Voice Matters Blog

Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to tackle an affirmative action case for the first time in nearly ten years. Affirmative action refers to a set of policies and initiates designed to eliminate discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, or nationality. But the elimation of such policies could... Read More

Michelle Alexander, an attorney, author and criminal justice advocate, wrote the third chapter of Voice Matters. The essay is a sharply drawn and incisive condemnation of our criminal justice system, and the racial and class disparities that lurk at the core. “By the millions, people are arrested and marched into courtrooms... Read More

Voice Matters: A Conversation with Andy Shallal Andy Shallal moved to the U.S. from Iraq when he was 11 years old. After running several other restaurants and closing them, in 2005 he opened Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C. Andy's mission for this restaurant was to have a gathering place for... Read More

In the third chapter of Voices Matter, CNN Top 10 Hero Susan Burton writes a deeply personal and honest account of how she reversed her personal trajectory from sex abuse victim, drug dependency and prison to transform her life and that of other formerly incarcerated women. The founder and director... Read More

As McKinney & Associates’ Art Director, Richard Montgomery writes in the fifth chapter of Voice Matters about the creative and collaborative process from an artist’s perspective, from campaign conception to execution. A long-time McKinney partner tasked with bringing messages to visual life, Montgomery also shares his tips for establishing winning... Read More

With the launch of our new book quickly approaching, our office has been buzzing with literary anticipation. But for those who have to wait until Thursday to get their hands on Voice Matters, we found five inspiring books to get you through the week and beyond. Inspiration: Profiles of Black Women... Read More

Candice Francis’ Voice Matters essay is a thoughtful exploration of the ways in which historic and persistent racial bias discourages women of color from valuing their own well-being. The book’s brief sixth chapter is both elegant and provocative. Francis is a gifted communicator with expertise in many communications disciplines. Her consulting... Read More

As the author of the seventh Voice Matters chapter, Michele Renée Brown evokes warmth and humor in describing the details of running a grassroots field operation on a tight budget and tighter deadlines. Brown is the founder of WordPlay Consulting, a boutique consulting firm based in Oakland, California, specializing in... Read More

  What? You didn’t know that? Well, you should have. Today’s growing company demands call for greater visibility and increased retention of customers. Which means the public relations professionals who serve these clients need to know what they don’t know. Whether we’re learning more social media strategies (Really? Who has time?)... Read More

Voice Matters’ eighth chapter brings a dialogue between McKinney Associates' Pamela Taylor and Tamara Braunstein (pictured) on the salience and value of social networking in the world of public relations and advocacy. The two consider the impact social media could have made on past campaigns, and the continuing value of... Read More

Health disparities play a significant role in keeping our health care system ranked among the lowest of developed states. In the eleventh chapter of Voice Matters, Larry Adelman writes passionately about the challenges of health equity in the world’s richest nation. Spelling out common myths about health and health equity,... Read More

In the world of PR, tragedy can strike at any moment. During those times, it is critical for leaders to take charge and at times defend against false accusations that serve to damage the reputations of their organizations. In the tenth chapter of Voice Matters, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local... Read More

Diane McKinney-Whetstone is an award-winning author and Gwen McKinney’s sister. She offers a warm and evocative introduction into how McKinney’s personal character and history have shaped the trajectory of McKinney & Associates. As the author of the introduction for Voice Matters, Whetstone writes of McKinney’s passion for the firm’s core... Read More

In the foreword of Voice Matters, Bob Herbert, an award-winning former New York Times columnist, describes the deepening abyss of income inequality in America that has transformed the American Dream into a nightmare. He writes movingly of the disappearance of manufacturing jobs and the erosion of the middle class in... Read More

As someone who used to write for a regional magazine’s website, I know a thing or two about press releases. Admittedly, many of them were promptly deleted for being long-winded or irrelevant. To help PR representatives avoid a similar fate, here’s a quick list of pitching Dos and Don’ts. 1. Keep... Read More

Facebook is giving your beloved profile page a “facelift,” ready or not, by March 30. If you’ve not yet transitioned to the Facebook Timeline, Facebook will do it for you. Some people have excitedly made the switch, happy to decorate the pages of their life story. For me, I’m like... Read More

Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money.* Absolute poverty refers to the one who lacks basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter.* Relative poverty refers to lacking a usual or socially acceptable level of... Read More

On Monday, the Obama administration blocked a controversial Texas law requiring voters to show personal ID before hitting the polls. Just yesterday, a similar bill was passed in Pennsylvania, making it the 16th state to require some form of identification. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed the act into law, saying... Read More

Karen Narasaki is president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center, one of the nation’s premiere civil rights advocacy organizations advancing the human and civil rights of Asian Americans. Karen is a national authority on immigration and civil rights, serving as vice chairwoman of the Leadership Conference on Civil... Read More

McKinney & Associates was thrilled to welcome friends from across the country who gathered recently at Washington’s popular Busboys & Poets to celebrate the launch of our new book, Voice Matters. The collection of non-fiction essays captures the essence of our firm's mission — a commitment to public relations with... Read More

Within days, the emotional viral campaign quickly gained 100 million+ online views. Compelling, unsettling images and stories from children victimized byheinous Ugandan war lord, Joseph Kony, prompted young people worldwide to take action, do something. The video, "KONY 2012" produced by Jason Russell for his Invisible Children project to restore peace and prosperity... Read More

In 2005, Andy Shallal opened Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C. Andy's mission was to have a place for people of different incomes, races and identities to come together and exchange ideas about social and political issues. He now runs five restaurants throughout the D.C. Metropolitan area, honoring the legacy... Read More

Two years ago, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into effect, expanding health care coverage to 32 million Americans. Today, the fiercely debated mandate goes before the Supreme Court because of the law's controversial penalty clause — the bill requires that nearly every American purchase... Read More

When I hear someone say, “Shut your mouth” (especially with some attitude) there's a good chance that person has said something shocking or crazy to the respondent. Have you ever said something so crazy that someone told you to “shut your mouth?" If so, whatever you said probably shocked them.... Read More

Earlier this month friends from across the country gathered at Busboys & Poets to celebrate the launch of our new book, Voice Matters. On March 18, McKinney & Associates garnered national attention for an article in the Washington Post. PR firm for social causes tells its story with a book By Danielle... Read More