Founded in 2017, AAER is BCW NA’s largest employee resource group (ERG), whose members come from every level and department of the of the agency. For Black History Month, the group met bi-weekly to discuss ERG updates, cool client work and "For the Culture" moments that are transcending the media and cultural landscape.
Museum of PR Black PR History Event
The ERG kicked off Black History Month with an industry-wide virtual event with the Museum of PR, the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to curating PR history in North America. BCW’s Sabrina Browne, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, North America, hosted the Museum’s seventh-annual Black History Month celebration. This year, the event focused on the importance of belonging and how we can cultivate this for Black #PR professionals and communicators.
Sabrina began the evening with a fireside chat with Victor Blackwell, anchor at CNN, where they delved into all things authenticity, accountability and representation. The event then segued into two engaging panel events with leading industry executives and Gen Z voices. The panels examined key topics including DEI and belonging, microaggressions and mental health. Sabrina was joined by BCW’s Carol Watson, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, and Monique Soriano, Senior Account Executive, Corporate Affairs, North America, and AAER ERG Lead. Industry leaders who participated on the panels included Brandi Boatner, IBM; Nicole Forman, Amazon; Dawn Kelly, The Nourish Spot; Tiffany Chanel Knighten, Brand Curators; Emmanuel Reid, Ogilvy; and Jordan Williams, LinkedIn.
BLACK MALE LEADERS REDEFINING THE INDUSTRY
BCW AAER later hosted an internal panel titled “Black Male Leaders Redefining the Industry, ” designed to raise awareness about Black male representation in PR and integrated marketing communications. Jordan Folkes, an Account Supervisor and AAER ERG Lead, moderated the discussion with leaders across the WPP network, including Myron King, Chief Integration Officer, VMLY&R; Andre Gray, Executive Creative Director, Grey Group; Terry Neal, Executive Vice President, Managing Director, BCW Corporate Affairs North America.
The panelists shared their experiences as they rose to leadership positions and the challenges they encountered along the way. We also delved into what Andre described as, “advance and survive,” a feeling many Black professionals know well and the importance of setting up Black talent to “advance and thrive.”
Black Mental Health Workshop
BCW partnered with WPP to host an important discussion on why "Black Mental Health Matters," moderated by Judy Jackson, WPP’s Global Head of Culture & Engagement.
The internal panel discussed the importance of Black mental health in the workplace, best practices for eliminating the stigma around mental health issues, signs for recognizing when a colleague is having a hard time and how one can be resource for a colleague in need. Attendees heard from internal and external mental health advocates, including Samantha Virgil, Senior Associate at BCW & WPP Mental Health Ally; Alix Montes, Associate Account Director, Wunderman Thompson Health; and Dr. Tana M. Session, DEI Strategist & Executive Performance Coach.
BCW AAER also implemented several internal initiatives to educate, engage and inform employees on the Black community. From launching BCW’s first-ever Black Small Business Guide to amplifying Black artists on Spotify to celebrating Black employees on BCW’s social media channels, BCW AAER tapped into all things culture to celebrate the annual heritage month.
For more information and strategies to reach the Black community, please reach out to BCW’s African American Employee Resource Group at [email protected].
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