At the Glen Echo Group, one of our values is “be heard”, but we know that for many Black Americans in the public relations field, those opportunities to share their voice are few and far between. According to a 2021 analysis by the Diversity Action Alliance, Black PR professionals only account for seven percent of our industry despite years of calls to action to improve representation.

When I started my career in this industry, there weren’t many individuals who shared my background. Nearly a decade later, I’ve seen some changes — I must applaud the hard efforts of the PR Council, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the LAGRANT Foundation, the Ron Brown Scholar Program, ColorCOMM and others that have helped create a seat at the table for Black and Brown people in Corporate America.

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As we continue to knock down doors and overcome systemic issues, it’s important to recognize the contributions of Black individuals who are shaping the industry every single day.

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Visibility matters.

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That’s why the Glen Echo Group is starting Black History Month by asking our team members about the importance of their identity in the workplace, how it relates to their work and how it amplifies the GEG core values: Positive Contributor, Growth-Minded, Resourceful, Curious and Fun.

—Andrea O'Neal, Senior Director

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Curious - Lama

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At the Glen Echo Group, we are a full-stack house, meaning that our expertise ranges from everything between communications and policy. To contribute to our range of expertise, I take my curiosity to the next level by learning the more technical parts of technology. Thanks to being a member of Black in AI and a Fellow with the Internet Law & Policy Foundry, I have deepened my knowledge in areas like machine learning and artificial intelligence, and been able to connect these topic areas to analyze issues in the broader technology policy space, including algorithmic accountability and privacy. As part of the next generation of technology policy professionals, I make it a priority to mentor other women and people of color looking to navigate this space and successfully get a foot in the door by shedding light on these early-career opportunities.

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Positive Contributor - TJ

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My ability to be a positive contributor was definitely enhanced after my attendance of Blavity’s Afrotech Conference just a couple years back. To be around thousands of tech professionals who are also people of color really helped me gain a new sense of self-worth and power that I am still fueled by to this day.

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Growth-Minded - Andrea

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I say it loud and proud: I am a first-generation college student. My career was catalyzed by the many fellowships, scholarships and internships created for people who look like me and have a similar upbringing. In order for the industry to grow, it's imperative we continue providing resources to feed the industry pipeline — particularly for early career roles.

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