In light of recent tragic events in America, The Orange County Chapter of the Public Relations of America (OCPRSA) partnered with OC Human Relations to offer one of its largest attended events to-date – an Implicit Bias Workshop for Communicators – on Wednesday, July 8. Sponsored by Bank of America and Experian, the two-hour workshop guided participants through a journey of personal exploration to be mindful of the shortcuts and subsequent perceptions made about people and our surroundings. It also provided basic skills, through transformative learning, to increase awareness about cognitive biases and offer intervention strategies.
Over 115 communications professionals from local Orange County organizations such as University of California, Irvine, Girls Scouts of Orange County, CHOC Children’s Hospital and OC Waste and Recycling, joined OC Human Relations CEO Alison Edwards, Operations Manager Don Han and Training Specialist Seema Shah. The three presenters discussed Orange County’s history of racism, shared definitions and examples of implicit bias, and provided practical steps for communicators to address their own hidden biases as they develop communications strategies for their organizations.
In the past several decades, social science research has revealed that even the most well-intentioned people experience some degree of implicit bias – the unconscious and often subtle associations made between groups of people and stereotypes about those groups. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, OC Human Relations’ mission is to foster mutual understanding among residents and eliminate prejudice, intolerance and discrimination in order to make Orange County a better place for all people to live, work and do business.
“OC Human Relations is thrilled to partner with OCPRSA to help start the conversation about how businesses in Orange County can begin the work of anti-racism,” said Edwards. “We hope that our workshop will lead to action.”
OCPRSA takes an open-minded and open-hearted approach in its engagement with both members and nonmembers alike and opts to impact real change, doing more than merely talking about diversity and inclusion (D&I) in Orange County. OCPRSA has promoted D&I initiatives and produced award-winning programming for several years – most recently being recognized on a national level with the 2019 PRSA Chapter Diversity Award last October – and continues to do it part to ensure that diversity is reflected through business, leadership and communications structures throughout Orange County.
“I don’t take being the first Black president of OCPRSA in its 57-year history lightly and especially now as we navigate a global pandemic and civil rights violations,” said Charla Batey, MBA, APR, communications specialist at Cox Communications and president of OCPRSA. “Now is the time for communications professionals to further solidify our importance. We are ethically obligated to be more equitable and informed practitioners for our employers, clients and the public.”
OCPRSA was proud to have two major Orange County employers, Experian and Bank of America, support this workshop to make it accessible to as many community members as possible.“We are honored to support opportunities that break down barriers, build understanding and foster stronger relationships. Experian is powered by a workplace culture of inclusion, and is dedicated to supporting efforts like these,” said Gerry Tschopp, chief communications officer for Experian North America.
“This workshop is incredibly important and timely for our community, and we were honored to support OCPRSA in this effort,” said Patty Conover, vice president of community relations for Bank of America. “Bank of America is an avid supporter of dialogue that helps us cultivate understanding for each other, and we are committed to continuing to partner on this type of work so that, together, we can work toward a community that is inclusive and safe for everyone.”
About OCPRSA
The Orange County chapter of PRSA was formed in 1963 with a handful of members and has become one of the largest chapters in California. OCPRSA is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization with members representing corporate, government, nonprofit and educational organizations in Orange County.
