Tribute to a PR Icon

Tribute to a PR Icon

By GwenMcKinney

  

My post on Ofield Dukes on November 10th was an enduring tribute to an iconic force who made a difference in so many people’s lives.  I celebrate that those words were not posthumously delivered. 

Today,  I join many friends and colleagues in mourning the passing of Ofield who made his transition after a period of illness.  I repost my message knowing that Ofield has left an indelible impact!  For that, let us miss him but celebrate that he was here.

Human Rights: We Still Have A Ways To Go

We Still Have A Ways To Go

By: Shannon Mouton

At the birth of a nation, over 235 years ago, Thomas Jefferson penned these famous words in response to the tyranny of British Empire.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

The General Congress of the United State of America signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

After the Second World War, 172 years later, the Commission on Human Rights presented international bill of human rights to the UN for approval.

Preamble: Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world…

Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status…

Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

The United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948.

As a country founded on “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and had a leading role in the “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights” of all people, are we practicing what we preach?

To learn more about International Human Rights Day visit: http://www.celebratehumanrights.org/

Human Rights Trade Tips: Good Campaigns Make Us Move

Human Rights Trade Tips:

Good Campaigns Make Us Move

By Nicole Hayes

 

Photos that grip us with compassion, disbelief and horror.  Powerful words and statistics that punch our guts if we weren’t already awake and cognizant of the realities. Victims’ stories too real to fake—digesting the truth would be easier if their stories were fake. Each of these elements among others is commonly folded into successful media campaigns to garner public participation or support for a particular cause. Whether the support requested is monetary, spreading the word and creating awareness or a call to action, an effective and strategic media campaign can convict consciences, stir emotions and open wallets. Media, if done right, can make us move from apathy and indifference to compassion and, “I need to do something.”

 

For more than 20 years, McKinney & Associates has been bound by the value conveying meaningful communications to advance human rights and social justice. McKinney’s early projects included work with the anti-apartheid movement and promotion of the new South African government under Nelson Mandela. The firm also managed the communications campaign for the promotion of the first conference by the people of color on environmental justice and a campaign supporting a coalition of civil rights organizations’ push for renewal of the federal Civil Rights Act.

                    

In addition to McKinney & Associates, I’ll present you with a few more human rights campaigns whose messages and missions I support:

1-   Be a STAR (Show Tolerance and Respect).  An anti-bullying initiative I’m currently associated with, created by concerned celebrities and organization leaders.

2-   It Gets Better.  The campaign uses creative videos, social media outreach and other tools to inform those being bullied that people care and “yes, it does get better.” 

3-   Girl Effect. Through a very creative use of imagery and messaging, Girl Effect works to encourage education and health opportunities for girls worldwide to escape poverty to raise the standard of living for her and her family. Human trafficking and early pregnancies of young girls and living in war-ravaged countries are challenges to this dream.

Girl Effect's creative use of images and words can be seen in “The Clock is Ticking” video:

With today’s advances in media and technology we are no longer worlds apart, but connected by the click of the mouse. Media has forced us to acknowledge that your issue is my issue. My issue is yours.

Human Rights: We Have A Right To Work Without Sexual Harassment

We Have A Right To Work Without Sexual Harassment

By: Joyce Taylor
Swath Leadership, LLCProviders of Cutting Edge Management Consulting & Training Services
(703) 590-7003

Since the inception of the regulations on the prevention and elimination of sexual harassment (29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1614.11), I’ve trained thousands of managers and employees on the prevention and elimination of this behavior. During this time, I’ve also heard numerous jokes, rebuttals, and justifications for this inexcusable and unlawful behavior. Those who have not been impacted – women as well as men – make comments of unbelief, denial, and even jealously that such incidents would even occur. Many of us, me included, would like to believe that with the education and awareness that has occurred since the early 80’s there would be greater sensitivity and intolerance to sexual harassment occurring in the workplace and our society.

Enter the allegations against Herman Cain and here we go again. In recent weeks I have heard such unenlighten comments as, the Europeans are laughing at our prudish attitudes; who cares; you know there were out to get him! Conversations on Facebook have confirmed that there are still people who believe, “If you compliment a woman on her dress, you will get hauled into the HR or EEO office”. So lest we forget here is a brief primer on the regulations that were added to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which states that sexual harassment is:

• Unwelcome sexual advances,
• Requests for sexual favors
• Other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when,
• Submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment,
• Unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following:

·     The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.

·     The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker or a non-employee.

·     The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.

·     Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.

·     The harasser's conduct must be unwelcome.

And for the record, sexual harassment can impact employees and applicants.

