Tequilla White Speaks On What It Means To Be a Black Woman In PR.
Tequilla White Speaks On Her PR Inspirations, Working In Corporate America Vs. Building Her Own Company, And What It Means To Be A Black Woman In PR.
Tequilla White
Happy February to all of the creatives out there. We’ve entered into a new month which means another four weeks to continue chasing our dreams! February is also Black History Month but for those who really understand what’s going on, we as Black creatives and entrepreneurs highlight Black excellence all year round. 28 days isn’t enough to talk about how much influence our culture has on the world. With that being said, let’s jump right into our first interview release of the month.
Tequilla White and I met for the first time back in October 2019 at Culture Con. I was very much aware of who she was and what she did at the time, but her resume extends further than what I imagined. The PR guru has and continues to work with countless brands and independently owned companies to help grow their audience through a variety of different services such as media relations, sponsorship activation, media training, crisis communication, and much more. While the Bronx-native prides herself on providing the best service possible to her clients, she also prides herself on being a Black woman in an industry where the African American headcount is less than 10%. “I take pride in being a Black woman and bringing my identity with me in any room I touch,” says Tequilla. “I don’t have to always say that I am a Black woman but my work will always scream that.”
I had the pleasure of catching up with Tequilla to talk about some of her PR inspirations and motivations, realizing this particular career path, the importance of being a Black woman in a white-dominated space, and what’s next for her in 2021. Read the full interview below.
1 - Tell me about some of your early inspirations in PR. When did you first get introduced to it?
I had no idea what PR was until I got to college and took it as an elective. Growing up my idea of what the media industry consisted of was journalists on local news and VJs on 106 & Park and TRL, but I had no clue that you could be behind the scenes making major moves. Once I changed my major from solely Anthropology to include Media Studies, I took a PR course and was introduced to the industry.
2 - After discovering what the field was, when did you realize that this was something you wanted to do as a career?
I was never trying to force myself into a career. I wanted to do work that was purposeful and used skills that came naturally to me. In PR you are able to write, plan and speak to people every day. That is what I have always been good at. I took a look at what skills I needed in order to be successful in this industry and decided very early that I would lean on my strengths.
3 - When did you get your first chance in the PR field? Talk to me a little bit about that experience.
I had my first PR internship my junior year of college. I was completely taken aback when I realized that there weren’t many, if any, Black people in my industry. The ones that were there worked mostly on entertainment accounts; something that I realized very early on that I would not want to do unless there was some aspect of social impact to it.
4 - What inspired you to create your own PR consultancy TWPR?
I graduated from college with several internships under my belt but was told that I didn’t have enough experience to be hired at a level higher than an intern. I used TWPR as a way to gain more experience and build my contacts before reapplying. I didn’t end up needing to reapply because I found my work so fulfilling and was blessed with opportunities to continue to grow my consultancy working with the brands I once pitched as an intern.
5 - In your opinion, what are some of the differences and/or challenges working in PR, especially as a young Black woman?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the ethnic makeup of the PR industry in the U.S. is 87.9% white, 8.3% African American, 2.6% Asian American, and 5.7% Hispanic American. The Holmes Report published in 2015 found that while women make up 70% of those employed in the U.S. public relations industry, they make up only 30% of agency C-suite executives. While some progress has been made in advancing women to leadership and board positions, the pay gap between men and women in PR is $6,000 on average (even when tenure, job type, education, field of study, location, and ethnicity are held constant). Those stats in conjunction with the daily trauma of being a Black woman existing in this country makes all the difference.
6 - What are some of the differences and/or challenges you faced working in corporate PR as opposed to what you do with your own brand?
Most of those teams were led by white men/women who only ask for my opinion when it comes to diversity or “culture.” The work rarely comes from a place of impact and is more about the bottom line of the client. While I understand that I need to get certain deliverables for my client, I always come from a place of purpose and am sure to work with brands and partners who do their work from the same place. I don’t have the same access to capital, media connections, or other resources but I am able to make a way out of no way.
7 - You pride yourself on being a Black woman in the PR space. What does that mean to you and what message do you want people to take from it?
I take pride in being a Black woman and bringing my identity with me in any room I touch. I make sure that when I take on a new client or come in contact with a brand representative that I make it clear my purpose is to amplify the work of my community and do it in a way that is impactful and thoughtful. I don’t have to always say that I am a Black woman but my work will always scream that.
8 - How does someone in PR go about gaining new clients? Talk to me about some of your methods.
Let the work speak for itself. Get results and share your wins. People are always watching so talk about the work you have done, the impact you have made, and how you can do the same for others. I have been blessed to have referrals sustain me the majority of my career because I am great at what I do and I’m not shy about letting people know that. I use social media as a living breathing portfolio and I am thinking about what I share, how I show myself as a resource/expert, and how I add value. People will come to you and you won’t have to always pitch new clients. If you do, make sure you do your homework. Figure out where they are lacking and how you can add value to them. Be creative and never just copy and paste your strategy. Customize everything and only pitch clients that you feel you could openly support and vouch for.
9 - You have a ton of different clients ranging from Yo Soy AfroLatina, Mimconnect, Bifties and so much more. What have been some of your favorite moments working with the clients you currently have onboard?
One of the most fulfilling projects that I have worked on is with Mimconnect, a digital platform helping professionals of color navigate their careers. They were selected as one of the Black-owned brands to be highlighted when McDonald’s gave up their ad space to amplify Black-owned brands during the 2020 BET Awards. The opportunity came in just days before the show and we had to scramble to pull together a shoot, a script, and a vision. Working with an all Black production team and being able to make it come to life was one of the most amazing experiences of my career. Directing via Facetime and staying up late to make sure the vision was right showed me what I was made of and the impact that my work truly made. Finally watching the commercial air that night, I had tears in my eyes because it was truly about the impact and the Blackness of it all.
10 - If you could choose one thing to change about the PR field, what would it be and why?
Black people, their voices, and their impact on the culture are not valued. They need to be. We are the culture and we’re everything that sets the trends. Pay us. Hire us. Promote us. Retain us with an inclusive culture that values our opinions and our experience.
11 - What’s your true definition of success?
Freedom for myself and my loved ones.
12 - What can we look forward to when it comes to Tequilla White and TWPR for 2021?
World domination and for me to always keep it a stack. The rest, you’ll have to stay tuned.
You can follow Tequilla on her personal Instagram @Tequilla.White, her business Instagram @TequillaWhitePR, her personal Twitter @TequillaJ_White, and check out her website here to see all of the services she offers.
