 Note: I'm the vice president/president-elect of IABC Los Angeles (IABCLA), and I often post news of chapter happenings. Deborah Hudson, my fellow board member, wrote this overview of our recent DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) seminar for our group's blog. I wanted to share her excellent piece. By Deborah Hudson, ABC IABCLA Vice President, Member Retention; Past President IABCLA's second ZOOM webinar on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) – “It’s Not a Marketing Exercise: Understanding Privilege’s Impact on Inclusive Brand Campaigns” – on October 21 continued the association’s journey by looking at how to unpack privilege and build inclusive branding that reaches customers. The presentation and discussion was an eye-opener, once again led by Farida Habeeb, Ph.D. and Beverly Durham. They were joined by Karen Trachtenberg, a member of the IABCLA executive board and a marketing copywriter. The trio made a persuasive case for unpacking white privilege as a foundation of inclusive marketing – a brand can realize its full potential by reading the diverse communities it serves Unpacking White Privilege To begin the unpacking process, the talk kicked off with a recap of the dimensions of inclusivity:
But what is privilege and how does it blind people? Privilege is the advantage people have, that they don’t think about, because these characteristics don’t exclude them from seats at the table – in fact, the characteristics bring them to the table of power where the seats are filled by people that look the same as they do. For most of American history, privilege was the province of white, straight, Christian, English-speaking men – White Anglo Saxon Protestants (WASPS, as they were once called). Privilege can amount to blindness – because we don’t have to think about it. We don’t look beyond our narrow circle. Or it can be tone-deafness. For instance, the presenters mentioned a letter issued by the NFL on the need to address racism. Though signed by league president Roger Goddell, the document was condescending in tone and inauthentic – it put forth abstractions, not actions. The document also failed to admit the NFL’s debacle in the way it handled Colin Kaepernick’s protest on behalf of Black Lives Matter. Opening Your Eyes To Your Privilege
The presenters challenged participants to unpack their own privilege with a series of pointed questions:
The challenge to communicators is substantial. As Deborah Kaufman, participant and principal of Healthcare Recruiting Inc., summed up: “How do we help our companies and our clients understand privilege, dismantle racism, and move towards authentic change? How can we start to move from ‘just talk?’ One step forward can include what IABC presenters unpacked today — from looking at case studies of what’s working and not working in marketing campaigns to making the case of starting DEI at our own workspaces. Together, by sharing best practices and our shared experiences/struggles, we can work to become more aware, and to do the slow, ongoing, hard, and important work of change.” We encourage you to review the presentation – it can be accessed at shorturl.at/uxAST.
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 Thank you to all who attended IABCLA’s webinar “The Great Reset: Winning in 2020” on November 12 via Zoom.
Julie Wright, an IABCLA board member and president/founder of (W)right On Communications, and Mary Randall of Excelerate, led a fascinating discussion. Their presentation addressed the fact that the disruption brought about by the pandemic has presented an opportunity for change as it relates to employee experience. (X) is a collaboration between (W)right on Communications and Excelerate. During the event, the (X) team discussed the fact that the pandemic created or accelerated three great disruptions to organizations:
To access a recording of the session, please go to: https://lnkd.in/dFm2tyi. (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)  How do companies keep culture and community alive in these uncertain and challenging times?
