Ms. InterPReted

Rax Lakhani, CMPRCA, and his family -- immigrants to the UK -- have been no strangers to discrimination, but many of the stories he's heard shared in 2020 among PR colleagues of color as well as across many diverse communities in the industry have given him pause.

His sense of urgency to make positive Diversity & Inclusion outcomes a reality mirror that of the PRCA, the PRCA's Diversity Network as well as PRCA's Race and Ethnicity Equity Board (REEB), in light of events this year to make substantive change a reality.

In this episode, listeners from inside the United States in particular will gain tremendous perspective on the global issues tied to D&I and how the challenges at hand may not differ all that much from what we face in the U.S. -- yet must be undertaken with a universal commitment and in solidarity as a global industry.

Follow on social media:

Rax Lakhani:

LinkedIn -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/raxlakhani/

Twitter -- @RaxLakhani  https://twitter.com/RaxLakhani 

PRCA -- @PRCA_UK  https://twitter.com/PRCA_UK   

PRCA Diversity Network -- @PRCA_Diversity  https://twitter.com/PRCA_Diversity

PRCA Race and Ethnicity Equity Board (REEB) -- @PRCA_REEB  https://twitter.com/PRCA_REEB

Fletcher PR:

https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fletcherpr

Kelly Fletcher:  https://twitter.com/KDfletcher

Mary Beth West:  https://twitter.com/marybethwest 

In this episode spotlighting the historical significance of the 19th Amendment (and with a National Public Radio clip via Knoxville's WUOT referring to Tennessee's historic role), Kelly and Mary Beth discuss:

• How -- 100 years later (in the year of COVID-19) -- women's rights in the voting booth have evolved to rights in the workplace, albeit with shortfalls in rights of equal pay for equal work
• What the implications of COVID-19 have been, particularly in the PR industry, given disproportionate numbers of women in this workforce
• How women dominating the PR industry have not translated into power in the executive or decision-making levels
• Misogyny and male-dominated culture issues in the communications industry ... including particular sub-sectors (like ad agency "bro" cultures) that result in qualified and talented women being held back, passed over, dismissed, marginalized and otherwise treated in ways that create exit-ramps from career pathways
• Key statistics reflective of inequities
• Anecdotal examples of male cultures that demonize women and gaslight legitimate concerns or calls for accountability
• Why women must push cultures of accountability -- not only for their own benefit or self-protection, but also for the industries they predominantly work within, such as public relations, to prove value and earn respect

Links:

Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag

Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ 
Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr  
Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher 
Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest 

Tearsa talks about the values she brings to the newsroom:

• Her early career experience and what shaped her pathway as a student and a new professional in the field, as well her early influences
• How the Black Lives Matter movement has evolved and transformed in messaging and meaning in the community over recent years (and what it means to Tearsa in her work and in her family life as a woman of color)
• How Tearsa has built a national network of fellow female journalists of color to share career experiences and support one another in ways that may be difficult for them to find in their own workplaces alone
• How she responds to viewers and how they react in different ways to news coverage 
• Importance of diversity of news sources for all Americans
• How telling stories of race in the community brings unique complexities, and how those issues are handled in the newsroom in service to the expectations of the community
• Why true care for fellow human beings really matters... but how all community members are not experiencing the same things -- and why true empathy for those differences is so important.

Connect with Tearsa on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TearsaSmith @TearsaSmith

https://www.wate.com/author/tearsa-smith/ 

Rod Cartwright shares:

• What the COVID-19 experience has been like in the U.K., as of early-summer 2020;
• How Public Relations must lead from the front in this sustained crisis by showing a genuine understanding of business;
• What "contextual understanding" means in the scope of our role as communicators and as the conscience of the organization;
• Why cross-disciplinary approaches are vital and how PR must be able to broker those opportunities for collaboration;
• What different types of Auditing tools and techniques can deliver toward meaningful analysis for clients;
• Amid the racial unrest and global charge for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, how PR should seek to lead by listening first;

And more...

