UCA students offer interactive PR education about the U.S., European and African cultures
By Madelyn Morrison, UCA PR student
CONWAY, Ark. (Dec. 6, 2021) – About 70 people recently attended the PR Diversity Expo presented by Dr. Riva Brown’s Multicultural Public Relations class in the School of Communication at the University of Central Arkansas.
The expo was held on Dec. 2 in the UCA Student Center. It consisted of 10 tables discussing voter awareness, sexuality and gender, mental and physical disabilities, military veterans, Latinx/Hispanic, Asian American, Black/African American, Native American and indigenous populations, PR in Europe, and PR in Africa. The tables also focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Public relations major Juliana Womack, co-chair and originator of the event, said the public relations profession is misunderstood. “By spreading awareness about DEI&B and how PR professionals interact with these groups, we were able to educate our peers and members of the community about the importance of our profession,” Womack said.
The tables also included calls to action to encourage advocacy for marginalized populations. For example, the Black/African American table encouraged attendees to learn more about the CROWN Act and sign a petition to help eliminate race-based hair discrimination. CROWN stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.
The expo was funded by a grant from the Students Learn Student Vote Coalition and the National Conference on Citizenship.
Co-chair Aurora King used her public relations and public administration double major to educate attendees about voting issues.
“Our voter awareness table offered students a chance to register to vote and sign a petition for a referendum on the new Arkansas congressional district map if they were already a registered voter,” King said. “About a quarter of the students who came to the event signed the petition, so we are offering the chance for any other students to sign the petition this coming week.”
Attendees received T-shirts donated by UCA Center for Global Learning and Engagement for filling out a passport at four or more tables. After receiving their T-shirt, participants entered drawings for gift cards provided by Buffalo Wild Wings, Smith Ford, and Westway Nutrition Club, and car fresheners provided by Aunt Em’s Freshies. Kawaii Boba House, New Dragon Asian Food Market, Silverlake Design Studio, and On the Border also provided giveaways.
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