So, is Herman Cain guilty of sexual harassment? Without review of the facts, which remain under legal confidentiality agreements, it is impossible to tell. For many of us in this field, the reactions and payoffs by the National Restaurant Association, his employer at this time, is the most disturbing part of this story. Did they cover for a senior executive in violation of their legal responsibility to maintain a harassment free environment? Did they intend to send the message they are open to unsubstantiated payoffs, which amount to character assignation and blackmail? Either way, the decision of the employer to provide such payoffs opens another entirely different and compelling debate on organizational responsibly under Title VII, which is a debate that will continue with the legal scholars.

What is important is to remember that although this regulation has been in place almost 30 years, the behavior still continues. We are not talking about people who willfully enter into relationships, but research shows them as being disenfranchised, who are in nontraditional career fields or environments that are insensitive to their category, who tend not to be in positions of “value,” are financially dependent on their jobs for survival and who lack the necessary support or networks to be heard. It is important, even critical, we understand the nature of this illegal and inappropriate behavior and that we each do more to educate ourselves on this matter.

Whether it is an employee, friend or a family member reciting what they experience or observe at work, we should be open to these stories, listen without judgment and help people who feel they are victims understand their rights and options. The history of these complaints shows the alleged victim does not want a payoff, they just want the behavior they are experiencing to stop and go away. Given the number of complaints still filed yearly with the EEOC, maybe reviewing the issue is not a bad thing. Maybe, hopefully, we can shed more light on behavior that should not be a part of the workplace or our lives.

To learn more about International Human Rights Day visit http://www.celebratehumanrights.org/

Video: A Quick Minute with Gwen on Human Rights

Video: A Quick Minute with Gwen on Human Rights

Gwen McKinney, President & Founder of McKinney & Associates Public Relations in Washington, DC introduces our week long tribute to Human Rights. For the next ten days through December 10, International Human Rights Day, our Comm in the Storm blog will be all about human rights. To learn more about International Human Rights Day visit http://www.celebratehumanrights.org/

Human Rights Matters

Human Rights Matters

By: Llenda Jackson-Leslie

For the next ten days through December 10, International Human Rights Day, our Comm in the Storm blog will be all about human rights. To learn more about International Human Rights Day click here. For too many Americans, human rights is a discussion that happens once a year at the UN or when the State Department releases its annual report about other people in other countries.  But as our president, Gwen McKinney says- human rights is no foreign affair.

We’re going to spend the next ten days talking about human rights, because human rights are fundamental, all inclusive and universal. Human rights can’t be stratified by county, ethnicity, gender, race, sexuality, ability, religion or class according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They are the basic and fundamental rights to which we are all entitled simply by virtue of our humanity. The one quality we all share. 

American exceptionalism leads some to believe that human rights are a foreign affair. A yardstick by which we can judge others, without ever checking our own reflection in the mirror.  But the real measure of human rights is the extent to which we treat the most vulnerable, marginalized and powerless members of our communities.

Sometimes the international headlines depicting ethnic and regional violence, and fraudulent elections, starvation and the corruption of megalomaniac leaders can lull Americans into believing that we are in a position to offer the world a lesson on human rights. Don’t be fooled.

Ask yourself --how do we treat our homeless, our prisoners and the formerly incarcerated, the poor and unemployed. How do we treat those who suffer from mental illness or physical disability? Why do race and ethnicity and gender and zip code affect the length and quality of our lives?

McKinney & Associates is proud to work with a coalition of civil rights, labor and community groups  led by the NAACP who will march from the Koch Brothers corporate headquarters in New York City to the UN Plaza on December 10^th International Human Rights Day in determined defense of our most preservative right—the right to vote. You can learn more about the rally here .The Koch Brothers, have provided much of the financing to undermine that right by financing restrictive voting measures in 14 states, the Brennan Center for Justice estimates that as many as five million voters may be prevented from registering or casting ballots in 2012. And those five million will most likely be disproportionately older, poor, African American and Latino.

Not by accident, the unprecedented turnout in 2008 was a watershed moment, the largest number of young, African-American and Latino voters cast ballots in the history of our nation. Exercising our right to vote is still the most basic and fundamental way we can expand the human rights of all Americans. 

McKPR Celebrates Human Rights

McKPR Celebrates Human Rights

McKPR is proud to launch a new blog series in honor of the upcoming Human Rights Day. We'll be posting daily blogs related to human rights issues from around the world.

"2011 has been an extraordinary year for human rights, UN Human Rights Chief, Navi Pillay says in her message to mark Human Rights Day."

Human Rights Day is marked annually on 10 December, it commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in 1948.

 

Stay tuned for many more posts related to this important issue.