October 2019 President’s Message by Stacy Hope

Dear Colleagues: “PRSA-NCC is committed to recognizing and celebrating all individual characteristics that make each of us who we are, both as people and as professionals. We welcome and encourage distinct contributions, perspectives, skills, experiences, and abilities to advance the PR profession. We believe our commitment will build a more inclusive chapter, representative of our diverse members, prospective members, and society overall. Respecting and appreciating diversity not only makes us better communicators but also better individuals.” –PRSA-NCC Diversity and Inclusion Statement

October is PRSA Diversity and Inclusion Month, when our association celebrates the value that diversity brings to our profession. Throughout the month, members are encouraged to join this important conversation on Twitter at @PRSADiversity, where you can share your favorite example of a corporate diversity and inclusion effort. You can learn more about PRSA’s national diversity and inclusion programs at www.prsa.org/about/diversity-inclusion.

As for our own chapter, your PRSA-NCC leadership is pleased to share our updated diversity and inclusion statement (see above), which was adopted unanimously at our board meeting earlier this month. This commitment to diversity and inclusion will be mainstreamed into our strategic planning process, which will take us through 2020, and is already being implemented through current programs. Many thanks to Leah McConnell Dergachev, who leads our diversity committee and spearheaded this effort.

Please let us know how you think we can continue to foster diversity and inclusion within our chapter, and externally throughout our profession. As always, we look forward to hearing from you.

Stacy Hope
PRSA-NCC President