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I’m so happy to bring you this interview with Brooke Eddington (aka @brooklyn2020), managing editor and account executive at Xposure Inc.
Brooke is an expert on diversity PR, a field that stands to grow exponentially in the coming years. I’ve had several opportunities to work with her and have always enjoyed the experience.
Be sure to check out the comments for even more about Brooke and her clients.
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I’ve broken the interview into three sections. You can chose what you’re most interested in, or scroll to the bottom to listen to the entire thing. It’s full of great advice and insight. Enjoy!
Part I: Brooke’s background and experience (3:29) <download>
- Helping out communities whose voices aren’t easily heard.
- Giving lower-income residents a voice in city planning.
- Helping underserved areas become self-sufficient.
Part II: Specific strategies and challenges in different communities (7:42) <download>
- Different groups require different strategies–Brooke gives several specific examples.
- Know where your community spends its time.
- Make sure information comes from a source the community trusts.
- Minority groups are communities with unique self-interests and cultures.
- You must know people who are connected in the communities.
- “The color-blind myth”–Equality does not equal sameness.
- Don’t ignore differences–incorporate them.
Part III: Considerations before focusing on diversity PR (in a campaign or as a career) (4:29) <download>
- Make sure you have contacts who understand the specific, local target community–otherwise you risk offending people.
- You need a consultant with an understand of public relations and the community.
- You’ll need to be okay with leaving your comfort zone.
- Be willing to invest time and resources to connect in a real way.
- For individuals interested in a career in diversity PR: If you can find one, joining a diversity firm can help you build connections.
- It’s worth hiring a diversity-specific public relations consultant.
Listen to or download the full interview:
Download the full interview MP3 (15:41)
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For more ideas about reaching Hispanic audiences, Brooke recommends the free Idea Hall Hispanic Market Resource Guide.
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Here are a few more questions and answers about Brooke Eddington:
Job title/employer: Managing editor/account executive, Xposure Inc.
How long have you been there? About a year and a half.
What do you do (basic job description)? I’d say there are three main aspects to my job.
Under the editorial title, I organize, lay out, assign and edit Xposure Urban Magazine, our diversity publication. I also write articles and manage our freelance writers and columnists.
Under the PR side, I do work as needed for all our PR clients - doing media relations, campaign proposals, events, any public relations function directly related to our clients’ needs.
Additionally, I do a lot of networking, whether it’s online or by volunteering at local organizations like Tulsa’s Young Professional group and PRSA. We are a small firm, so we all help out with everything.
What kind of clients do you work for? Our clients are organizations who are interested in reaching a minority audience, or organizations who are interested in connecting minority and mainstream groups.
Who are some clients?
PLANiTULSA (planitulsa.com), Tulsa’s city planning initiative headed up by Fregonese Associates (frego.com)
Shortline Dental (http://www.shortlinedental.net/), a clinic that takes government insurance and focuses on working with underserved communities
Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League (mtul.org), a group that empowers people of color by providing or finding services like tutoring, teen pregnancy support and financial counseling