberships, conferences and workshops out-of-pocket. I've always wanted to attend PRSA's International Conference but can't afford it. For those people whose jobs were "stingy" with professional development, they had to choose wisely what they would attend and most chose an affinity event. The most popular affinity events were: National Association of Broadcast Journalist (NABJ) National Convention, National Black MBA Conference, Congressional Black Caucus Week and ColorComm.
When I looked back at the AAF event, at first I narrowed it down to cost. The event was $35 for members if purchased in advance and $45 for members at the door. For non-members it was $10 more. For students it was $10 less. I went because it was a high-quality event with panelists that I wanted to connect with and I try to support the organization's communications efforts. One of the board members is a young woman of color who leads communications and she is amazing! Additionally, I feel an obligation to go and represent just in case there is an interested member of color or a new member that doesn't have to be alone. There ended up being a few others and their jobs actually sent them there as a team. The whole "team-sending" thing is a totally unfamiliar concept to me. I'm truly impressed with companies that invest in their employees in that way. The crew that was there on behalf of their company was introducing a new industry merger so it made a little more sense that there were a number of people from that one company there. I do feel like the financial commitment required to be active in organizations is a deterrent for people of color who are already underpaid or unsupported in professional development endeavors. The local PRSA events always cost. On top of membership fees the continual event expenses add up. After pondering on this for awhile I realized it was more than just the financial commitment. AAF has a monthly AM Buzz that's free for members. They also have discounted memberships for students and people under the age of 32. Those types of perks help tremendously with affordability. I encourage my mentees to sign up for student memberships prior to graduation and always seek out the young professional discounts. But when you go somewhere and you're always the stranger, it can be uncomfortable and quite frankly, draining. I appreciate organizations like College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) that put money behind diversity & inclusion efforts. CoSIDA provides two recipients with NCAA Inclusion Grants to attend CoSIDA's national convention. The two grants are awarded to two ethnic minority professionals and include reimbursement of $1,000 in expenses related to travel, lodging and meals in addition to a complimentary convention registration. That's a guaranteed way to increase representation and show a true commitment to diversity and inclusion. PRSA has a travel grant for PRSSA students but there should be support for entry to mid-level professionals. Other organizations should implement programs similar to CoSIDA's and of course, employers should invest in their employees' career development.

​What are your thoughts on #NetworkingWhileBlack? Do you find yourself being the "only" or "one of few" at professional networking events? How does your job encourage and support professional development? Leave a comment and let's discuss!