David Brown Q&A
David Brown is an Assistant Professor for Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University.
There’s a new administration coming on board; a woman of color has been named Vice President, thus making history; and recent events have shone a brighter light on the amount of work we all need to do around DE&I, and broader systemic social issues. Amid these developments, what do you think are top three things the communications industry is uniquely positioned to do to create a tangible impact?
This moment in our shared history represents a key opportunity for our communications industry. First, we need to find ways to showcase how diverse teams are continuing to outperform those that continue to be more homogeneous in their composition. The intentional diversity of the new Administration serves as a model for other organizations to follow. We can't solve the types of challenges that affect all of us (like the global pandemic and the racial reckoning) unless all of us are seated at the table. That leads to the second opportunity we have as a communications industry which is our ability to make sure the diversity seated at the table remains there and continuously broadens the space. This requires us to have everyone feel that they belong at the table which is the central tenet of inclusion. That leads to the third opportunity available to us and that is to make sure each seat at the table has equal value as to their voice and influence -- the central foundation of equity. If we don't have all three (diverse representation, an inclusive sense of belonging and equity of voice and influence), we may miss the opportunity before us.
In honor of Black History Month, we want to recognize formidable leaders throughout the history of PR and communications. As a person of color yourself, and a recognized leader in your field, which Black leader did you draw inspiration from growing up and in your career and why?
There are so many who have gone before me from whom I've drawn inspiration, but the one who has inspired me the most is the historical figure of Frederick Douglass. I began reading his writing more than 40 years ago as a teenager and, the more I've achieved in my career, the more significant his life has become. While he has only recently (within the last 20 or so years) been "recognized" as a trailblazer in our profession, his journey has been a source of inspiration for decades. He had to employ sophisticated public relations techniques and strategies to fight for and secure his own freedom; had to create his own media outlet to promote issues ignored and suppressed by the mainstream; and used his influence to leverage the work of others committed to the same cause. His work has served as the foundation for all of us as we continue to fight for legitimacy as practitioners and as people today.
What advice do you have for diverse communications professionals on how they can make a difference during this historic time?
The best advice is not to let this historic time be relegated to just a moment in time. The issues that we are grappling with around race are not new. They have simply become amplified in such a way that there has been an increased urgency to focus our time and attention to them. The killing of George Floyd and so many others along with the rise in the Black Lives Matter movement provide an important window that we as diverse communications professionals can not afford to let close. It has provided the type of momentum that has opened long neglected conversations that must lead to actions that are measurable and meaningful as it pertains to changing the complexion of our industry. We need more than allies and advocates for achieving diversity, equity and inclusion. We need accomplices that will work with us to create and sustain change.
What can Black communications professionals in leadership roles do to enhance representation in the industry?
Here, I will quote a phrase that Vice President Kamala Harris attributed to her mother when asked about the historical significance of being the first woman and person of color to be elected to this high office. "It's OK to be the first...just make sure you're not the last." In 2021, we should not be at a place where we are the "first" anything in the seats we occupy. There has been so much focus on diversifying the pipeline that we've sometimes pushed our resources into who's entering the pipeline to our industry that we've neglected promoting those in the pipeline and nurturing their growth through the other end of the pipeline. We need to mentor more...match better...nurture the relationships over time...and groom each other for opportunities as they emerge. Repeat, renew and repeat again.
Can you share an example of how you have personally helped someone with a diverse background find and make the most of the right opportunities?
The key here is to look at these opportunities as being transformational -- not transactional. Meaningful relationships are built over time, not overnight. My best example is one with a young African American practitioner who invited himself to my office unannounced when he was still in college in Philly. He impressed my assistant so much that she insisted that I see him. That led to a lifelong relationship that started with him serving as my employee who went on to achieve at the highest levels of government (even running for Mayor) and now sits as one of the highest-ranked African American executives at one of the nation's largest energy companies. We mentor each other and I have sent dozens of aspiring practitioners of color to him so he (and they) can constantly pay what they've received, forward. If we do this, we will be transformed in the process...while we seek to transform others along our journey.