This is one of the questions that will be discussed during IABCLA’s “The Great Reset: Winning in 2020” on Thursday, November 12 at 12 p.m. PT via Zoom. Julie Wright, an IABCLA board member and president/founder of (W)right On Communications, will lead the webinar with Mary Randall of Excelerate, a management consulting company specializing in enterprise strategy. (X) is a collaboration between (W)right on Communications and Excelerate. Julie and Mary will talk about how about the massive disruption this year due to the pandemic has presented an opportunity for a “reset” as it relates to employee experience. To sign up, click here. The event is free. (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)
“The Race is On: Talking About Identity in the Corporate Workplace” Tuesday, October 13 @ 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free IABC San Francisco will host an interactive conference that breaks down how to talk about identity in the workplace. Participants will leave with actionable steps for culturally-sensitive communication with customers, employees, and corporate leadership. To sign up, click here. “It’s Not a Marketing Exercise: Understanding Privilege’s Impact on Inclusive Brand Campaigns” Wednesday, October 21 @ 12-1 p.m. Free IABCLA will organize the function, and it will explore how marketers can ensure their brands are creating inclusive content that aligns with social justice imperatives. Brands championing DEI effectively will be discussed and attendees will leave with DEI marketing strategies in order to elevate their business goals. To register, click here. (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates
on chapter happenings.)
The next Comms Labs will be Friday, October 16 @ 12 p.m. via Zoom. Sign up information will be posted to the chapter's website — IABCLA.com — in the days to come. Also look for details on the group's social media — please visit Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
IABCLA will have several happenings this fall, including a second DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) webinar — “It’s Not a Marketing Exercise: Understanding Privilege’s Impact on Inclusive Brand Campaigns” — on October 21 at 12 p.m. via Zoom. Click here to register. (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)  Are any comms issues gnawing at you? Is there a problem you’re trying to solve?
Then join IABCLA for its very first Communications Lab on Friday, September 25 at 12 p.m. via Zoom! Guests will have the opportunity to hash out ideas in a fast-paced midday chat format. The monthly happening will be the fourth Friday in September, and it will shift to the third Friday in October and November. Whitley Crawford, an IABCLA board member, will moderate the discussion. She owns a marketing company that places freelancers in small and medium-sized businesses, and she can be reached through LinkedIn. Comms Labs is your opportunity to connect with like-minded folks for connection and insight. To sign up, click here. The event is free! (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)  Thank you to everyone who attended "IABC SoCal's Happy Hour: Build Your Network and Share Tips and Tricks for Succeeding in the Coronavirus Job Market” on September 10.
Karen Trachtenberg, an IABCLA board member, led the conversation. Karen’s worked across several industries, so she’s gone through a job search or two. Here are her thoughts: 1. Expectations: it’s best to know exactly the type of role you want before you begin your search, as a blanket approach probably isn’t going to land you your dream job. If, for example, you’d like to do social media for Formula 1, then drive in that direction. 2. Online Presence: make sure your social media looks and sounds professional. This is especially true of LinkedIn, as it’s a place for business communication and not personal politics. Also, leave the photos of you at a raging kegger back at college! 3. Associations: look for any and all networking opportunities — it’s worth your time if you make just one genuine connection with another person. (Karen: “Make friend. Get job.”) In addition to IABCLA, comms folks in the Southland can get involved in Social Media Club LA, PRSA Los Angeles, and a host of similar groups. Given the pandemic, many of these organizations have virtual networking sessions so a long drive to and from a venue doesn’t need to be a consideration — at least until COVID is over. 4. Recruiters: it could be worth the money to pay a headhunter who’s had demonstrated success to help you in your search. He/she may have the contacts, know-how, and industry insights to land you a position. 5. Introductions: be proactive! When you meet someone new, ask them for an introduction to another person in your career area. Most people genuinely want to assist others, so they’ll probably be happy to put you in touch with their colleagues. 6. Cover Letters: A. Short: keep your cover letters brief at less than a page. In fact, Karen typically keeps hers to two or three paragraphs. B. Unique: mention something in the document that’s not on your resume — you don’t want your cover letter to be a repeat of your CV. C. Tailor: adapt your resume and cover letter to each position. D. Writing: be sure to show off your writing skills if you’re a communicator. 7. LinkedIn: A. Premium: paying for the platform’s premium service is a good investment as it can provide information and analysis to assist you in your search. B. Groups: join LinkedIn groups aligned with your interests and participate in discussions, as it could help you stand out and draw the attention of employers. C. Video: a personal video is another way to draw attention to yourself. Some folks now have short recordings in their profile summarizing who they are and what they do — a cover letter or an “elevator pitch” of another sort. D. Messaging: do cold email others. Sometimes it can be difficult to reach out to folks you don’t know, but just be genuine, honest, and to the point. (“I noticed this opening at your company, and I’d love to contribute! Here’s how I can help…”) Your advice is much appreciated, Karen! Please stay up to date on IABCLA by visiting the organization’s website — IABCLA.com — and by following the group on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. The group will have several happenings this fall, including a new Communications Lab where guests can test out their comms ideas. The kick-off session will be Friday, September 25 at 12 p.m. via Zoom, and you can register by clicking here. (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)  What makes for a successful ZOOM interview? What are employers looking for in remote communicators? What should you expect from online onboarding?
