Archive for December 2010
*Image from americanprogress.org*
“You can call us the millennial generation…., young people, gen Y, the MTV generation, call us whatever you want to but ordinary”.
“For my generation, politics doesn’t mean a bumper sticker or yard sign. It’s not necessarily a rally or a protest …lobbying…It’s doesn’t always mean voting. [gasp]”
– Erica Williams
Hello and Happy Sunday Readers!
As I promised on my LinkedIn page, I will blog about a video I found over the weekend from a Pop Tech 2009 YouTube video. Pop Tech is a conference in Maine that deals with popular culture and the internet ( http://www.poptech.org/)
There was this speaker who talked about Generation Y and how we engage in the political process ( if you have kept up with my blog, you know how much I love to discuss anything Gen Y– I bet you did not know that I love politics even more, but I don’t discuss it that much on this blog).
Here name is Erica Williams and I simply loved the speech she gave to the audience about our generation and how we want to change the world.
Here are some of the highlights of her speech.
Erica Williams, has engaging anecdotes and compelling messages about the power of Gen Y. She begins with her father’s last sermon and the message she carries with her. After his death, she wrestled with living up to her father’s legacy while accomplishing this in her own way. She found a solution with politics. Her passion is infectious while she eloquently describes the plight, thinking, and actions of the Gen Y political process.
- She said by 2020, every person of this generation will be of voting age during a presidential election, which will be 103 million people… 90 million will be eligible to vote, and 40% of the electorate
- She admits that she doesn’t like politics and on average this generation doesn’t like politics
(I must agree to a certain extent. I love watching cnn, reading up on the latest political news, watching online shows like “The Young Turks” to get a outside perspective of what is going on. But what turns me off is the infighting between parties, stalled progress, policies that are against my best interest, and baby-boomer centered polices while ignoring everyone else)
- We are the most civically engaged, but this is not expressed through traditional means. In order to engage Gen Y, politics itself must be redefined
- Then she talks about the healthcare town hall debates last year. There was an absence of young people at those rallies. However, it was erroneously assumed that youth absence equaled youth apathy. But the healthcare debate impacts Gen y as much as any other person. The number one reason why young people do not have health insurance is because of the cost…. Sound familiar…. It is not invincibility or lack of concern, it is a lack of resources
Remember the rule in the Obama healthcare plan which allows a person to stay on his/her parent’s healthcare plan until 27, she explains that her organization helped rally and get that section passed in the bill.
- Instead of going to the town halls, younger people researched the bill online, then collected petitions and signatures online, established an online forum, then they gathered video testimonials by young people and described how they were personally affected by the broken healthcare system, then they sent all of this information/data to the same legislators that were at the town halls, then the youth representatives were called to Washington and spoke with the legislators face to face, then they spoke to Nancy Pelosi who put the new age provision in the bill.
Williams talked about more things in the video. I suggest that you check it out. I really love how she is passionate about GenY issues and I want to look into the Center for American Progress even more. I am really interested about how politics affects this generation. I don’t want to sit on the side lines and wait for legislation to “happen” to me, but to change it for me.
Here is the video link ( I couldn’t embed it… sorry):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlLTbaDaFAE
Thanks again for reading! Comment or just drop a note to say hello.
Signing out on… The Roberts Report
PR Related Link… Good Read!
Posted on: December 18, 2010
- First she advises that new pr pros keep up with integrated communications technologies and disciplines. For example, one should learn about marketing, advertising, and technology so one can get a general feel of how business communications and brands are connected.
- Then she says math and writing skills are essential to being a competent pr professional (yes she said math!). I was taught that math is vital because the ROI ( Return on Investment) of pr campaigns must be measured and justify why it is there in the first place. A department must prove that the campaign worked ( with more customers which equals more money) or identify what did not work so the same costly mistakes will not happen again.
- Then she recommends that pr pros write well, no explanation needed right? I took a total of three journalism writing classes, a pr writing class, and two English writing classes ; in addition, I had to write numerous papers and reports for other social sciences classes. With all of that preparation, writing is not a science, especially in the world of public relations. One must be a Jack or Jane of all trades, read often, and learn about different subject to communicate these ideas to the general public. What is the foundation of all of this? One must have the fundamentals of writing ingrained in his/her skill-set and keep practicing.
- Finally, she talked about networking, developing one’s brand, and learning. These are all interconnected because when one is networking to find a job, connection ,or a mentor, that person will have to have a “brand” to present to these prospective connections. One must know/understand/use social media, make sure not to put unflattering pictures or information on these sites, and present oneself in the best light online and off.
- Then a young pr professional must connect with other professionals ( LinkedIn is a great tool, and has help me tremendously with my networking skills). I also went to conferences and workshops (See ” Think LA Advertising Career Fair” http://tinyurl.com/23hzah4 ) These experiences allowed me to get out of my shell, ask questions, and seek mentors. Also, seeking mentors is essential for any career, especially pr.
Hello!
Well, another year is about to leave us and we are at the dawn of a brand new one.
I have been missing in the bloggosphere, and missing you as well.
I have been been wrapping up my courses ( I know… I graduated a few months ago but I wanted to expand my knowledge and take an advertising/promotion class)
I have continued working as a writing tutor and online intern……
Also, I have been gearing up for the holidays, buying gifts, planning dinner……
In the midst of all of this, I have been interviewing, revising my resume, and trying to gain more experience in public relations.
My wish for the new year is simply to become the business professional I aspire to be, learn more about myself , and become a better person in 2011.
So readers…. what do you wish for the new year.
Signing out….
Ms. Roberts
Happy Holidays from the Roberts Report!
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