UK Black Comms Network

📢 Our Report is Now Live! 📢 You may have read a few of the headlines - our One Step Forward, Two Steps Black report is now available to download from our website. 🔗 Link: https://lnkd.in/d9yAgcu 🔍 Key Takeaways: Diary of a Black PR Pro •⁠ ⁠As of 2024, two-thirds (67%) of Black and Mixed-Black communications professionals surveyed reported that, as new hires, they felt the need to tone down their personalities to fit into the workplace environment. Workplace Culture •⁠ ⁠Work remains a hostile place for Black people in PR and Comms Promotion and progression feel like a pipe dream for Black comms pros •⁠ ⁠Four in five (82%) Black and mixed-race communications professionals continue to experience indirect racial discrimination at work. •⁠ ⁠65% ignore microaggressions and racist comments •⁠ ⁠Over two-thirds (68%) have considered leaving the PR industry Progression, Promotion & Pay •⁠ ⁠Almost half (46%) of Black and mixed PR professionals report they have never received a promotion in their previous position. •⁠ ⁠Only three in ten (29%) feel that they will likely become the most senior communications professional in their company •⁠ ⁠Black talent  are more likely to receive a pay rise (14%) than they are to receive a promotion (6%) which is the gateway to senior positions •⁠ ⁠More than two thirds (68%) plan to leave the industry Industry Awards •⁠ ⁠(78%) of Black and mixed PR professionals agree that industry awards lack diversity •⁠ ⁠Meaningful industry initiatives, recognition and tailored support make a difference •⁠ ⁠77% industry initiatives eg: BCN •⁠ ⁠76% diversity across board members •⁠ ⁠69% invitations to senior level events 68% mentoring/ coaching/ sponsorship Recognition, Training & Support •⁠ ⁠Meaningful industry initiatives, recognition and tailored support make a difference •⁠ ⁠ 77% industry initiatives eg: BCN •⁠ ⁠76% diversity across board members  •⁠ ⁠69% invitations to senior level events •⁠ ⁠68% mentoring/ coaching/ sponsorship We'd love to know your thoughts - let us know in the comments 👇🏾

BCN Members Chris Maho and Daniel Henry talked personal branding with PRmoment. Chris Maho - Chair at UK Black Comms Network and Senior Account at The Romans said: “Sharing my thoughts in articles like this was pretty much the foundation of my personal brand. I ensured I kept up to date with the comms landscape and let people know what I thought via the range of industry publications we have. If you ever feel shy or insecure about the value that you bring to publications (and in some form, the industry), remember that you are who you think you are, and contributions will help people see your line of thinking. “It sounds basic, but being nice is very important. In my case, it was just about being myself because I am a social butterfly, but if you aren’t, that is equally fine. Being nice will help you connect with people across all levels, and when people mention your name, they will think of light. Working in a fast-paced industry like PR, building and sustaining relationships is a big part of your personal branding. “Find out if industry peers are working on projects that will directly help get your voice out there, such as podcasts and networking events. You are helping each other, and you never know how far your voice can reach.” Daniel Henry - Media and Communications Strategist said: “I love scarves. In fact, on LinkedIn I’m known as ‘The One With The Scarf. People have asked me where the scarf thing comes from, and it comes from my previous career as a correspondent and documentary maker at the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky. During this time, my wife bought me a bright orange scarf and I’ve been adding to my collection ever since. When viewers started asking me about them, I knew I was onto something. Taking control of your personal brand matters, because it gives clients an idea of what you might do with theirs. I didn’t expect scarves to become part of my story, but I’m glad they are.” A great read with very useful tips 🤎 Enjoy the full piece here via the link in the comments.

