Challenging biases, confronting stereotypes and striving for equity in the pursuit of world-changing campaigns and research
Our school continually seeks ways to empower individuals whose identities are historically under-represented in academia and in the advertising and PR professions, and to support individuals who struggle due to personal circumstances. These individuals may identify as LGBTQ+, Latinx/Hispanic, Black/African/African-American, Asian/Asian-American, international, multi-racial, students with a disability or impairment, and/or first-generation students. They may belong to religious groups that have faced persecution in the U.S. and abroad. They may have families that struggle economically or live in impoverished communities, they may have family members that are incarcerated, they may have grown up in foster care, and/or they may currently be food insecure or homeless.
To guide our efforts, our faculty and administration actively seek guidance from the school's Equity Student Council to identify ways we can continue to evolve our mission of empowerment and equity. During the 2021-22 school year, the council will be meeting on Zoom from 6-7 p.m. on the second Wednesdays of each month. Please email Lee Ann Kahlor for the link - new members are always welcome.
To seek support, please reach out to our Inclusion and Equity Officer and/or our Minority Liaisons listed below right.
To support our mission, please contact our school's Director.
More equity resources are also available from the Moody College of Communication.
We promote equity in the following ways:
Environment
We strive to create spaces where students, staff and faculty feel valued, included and empowered to share their ideas. When we come up short, please tell us (contacts at right) and we will work even harder to make our school a more welcoming and inclusive place.
Individuality
Respecting individual differences and encouraging individual expression through research, creativity and storytelling is vital to our community. It is also vital to the future of advertising and public relations, which suffers from a dearth of diverse voices and stories. Our students are prepared to change that.
Support System
Our faculty is a powerful resource for students.
Drs. Deena Kemp and Sean Upshaw offer space to talk about navigating school as a Black student. dkemp@austin.utexas.edu sean.upshaw@austin.utexas.edu
Dr. E. Ciszek offers space to talk about LGBTQ+ identities. erica.ciszek@austin.utexas.edu
Dr. Guan Soon Khoo and Prof. Rohitash Rao offer space for you to talk about Asian identities. Dr. Khoo is Chinese-American and Prof. Rao is Indian-American. guan.khoo@austin.utexas.edu rohitashrao@gmail.com
Prof. Octavio Kano-Galvan offers space to talk about Hispanic and/or Latino/a/x and international identities. octavio.kanogalvan@austin.utexas.edu
Dr. Brad Love can share his experiences as a first-generation student from a White working-class family. lovebrad@austin.utexas.edu
Dr. Liza Lewis offers space to talk about religious identities. Dr. Lewis is Jewish. lizalewis@mail.utexas.edu
Networking
Building relationships with communities outside of The University of Texas to foster unique opportunities for students’ and faculty’s personal and professional growth. We maintain relationships with the American Association of Advertising Agencies' Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP), The Growth Initiative, The American Advertising Federation's Most Promising Multicultural Students program and the Hispanic Public Relations Association.
Contacts
Lee Ann Kahlor and Guan Soon Khoo, School Inclusion and Equity Officers
Deena Kemp, School Minority Liaison
Rohitash Rao, School Minority Liaison
Natalie Tindall, School Director
BIAS INCIDENTS are offenses against individuals, groups or property, motivated in whole or in part by a person’s or groups’ perceived identity (i.e. age, citizenship, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, national original, race, sexual orientation, veteran status). If you have experienced a bias incident, you can report it here: https://diversity.utexas.edu/ccrt/
Important Resources
News
The Root
Mitu
AsAmNews
Forward
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
Professional
Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP)
The LAGRANT Foundation
ADCOLOR Conference
Marcus Graham Project
ColorComm: Women of Color in Communications
100 ROSES FROM CONCRETE
Campus
Moody College Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Office
Multicultural Engagement Center
Division of Diversity and Community Engagement
Campus Climate Response Team
Gender and Sexuality Center
Services for Students with Disabilities
University Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan
Title IX
First Generation Longhorns Inclusive U
Local
Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Q Austin
Austin Area Urban League
To add additional resources please contact Lee Ann Kahlor.