Novitas Diverse Voices Scholarship

​​During one of my classes, my professor stated "Minorities are the majority" and I was so puzzled. As a black woman, you never hear yourself as the "majority". Our light is always dimmed, and our voice is always suppressed, but when I heard him make that statement I craved to know more about what he meant. What I learned from that lecture is that in the years to come minorities will represent more of the population than it has in the past. Now you're probably wondering what that means. With that shift in demographics, the way that businesses have worked in the past won't be relevant during the new era of life. That is why diverse voices in public relations are so important in creating a space that invites the voices of those who had not been heard since we could remember. This space has always been white-dominant yet, there are so many different communities that have always been around. The beauty of this change is that people like me who are getting ready to enter this community of public relations will finally be able to do what has been needed. We have to find ways to gather the insights of these diverse communities. Understand what they like, don't like, what they value, and the essentials they need in their lives so that they feel seen and heard. We have to help businesses understand how to not only grow as a company or brand but ways they can provide a space for any new consumers wanting a spot at the table. This work will not be easy but it is crucial in this point that we are in as a society. These minority groups have always been seen through the lens of stories that others have created for them but they have not had the chance of creating a narrative that is true to them and until that can happen we still have a lot of growth that needs to occur. Growing in diversity will truly help create a more inclusive space. Understanding cultures will also be crucial when it comes to analyzing different people and it also will help alleviate some cultural tension that has been present and the barriers that come with that. It is time that we clean our glasses, invite more public relations workers of various backgrounds to do some great work, and to provide not only their own experiences but the experiences in the stories that still have yet to be told.