‘Four Things I Wish I Knew Earlier In My Career’ Simone O. – NHS Communications Manager - shared four things she wishes she had known earlier in her career. A very insightful read 👏🏾 THERE ARE LESSONS IN FAILING When you do things differently and for one reason they don’t work, don’t see your failings as shortcomings. There is always a lesson in their somewhere, and it’s about how you move just like a game of chess, don’t spend a lot of time of thinking if only and learn how to move on from the failing and lean into your learnings from that situation. KNOWING YOUR WORTH It’s easy to accept praise in a role but learn how to negotiate your salary and not only receive the praise but the added value in either monetary value or investment. Companies often expect a lot from you. Ensure you manage a ROI for you as an individual, a simple thank you for your hard work, will only go so far. EMBRACE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK Early in your career, it might feel uncomfortable to receive feedback, but it’s essential for growth. Being open to constructive criticism and using it to improve your skills can set you apart in the long run. KEEP YOUR BLACK BOOK CLOSE You never know when you will have to call in a favour or also have something of interest to an acquaintance, former employee or company. Keep your network of contacts sacred and never stop networking with real meaningful connections and mutual interests. Some of my biggest achievements have involved me reaching out to someone in my circles or wider network. Super interesting read - we are taking notes 📝👏🏾

‘Four Things I Wish I Knew Earlier In My Career’ Lanvell Blake – Public Health and Research Communications Specialist - shared four things he wishes she had known earlier in his career: DON'T BOX YOURSELF IN WITH YOUR DEGREE I graduated from the University of West Indies, Mona in 2017 with a BA in Journalism. Before that, I worked in television and radio production and the vision for what I could do with my degree was limited to what I knew then. As faith would have it, I landed my first full-time job in public relations in an agency setting. Since then, I have worked in risk and crisis communications, public health communications, social media marketing and content creation, higher education marketing, stakeholder management etc. While journalism could be considered a specialised degree, if you want to pivot into another area of communications, the focus should be on the transferable skills, rather than the degree itself. DATA IS YOUR BEST FRIEND  When I started in public relations, social media was just finding its footing. Now, we are swimming in data. From likes to shares to engagement. But early on, I relied a lot on anecdotal data. Was a campaign working? Hard to say. Now I know the absolute necessity of setting clear objectives before anything else. In addition to the need to understand audience insights and develop a robust evaluation to track success from day one. Hard numbers are what prove your work and help you improve every single time. Your client(s) and superiors will thank you for it. STARTED FROM THE "BOTTOM", NOW WE'RE HERE Everyone wants to climb the ladder, get that promotion, that bigger paycheck. Understandable. But looking back, I realised the time I spent at the "bottom", the grunt work, the late nights, the frustrating tasks was invaluable. That is where you hone your skills. Don't rush to jump up the ladder too fast. Use that time to soak up everything you can, master your craft, and become a true expert in the fundamentals. It makes everything else easier later on. FIND YOUR NORTH STARS No matter how good you are, you can always be better. That press release could be punchier, that campaign could reach more people, and your stakeholder management could be smoother. That is where benchmarking comes in. Find the people and organisations in your industry who are crushing it. Follow them, learn from them, and see what makes them successful. Don't be afraid to "borrow" (read: adapt) ideas and strategies. And if you are lucky, maybe even collaborate with them. It is a constant learning process, and the best in the field will always have valuable lessons to share.   A really insightful read!👏🏾

Thanks for sharing Toni-Anne Davis and to Andrea Tann for being a fabulous mentor ❤️

This has been a great week for UK BCN, with our women slaying it, as usual. Let’s recap: 🤎 The wonderful Effie Kanyua won at the Campaign Inspiring Women Awards under the ‘Transforming Technology’ category. 🤎Our Founder Kamiqua Lake was named one of the 25 most influential women in UK PR in 2025 by PRWeek UK, AND she took part on the CIPR panel discussion alongside three iconic women from across the communications & PR sector. 🤎Members Leah Brown FRSA, Louise Chandler, Plamedie Poto-Poto and Falon Paris-Caines took part in our new series ‘Four Things I Wish I Knew Earlier In My Career’ - definitely give them a read, if you haven’t! We are very proud of you all, and enjoy seeing you thrive 🤎

