Advice for Individuals and Organizations from ColorComm 2023

ColorComm, Inc. is the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity & inclusion across the communications, marketing, advertising, and media industries. Approximately 400 women of color across the communications sector gathered in Miami at the end of July to “Reconnect & Reimagine” at ColorComm, Inc.’s Annual Conference.?Attendees were able to reconnect after the pandemic and reimagine what success looks like to them and their work in newly discovered ways.

The conference provided numerous insights and connections that helped elevate attendees as individual professionals and can also help us elevate our companies and clients.

-?????????Be Intentional, Be Prepared and Be True to Yourself. ?To me this means that you should stay prepared so you can be open to new opportunities when they arise.?It might mean reading a new article or book, learning a slightly different discipline, or making deliberate choices that reflect what is important to me to reach my goals. I recently began working on issues concerning health equity because it is an issue that impacts so many people I know in underserved communities. This inequity issue is also something many of our clients are diligently working to address.

-?????????Be Fearless. This means accepting job opportunities that allow you to learn new skills and grow. Sometimes these opportunities may be outside of your comfort zone, but the discomfort will allow you to stretch and adapt to the new possibilities.

-?????????Be Willing to Listen. Debra Lee, Former CEO of BET Network, taught us that it is important to have a mentor and a sponsor. They are two different roles, and both can be invaluable if you’re open to honest dialogue.?A mentor provides advice, but a sponsor is a senior-level staff member who advocates for you in the room where it happens.

-?????????Know what you bring to the table. ?We bring the sum total of our skills and experiences to the work that we do. I bring my 10 years of experience in the public affairs space and a major part of my role is advocating on behalf of my clients to other internal DDC stakeholders. ?I have worked for a Fortune 50 corporation, and I understand the very public pressures that corporate clients face in an ever-changing communications environment. ??As a woman of color in the public affairs space, I also bring my unique perspective and understanding of communications audiences.

These concepts are empowering for women of color who are navigating a profession that is undergoing a generational shift, from being dominated by Mad Men-type traditional power structures to being led and changed by women and people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and other non-traditional communicators.?The concepts are just as important for companies and brands that have a complex journey to undergo when creating a diverse and inclusive culture and making sure the unique strengths of diverse talent are fully brought to bear.

To truly create a positive shift in workplace culture, organizations must be willing to try new things, learn from them, and sometimes fail. Not everything is going to work perfectly and that is alright.?The important thing is to fail fast, take corrective action, and move forward.

It seems obvious, but companies that want to continue to lead can’t just check the box on inclusion. All companies need to ensure their employees bring their full selves to the workplace and contribute their ideas to innovate in ways their clients require. This means companies need to be courageous and make room at the table for new voices that challenge the status quo.