Articles on PR for People

Jordan Allen is dressed conservatively: dark suit, white dress shirt open at the neck, a heavy watch on his wrist. When he’s done with his set-up, it’s still early, so he works the room, going around the table, introducing himself, shaking hands with everyone. In answer to a question, he says that he’s been in business for six years. Which might not seem that remarkable, until you consider that Jordan is in the eighth grade. But after he’s been formally introduced by his host, and launches into his talk, there’s no doubt that this young man has developed significant business vocabulary and acumen over half a dozen years of growing his business.

 Every American generation has its heroes, its profiles in courage, its personages fighting to save and advance the soul of democracy. In the 20th century, perhaps no one better represented that than the incomparable Pauli Murray. For more than 50 years, Murray was a prolific civil rights pioneer, plowing new territory for Blacks, women and LGBTQ populations. 

   “Pollution-by-zip code” has been practiced for more than half a century by some of America’s largest industries, and by the regulatory agencies that are charged with their permitting and oversight. Communities of color, tribal and indigenous communities, and economically depressed areas long have been targeted as sites for chemical plants, refineries, pipelines, landfills – the kinds of enterprises that generate toxic waste. 

Barbara Lloyd McMichael zeroes in on the local effects of a global pandemic by examining Kent, WA as a case study. Kent’s current efforts to grapple with the Covid-19 meltdown is a microcosm of what is happening in communities across America. While some grant programs have been implemented at the state and federal levels, many small business owners do not have enough resources to allow for the time it takes to receive funds.