NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2021--

The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America ( PRSA-NY ), the leading organization serving communications and public relations professionals in the New York metropolitan area, today announced its inaugural Summit dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in public relations. The virtual event, “Driving DEI Forward in PR Campaigns, Workplaces, and Beyond,” will begin on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 16 and continue throughout the day on Thursday, June 17, 2021. The Summit coincides with observances of Juneteenth and LGBTQ Pride month.

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PRSA-NY inaugural DEI Summit dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in public relations. (Graphic: Business Wire)

For more details, tickets, and sponsorship information, visit PRSA-NY’s event page.

Emily Graham, Chief Equity & Impact Officer at Omnicom, will open PRSA-NY’s DEI Summit with a keynote address. Programming will also include panel discussions, case studies from leading brands and advocacy organizations, as well as networking opportunities for PR professionals. PRSA-NY Board Members and external presenters will share best practices for growing DEI in public relations workplaces as well as in external campaigns. Additional leaders on DEI in the public relations and media industries will be announced as speakers in coming weeks.

“The communicator’s role in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion is undeniable and essential. We are catalysts for transformation, accelerated adoption and unwavering authenticity,” said Graham. “PRSA-NY’s Summit will empower public relations leaders to move with intention, confidence, and to better understand the critical shifts that have catapulted DEI to the center of our work, changing the expectations for our industry’s future.”

PRSA-NY also opened a call for submissions for its Leadership in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Honors, which recognize individuals growing DEI in-house or at agencies and will be announced during the DEI Summit. The Leadership in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Honors recognize individuals who improve, drive, and implement DEI in their own workplace or in the PR industry at large. Honorees can include Diversity Officers or other professionals whose passion for DEI transcends beyond their current role. Potential candidates should have a proven track record with workplace initiatives or external campaign work in the area. To apply or nominate a colleague, visit PRSA-NY’s DEI Honors page.

The newly formed DE&I Director positions of PRSA-NY’s Board is organizing the “Driving DEI Forward in PR Campaigns, Workplaces, and Beyond” Summit. These directors on the PRSA-NY Board include Rich Ferraro, Chief Communications Officer at GLAAD, the LGBTQ media advocacy organization and Executive Producer of the GLAAD Media Awards; Rashidah Timothy, VP of media relations at Lippe Taylor; and Brandon Thomas, VP and general manager of PAN Communications.

“For far too long, the public relations industry has needed to improve diversity, representation, and equity across race, gender, and LGBTQ identity, and industry leaders should urgently commit to meaningful actions that will create change,” said Andrew Graham, President of PRSA-NY. “PRSA-NY prioritizes DEI efforts that will not only create better opportunities for industry professionals of diverse backgrounds but unlock the power that the public relations industry has in educating, informing, and enlightening audiences to diverse and intersectional communities and issues.”

In addition to the keynote from Emily Graham and the presentation of the Leadership in Diversity & Inclusion Honors, PRSA-NY’s DEI Summit is scheduled to include discussions on:

• Intersectionality featuring leaders of campaigns that respond to or focus on recent attention around #StopAsianHate, Black Lives Matter, and LGBTQ issues
• Race, Diversity, and Equity in Public Relations
• Women & Leadership in Public Relations
• Case studies: Best practices for DEI in campaigns
• Meet the Media featuring LGBTQI+ and other beat reporters representing diverse media outlets

Panelists include:

• PJ Calzadilla Ortiz; Associate Program Manager | Engagement, Diversity + Belonging at Yelp
• Lamar Dawson, LGBTQ+ Columnist & Entertainment News Writer
• Yera Ha, Marketing Communications Consultant at PepsiCo
• Michael Kaye, Senior Global Public Relations Manager at OkCupid
• Brent Miller, Senior Director, Global LGBTQ+ Equality at Procter & Gamble
• Imani Rodman, Senior PR & Communications Manager at Bombas

More names to be announced soon.

The Summit will also feature sessions for students and junior professionals to hear from diverse industry leaders and connect with agencies and in-house public relations teams.

“When DEI and Public Relations combine, there is a significant opportunity to create real impact,” said Rich Ferraro, PRSA-NY’s VP of D&I and GLAAD’s Chief Communications Officer. “Questions about how to include diverse audiences and issues in public relations campaigns are common today, and PRSA-NY aims to create resources and events like this summit to assist our members and the industry at large with how to incorporate DEI in effective and authentic ways.”

“Last year, brands acknowledged they missed the mark on either being allies, educating or taking a stand and scrambled to execute smart and actionable diversity efforts,” said Rashidah Timothy PRSA-NY’s Senior Director of D&I and VP, Media Relations at Lippe Taylor. “As they are creating internal and external communications strategies with DEI at the heart of it, PRSA-NY is providing them with the playbook and reshaping the industry through this Summit.”

“We’re in a moment within the communications, public relations and marketing industries where the door has been swung open to have thoughtful, open and meaningful dialogue around DEI,” said Brandon Thomas, PRSA-NY’s Associate Director of D&I and Vice President and General Manager, PAN Communications. “We hope that this Summit will serve as an opportunity to provide individuals and agencies who are learning and growing in their DEI journey with a resource that will further move us forward in our collective goal for industry growth.”

Individual tickets for the Summit are $55 for PRSA-NY Members and $85 for non-members. Group tickets for agencies and in-house teams are available. To purchase tickets visit PRSA-NY’s event page.

About PRSA-NY

The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is one of the oldest, largest, and most prominent public relations Chapters in the country. Located in the media capital of the world, it offers top-level professional development, networking, mentoring, and awards. PRSA-NY serves communications professionals in agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government, as well as independent practitioners. For more information about PRSA-NY’s upcoming events, mentorship program, job boards, volunteer opportunities, sponsorship opportunities and membership details, go to prsany.org.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005310/en/

CONTACT: Sabrina Browne

Vice President of Marketing

PRSA-NY

[email protected]

646-389-2620

KEYWORD: NEW YORK UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC RELATIONS/INVESTOR RELATIONS

SOURCE: PRSA-NY

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PUB: 05/20/2021 07:30 AM/DISC: 05/20/2021 07:32 AM

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