5 racially offensive phrases PR pros must delete from their vocabulary

Editor’s note: This article is a re-run as part of our countdown of top stories from the past year.

The PR industry is charged with influencing and swaying media conversations on-air, online and in print. As we face this generations’ largest civil rights moment, it’s our duty and responsibility to ensure our communication and the professional counsel we provide are respectful and culturally sensitive.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the PR industry is 89.7% white. The severe lack of diversity in the industry indicates many PR teams may lack cultural depth and knowledge to provide credible counsel, especially now. The homogenous makeup of the industry is why so many brand statements have fallen short, and it’s contributed to mass acceptance of racially damaging labels as part of everyday language.

The promise of meaningful change is underway. Grammy-winning country trio, Lady Antebellum, changed their name to Lady A. because antebellum is used to denote a romanticized image of the American South prior to the Civil War during times of slavery.