Spanish Media Myths and Truths
PRSA Columns, Public Relations Melissa Vela-Williamson PRSA Columns, Public Relations Melissa Vela-Williamson

Spanish Media Myths and Truths

I began my PR career at a Hispanic boutique agency. I didn’t know the difference between “general market” and Hispanic market media as a new grad, but soon learned about the divide. At a Hispanic or multicultural agency, you’re going to focus on the unique cultural attributes and communication preferences of a niche audience. 

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Help Tell Latino Stories
PRSA Columns, Public Relations Melissa Vela-Williamson PRSA Columns, Public Relations Melissa Vela-Williamson

Help Tell Latino Stories

Think back to your American history class days. Which races were reflected in the textbook? The hard truth is that they probably weren’t Hispanic. Latinos are not even categorized as a race by the U.S. government. We’re an ethnic version of white. Is there a more symbolic way to explain how the Latino story is missing its rightful place in American stories? 

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Respect Educational Diversity
Public Relations, PRSA Columns Melissa Vela-Williamson Public Relations, PRSA Columns Melissa Vela-Williamson

Respect Educational Diversity

When is the last time you thought about the education level of your stakeholders? As PR professionals, we may think more about visual indicators of diversity than how people differ in ways we can’t see. The level of education people have can affect all aspects of their life. Have you considered tailoring your PR strategies in relation to educational diversity?

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Making Connections with Hispanic Influencers
PRSA Columns, Public Relations Melissa Vela-Williamson PRSA Columns, Public Relations Melissa Vela-Williamson

Making Connections with Hispanic Influencers

How do you connect with the Hispanic market? That’s a top question for organizations because Hispanics accounted for 52 percent of the U.S. population growth in the last decade and have an economic buying power of $1.5 trillion. Hispanic consumers are tight-knit networks — we are wired for referral based, word-of-mouth marketing. A primary trust factor is whether a family member or friend has referred us to an organization, product or service.

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4 Lessons from Recording My Audiobook
Advice Melissa Vela-Williamson Advice Melissa Vela-Williamson

4 Lessons from Recording My Audiobook

I spent three days recording the audiobook version of my book, 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑘: 𝑃𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝐸𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑠 𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑤. Read here to find out what I learned during that process.

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3 Pro Tips from a Recent Grad
Advice Melissa Vela-Williamson Advice Melissa Vela-Williamson

3 Pro Tips from a Recent Grad

I am not your “traditional” intern. I am slightly older (27) than what most would consider an intern. I returned to college in the middle of the pandemic, after already completing a degree in a field that didn’t make me happy. I’m so glad that I came back to the field that I fell in love with as a teenager.

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Learning Through Experience
Advice Kate Hughes Advice Kate Hughes

Learning Through Experience

As a go-getter, I love to learn, and internships are where I have learned my most valuable lessons. This semester, I found that internships are a great opportunity to gain practical experience and apply what you’re learning in the classroom to real-world situations. Here’s a peek into some of the things I’ve learned at MVW Communications.

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