Follow Rod on Twitter: @RodCartwright https://twitter.com/RodCartwright 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rod-cartwright-6771384/

Follow Fletcher Marketing PR: https://twitter.com/fletcherpr
Follow Kelly: https://twitter.com/KDfletcher
Follow Mary Beth: https://twitter.com/marybethwest 

Follow Fletcher PR and the Co-Hosts:

Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ 

• @FletcherPR
• @kdfletcher
• @marybethwest

Follow our guests across social media (Twitter handles):

MINUTE 9:30: Shayoni Lynn, Lynn PR: @shayonislynn https://twitter.com/shayonislynn 

MINUTE 11:58:  Dr. Ana Adi, Quadriga University: @ana_adi https://twitter.com/ana_adi

MINUTE 13:40: Sharon Hannum and Joy Bishop

MINUTE 20:20: Melissa Carter @MelissaCarter https://twitter.com/MelissaCarter
   
MINUTE  23:50: Mike Paul @reputationdr https://twitter.com/reputationdr

MINUTE 26:30: 

MINUTE 28:20: Chad Hatmaker, Woolf McClane: @JChadHatmaker https://twitter.com/JChadHatmaker

MINUTE 31:21:  Blount Memorial Hospital -- Don Heinemann @Blount_Memorial https://twitter.com/Blount_Memorial

MINUTE 32:30: Alicia Aebersold, American Psychological Association: @aliciacollin https://twitter.com/aliciacollin

MINUTE 35:25: Koray Camgoz, @PRCA_UK @KorComms https://twitter.com/KorComms

MINUTE 37:40:  Julia Angelen Joy @JuliaAngelenPR https://twitter.com/JuliaAngelenPR

   AND Molly McPherson @MollyMcPherson https://twitter.com/MollyMcPherson 

MINUTE 41:30:  Bob Dickie, Bonvera: @RobertDickie https://twitter.com/RobertDickie
Bob's Podcast / "Taking the Leap" -- https://www.takingtheleappodcast.com/

MINUTE 43:24: Lt. Col. Ashley Nickloes, Tennessee Air National Guard: @Ashley_Nickloes https://twitter.com/Ashley_Nickloes

MINUTE 47:42:  BLOOPER

Mike Paul (@ReputationDr) shares granular insights on the practical aspects of bringing true racial inclusion into practice in the PR industry and beyond.

Links:

• Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag
• Follow Mike Paul: 
  • Twitter: @ReputationDr
  • Twitter: @repdocllc 
• Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/
• Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR
• Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher
• Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest

Lt. Col. Nickloes shares with Kelly and Mary Beth:

• Why Faith, Family & Service have guided her way throughout her life and career: “Good things come to those who work hard”;
• How evil in the world is a reality and how it factors into military service missions for the United States of America; 
• What the statistics include of women working in the military and in military aviation;
• How she managed through overt sexism in her early entry in her career field;
• How being a woman (and a mother) has included a real-world impact to her role;
• What her experience of losing her son Gabriel during a pre-term birth meant to her and her husband -- and how it further unified her marriage and strengthened her faith;
• What life is like during overseas deployments in hostile territory;
• How elitist attitudes inaccurately inform public perception about who serves in the military;
• Ways in which the military mission poses a stark disconnect with softer-society ideals … and how this disconnect drives misconceptions of what the military is even supposed to be doing;
• An overview of the situation in Afghanistan 
• How a public self-expectation of resilience and self-reliance is being lost in society … and how this issue is relevant in the current COVID-19 reality
• How placing personal priorities must drive our can-do spirit in any crisis.
• And more

Links: 

• Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag
• Follow Ashley: 
  • Twitter: @Ashley_Nickloes -- https://twitter.com/Ashley_Nickloes 
• Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ 
• Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr  
• Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher 
• Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest 

Professor Adi discusses with Mary Beth:

• Her career path in public relations and how the field has evolved – including the issue of how public relations itself is defined
• Her early life experience growing up in Romania, within a country under a Communist government, and its impact on her perspective
• Perspectives of “having something to say” and how that parlays into creation of her own #WomenInPR podcast
• How gender diversity is missed in history and how the legacy impacts workforce issues, including in a specific way in public relations and how ideas in this field are influenced by lack of gender diversity
• How practitioners must apply data in the best ways and why it matters
• Why data must be – in part – a “What have you achieved…?” question
• How data should not simply exist as some “shiny box, where you take data in and take data out” – and instead, make sure it is a holistic enterprise for the set-up of a research program
• The ways in which “vanity metrics” fill meaningless spaces without read value to a relationship-management program 
• What her frustration points are about AVE as a form of false measurement
• Why “the sale is not closed by PR” but rather exists as part of a larger ecosystem while still being behavioral-objective driven
• How the “media relations” paradigm of PR has evolved massively… but how too many clients think through this narrow prism, to their own limitation – and their data priorities (or lack thereof) often reflect this limitation
• How clients should consider data as part of potential corporate activism… and exactly what qualities define “an activist” – and they don’t always confirm with “rage” or “dissent” / opposition (“We are ALL activists.”) 
• What the ethics implications are of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how well (or poorly) postured the public relations profession is; and how “digital literacy” is a much more germane overarching skill set in PR
• What type of “voice” strategic communicators must have to be relevant in the AI conversation … with meaningful impact.
• And more

