The Role of DEI in Modern Public Relations

Written By Emily Sawyer

In an industry built on shaping narratives, who gets to be heard (and who gets left out) matters more than ever. On March 30, we had the pleasure of hearing from some incredible PR professionals who shared insight on the presence of DEI in today’s communications workplace, and why it is so important for the future of PR.

The first panelist we heard from was Brenden Lee, head of corporate communications at Yahoo, where he shared his current and previous experiences with DEI in the workplace. In sum, he stressed that diversity is necessary because it challenges the status quo, and provides different perspectives and ideas that lead to better creativity. In his previous work environments, Lee experienced companies who “did something a certain way because that’s how it's always been done” aka the easy way out. In reality, it's necessary to continuously diversify and open seats for new people at the table.

Going off of that, Hana Ford, Senior Account Supervisor at Edelman, delved more into why it's so important to have these different perspectives. To put it simply, in the world of public relations, it is our responsibility as professionals to communicate a message from the client to the general public, and the general public is an extremely diverse group. In order to best understand and reach it, we need to have enough diversity in the room to represent all aspects (age, gender, race, sexuality, etc.).

Izabella Escurra, our third panelist, Admissions Counselor at Montclair State University, and Freelance Account Coordinator at Teller PR, spoke on how uplifting it is to see other minorities working in the field as she kicks off her own career journey. Having grown up in a community with a lot of representation, she shared that her first place of work lacked it. “As much as narratives are shared about minority communities, there weren’t always people

representing these voices. It’s important for everyone to have a seat at the table to share their personal narratives,” Escurra shared. An eye-opening point, she further emphasized the necessity of diversity for utmost success in the field.

The three panelists also offered general career advice for any aspiring PR professional, which I found extremely helpful.

1) NETWORK!!! - It’s said a million times over, but networking is seriously such an important part of public relations. Brenden Lee honed home the importance of networking and reaching out to people, because you never know where it will go. There are so many tools at our disposal with Linkedin and social media, so reach out and risk being ghosted over never taking any risk in the first place.

2) “Trust is built from the inside out” - Lee talked about how important it is to find a company that you can trust and be comfortable being a part of. You can tell a lot about a company based on the way they treat their employees, so make sure you are choosing a work environment that suits your needs and wants. Any place will give you a paycheck, but it's the other things, like PTO, work-life balance, and the overall culture of the company that should be mutually beneficial to employer and employee.

3) When interviewing, DO YOUR RESEARCH - It’s a phrase that I have always heard, but Hana Ford spoke about how a quick google search 30 minutes before the interview is not enough. Study the company, the position, and the team members involved - by demonstrating that you’ve taken the time to do your homework, it shows that you understand how to be intentional and prepared.

4) Ask questions and be curious - Are there any specific clients the company works with that you are interested in and would like to learn more about? This helps you stand out. After the interview, have 2-3 questions prepared as well, Izabella Escurra shares, asking about what success looks like in the role you’re applying for, so you can set your own expectations, and the employer is assured you are prepared to give it your all.

5) Send Thank You Notes - Little acts of kindness go a long way, and professionals are busy - consideration sets you apart and sets you up for more success.