These are just some of many questions that will be discussed at “IABCLA SoCal Happy Hour: Build Your Network and Share Tips and Tricks for Succeeding in the Coronavirus Job Market” on Thursday, September 10 at 5 p.m. via Zoom. Karen Trachtenberg, an IABCLA board member, will lead the conversation. She’s worked across several industries including entertainment, financial services, and consumer products. Reserve a place by clicking here! (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)  Note: I'm the vice president/president-elect of IABC Los Angeles (IABCLA), and I often post news of chapter happenings. Deborah Hudson, my fellow board member, wrote this overview of our recent DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) seminar for our group's blog. I wanted to share this important information. With Farida Habeeb’s provocative blog entry, “Time to do the (Internal) Work,” IABCLA announced our focus campaign on DEI as a call to learning and action. On August 5, we launched the campaign with a webinar, “The Race is On: Talking about Identity in the Corporate Workplace.” Joining DEI expert Farida Habeeb, Ph.D was Beverly Durham, principal of BLD Communications and member of the Los Angeles Diversity Council Advisory Board of ColorComm, a business community for women of color in communications. The time is now After briefly reviewing the current reckoning on unequal justice in social and professional life, the leaders called for communicators to lead brave conversations on diversity. They reminded participants of the powerful business case for diversity as a driver of performance. They also pointed out that the clock is ticking down on diversity – as the U.S. moves to a majority minority nation in 2045. Cultural terms and identifiers The webinars explored cultural identifiers, our overlapping visible and invisible identities – who we are in terms of age, disability, sex, gender, class, race, religion, nationality, education and more – that define us and control how we see the world. To prepare for and build effective community, we have to lead conversations that honors and bridges these identities. With an interactive small group exercise, where each participant built a 360-degree identity wheel based on personal identifiers and their relative weight, we explored how our multiple identities overlap, in some cases leaving people vulnerable to multiple levels of discrimination. Conversations in color At this inflection point, how do we as communications professionals start and advance conversation about identity with customers, employees and corporate leaders? Based on their experience and expertise, Beverly Durham and Faridah Habeeb left us with practical tips for leading the conversation about DEI. With employees:
With customers:
This is just the first of IABCLA’s programs to meet the day’s challenge of DEI. If you have a suggestion for a webinar or panel discussion, let us know. Reach out to IABCLA’s president at president@iabcla.com.
IABC says: We see you. We hear you. We are with you. IABCLA adds: Let’s get together and have conversations that matter.  Thank you to Jeff Willinger for hosting IABCLA’s Happy Hour on July 30! Jeff led an energetic conversation on managing online teams.
The chapter is committed to helping communications professionals stay connected and build their careers during these challenging times. The group will continue to host online events in the weeks and months to come, including additional happy hours. Please stay up to date on happenings by visiting the organization’s website — IABCLA.com — and by following the group on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president/president-elect, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.) |
AuthorI'm Eli Natinsky and I'm a communication specialist. This blog explores my work and professional interests. I also delve into other topics, including media, marketing, pop culture, and technology. Archives
April 2021
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