Links:

• Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag
• Follow Ana: 
  • Twitter: @Ana_Adi -- https://twitter.com/ana_adi 
  • Twitter: @QuadrigaBerlin – https://twitter.com/QuadrigaBerlin 
  • LinkedIn: 
    • Follow Ana Adi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaadi/
• #WomenInPR Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/user-654979149/sets/women-in-pr 
• Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ 
• Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr  
• Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher 
• Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest

Alicia Aebersold, CCO of the American Psychological Association (APA) discusses with Kelly and Mary Beth:

• Her early communications / public relations career path that led her to the position she now holds, in leading the communications function for the world’s largest professional association of psychology 
• Why the relationship a CCO has with one’s CEO and executive team is so important, particularly in times of crisis
• How the APA’s clear, simple purpose “to benefit society and improve lives” provides the driving force behind the organization’s work plan in service to its members and to the public as well, whether in times of relative normalcy or in times of global crisis
• How “communication” plays a major role in the overall mission of the organization: 
  • APA’s mission statement: “Our mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.”
• What APA’s major initiatives included prior to COVID-19’s impact on the world, such as implications of gun violence, immigration issues’ family / children impact, America’s opioid crisis, increasing impact of climate change on people’s emotional wellness / eco-anxiety, governmental efforts on The Hill, etc.
• Specifics of APA’s vast COVID-19 response agenda
• How APA’s deep richness in professional expertise – as represented by its diverse membership base – is being leveraged in service to APA’s members and also in service to many types of external audiences
• What is included within APA’s continuously evolving COVID-19 Resource
• How the immediacy aspect of one’s communications-leadership role as a CCO – such as the position Alicia leads for APA – requires a constant balance between strategic insight and tactical nimbleness . . . and how other communications professionals can develop these critical skills 
  • Keeping one’s eyes and mind open and aware of creative, strategic ideas – including cultivation of ideas from other diverse sources
  • Exploring fresh approaches and knowing how to prioritize / focus on the ones with strongest promise, based on key-audience needs and expectations
  • Developing the overarching mindset of maintaining creativity while staying in one’s lane of specific subject-matter expertise and knowing precisely where the association can make a meaningful impact
• How the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 crisis may be felt downstream for decades to come… and how psychological resources must be available “for the long-haul”
• Ways that APA is helping employers and providing both research / data-driven content and coping resources
• How the larger APA Communications Team is working together to execute across both strategic and tactical action plans
• How APA is executing outreach efforts in collaboration with other professional sectors for “a psychologically health workplace” via Office of Applied Psychology at APA
• What Alicia thinks is “misinterpreted” most about psychology in general
• And more

Links: 

• Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag
• Discover the American Psychological Association (APA)
• Follow APA: 
  • Twitter: @APA
  • Twitter: @aliciacollin
• LinkedIn: 
  • Follow APA
  • Connect with Alicia
• Discover Fletcher Marketing PR
• Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR   
• Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  
• Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest  

Blount Memorial Hospital CEO Don Heinemann and Assistant Administrator Connie Huffman discuss with Kelly and Mary Beth:

• Why current physical distancing measures are not only essential to citizen safety but also critical toward health-worker safety, to prevent healthcare provider shortages when the community needs these professionals most in combating the virus locally
• Key challenges many community hospitals nationwide faced even prior to the current COVID-19 crisis -- and how the coronavirus pandemic is now hitting health systems on both the expense and revenue sides
• How Blount Memorial’s disaster-response plan is structured and is currently being actioned in phases, as the coronavirus makes its march across Tennessee and into smaller, non-metro communities
• What many healthcare administrators are worrying about most, due to the unpredictable nature of the virus
• How the fight against shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is one arena where community involvement and support is making an impact
• Biggest myths and misconceptions within the public that the healthcare community is seeking to overcome, regarding public awareness and call-to-action
• What the shortage of mental-health resources for emotional wellness and stability through the crisis means for local communities
• How the Blount Memorial Foundation board of directors and the separate Blount Memorial Hospital board of directors are pitching in personally to rally the local community around strategic charitable giving, to help make sure the hospital and its dedicated team are supported, in service to citizen health and recovery
  • #COVIDgiveWhereYouLive 
• And more

Links

• Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag
• Follow the #COVIDgiveWhereYouLive hashtag 
• Discover Fletcher Marketing PR
• Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR 
• Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher 
• Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 
• Follow Blount Memorial Hospital: 
  • Facebook for the Hospital
  • Facebook for the Hospital Foundation
  • Twitter: @Blount_Memorial