June President’s Letter
First, Happy Pride Month!
June started off strong with an incredible professional development and fun baseball game at the Washington Nationals Park. My dear friend Valeria Krebs is the VP of Communication for the Washington Nationals. She shared an inspiring talk about her journey in sports communication with over 60 attendees. While our field has experienced many changes with technology, the heart of our profession has and will always be relationship building, maintaining, strengthening, reputation management, and earned media.
June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the contributions, resilience, and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community while also reflecting on the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and heard. As public relations professionals, we understand the power of storytelling to build understanding, foster connection, and amplify diverse voices. Pride reminds us that authentic communication and inclusive leadership are essential to strengthening our organization, our profession, and our communities. I encourage each of us to take time this month to learn, listen, and support efforts that advance equity and belonging for all.
Below you can find ways to celebrate Pride with PRSA and in the DMV
Rewriting the Narrative: LGBTQ+ Content Creators and the Power of Representation: June 17, 2026, 5–6 p.m. EDT
The Equality Chamber of Commerce DC: is proud to host our annual Pride Kick Off Event on June 18, 2026, from 6 PM to 9 PM at The Darcy in Washington, D.C.
17th Street Pride Block Party: Saturday, June 20. A free public street party featuring local vendors, food, and entertainment (My personal favorite, as I live on the corner of 17 and P!)
Arlington/NoVA Area: For those in Northern Virginia, events like the 6th Annual Penrose Pride Parade are scheduled for Sunday, June 28
June is also when we celebrate Juneteenth, Washington, DC, the nation’s capital and the political home of Juneteenth’s recognition as a federal holiday. DC hosts a uniquely civic Juneteenth weekend. Here is a link to celebrate around Washington, DC.
Pride Month and Juneteenth remind us that progress is driven by those whose voices have historically been overlooked. As public relations professionals, we have both the privilege and responsibility of helping shape the stories that organizations tell and the communities served. When we elevate diverse voices, create space for people to tell their own stories, we strengthen not only our profession but the relationships that make our work possible. To our members, supporters, allies, friends, thank you for all you do for this incredible community!
Lastly, in my previous newsletter I mentioned I was off to NYC to the PRSA FutureCon conference. It was a short one-day conference, with each speaker having 30 minutes for impactful presentations. More conferences should take on this model. The two notes that I took that stood out (Yep, pen and paper!) are as follows:
-Authentic storytelling vs. strategic messaging
-Brands’ authenticity vs. performative
Of course, much of the conversation was on AI, but as I bring this back full circle to the beginning of the newsletter, the heart of what we do has not changed; the tools have, we learn, we adapt, and AI can’t meet up for coffee with your student or client and have it feel authentic. Stick true to who you are. Your voice has and always will matter.
Best,
Patricia (Trisha) Hernandez
President, PRSA National Capital Chapter