Public relations majors Brisa Silva and Laura Garcia are members of Sigma Lambda Gamma, which hosts Power of Pink Week from Oct. 26 to Oct. 30 to support the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and its annual Race for the Cure on Nov. 1.
Interviewed by Phoebe Francis and Celeste Arnold
Why is this important to you?
Laura: Susan G. Komen Foundation is our sorority's national philanthropy. All around the nation, chapters of Sigma Lambda Gamma are working to raise awareness and money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. We are very passionate about it, and do everything we can, including participation in the local Race for the Cure, which wraps up Power of Pink week.
What do you do to prepare for the events?
Brisa: Planning begins weeks in advance in order to have a solid program of events for the entire week. We want support from the UT community, so we try not to have our events conflict with class or other commitments. We also reach out to other organizations and invite them to co-host events with us.
Laura: Not only do we want to promote awareness, but also have fun doing it. Several other organizations are helping out: Alpha Kappa Alpha and Kappa Delta Chi, which are co-hosting several events, including a date auction, bake sale and club party.
Brisa: Our highlight events include a speaker night, with a representative from Susan G. Komen and a cancer survivor; a breast-checking workshop with a speaker from a breast cancer resource center; and finally the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Nov. 1.
How has this helped you develop skills as public relations students?
Laura: We have learned about planning and implementing different kinds of events and promotion of these events to make next week successful.
Overall, what is your organization hoping to gain from this event?
Brisa: Our overall objective is to raise money for our national philanthropy, the Susan G. Komen Foundation. We also hope to raise awareness of how breast cancer affects many people every year. This event allows us to educate and empower women, which are principles that our organization holds dear.