‘Four Things I Wish I Knew Earlier In My Career’ Falon Paris-Caines – Communications and Engagement Manager at the The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - shared four things she wishes she had known earlier in her career: YOUR UNIQUENESS IS YOUR SUPERPOWER  I wish I’d known earlier that the things that set you apart—your background, perspective, and life experiences—can be strengths. There is no other you! Lean into what makes you unique rather than trying to fit into a mould. Don’t chase what you think you should be doing; chase what aligns with your values, passion and purpose. OWN YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS Hard work alone isn’t always enough to get noticed. You won’t always be credited or praised for your contributions. Be your own advocate. Document and share your wins, speak up about your impact, and don’t be afraid to shine. PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION earlier in my career, I second-guessed myself a lot, fearing failure. I’ve learned that growth comes from action, not perfection. Done is better than perfect, and the times when you don’t get things quite right are opportunities to learn. NETWORKING CAN BE FLEXIBLE  I sometimes found traditional networking overwhelming and exhausting, but I’ve learned over the years that networking can be flexible. A mixture of big events, meaningful conversations, online connections, and showing up in ways that feel natural to you can help you build relationships and find your community. A really insightful read!👏🏾

BCN member Effie Kanyua wins Campaign UK Inspiring Women Award in the ‘Transforming Technology' category. Effie Kanyua is the CEO of We Are Warriors PR and LILA Assistant. She launched We Are Warriors PR to set a precedent in the industry, encouraging women and people of colour to engage with AI technology. Following this, she developed LILA Assistant, an Al tool designed with equality, diversity, and inclusion at its core, addressing accessibility within and beyond the creative industries. Join us to congratulate Effie! 👏🏾

Four Things I Wish I Knew Earlier In My Career Plamedie Poto-Poto – BCN Member and Senior Account Executive - shared four things she wishes she had known earlier in her career: 👉🏾A DEGREE IN MAGAZINE JOURNALISM IS NOT A BARRIER TO MAKE IT INTO PR I envisioned becoming a journalist, so when I applied for a journalism course, I wanted elements that encompassed my passion for writing and interest in graphics design. When studying, I had the opportunity to choose the PR modules in each year, but I always went with the fashion-related modules because I didn’t understand what PR was and I thought it was another fancy way to say marketing. When I decided to transition to PR, I thought that my journalism degree would make it hard for me to get my first job in the industry, but it was an advantage. I already had the editorial insights and I transferred into PR 👉🏾WORKING ON A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO OF BRANDS WILL HELP YOU DISCOVER THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT YOU ARE BEST SUITED FOR I’ve been privileged to work with retail, arts & events and babycare brands where I’ve gotten the opportunity to raise awareness of gut health, promote the culture of a vibrant neighbourhood and champion brand partnerships that support local charities. All of which I can say are projects that have come with their own challenges and sometimes have been emotionally draining. But has allowed me to identify work that feels rewarding and fun, but also to set a pathway into the comms route I’d like to take in the future. 👉🏾BE PREPARED TO NETWORK I was naive about how important networking is in the media industry. Especially when searching for your first entry-level role, you should attend networking events and reach out to people who work where you see yourself working, asking for advice or enquiring about opportunities. Use EventBrite or LinkedIn to find events and then show up, ask questions, inquire about work opportunities. Joining a community like UK Black Comms Network where you can attend events and meet new people as well as connect with your peers is comforting. 👉🏾 HAVE COURAGE TO USE YOUR VOICE As an introvert and a naturally shy person, I find it difficult to express myself with colleagues more than family or friends, which is ironic to say as a communicator. Whilst it’s important to give others grace and not assume the worst of people in situations, your feelings are still valid and you can be vocal about your discomfort. Words of wisdom for emerging talent! 👏🏾

Students, grads, emerging talent and mid leaders… BCN member Ann-Marie Blake has an amazing opportunity for you: Attend Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025 👇🏾