Voice Matters Blog

If you were the sixth grader who wrote creative mysteries that dazzled teachers and won high positioning on your family's home refrigerator (like me), congratulations. Fast forward to today where you’ve been asked to write a press release or op-ed and you struggle to find the words to begin. Your writing... Read More

Video: A Quick Minute with Gwen on Walmart We're back with a new episode of our "A Quick Minute with Gwen" series. In this episode, our President Gwen McKinney takes a minute to discuss the recent controversy regarding the Walmart bribing scandal in Mexico and how it relates to our own local... Read More

As 11 FAMU band members face charges in the hazing death of Robert Champion, several organizations, most notably the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), suspect that his sexuality played a role in his murder. NBJC "is urging the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) and Civil Rights Division,... Read More

PR professionals often share tips about things to avoid or how to improve outcomes (like we share with you). That remains my goal in presenting today's Trade Tips — a slight does of brutal reality mixed with humor. I took interest in the following advice after reading the pithy "20... Read More

What if you were given license to not always follow the rules? Do you think you would be in trouble? What if your thoughts had no limits, but certain "rules" have kept your life in a neat, tidy box? Most rules are designed to keep us smoothly operating in accordance with... Read More

Donna Summer. Photograph courtesy of Time. Welcome to our latest column, the Weekly Buzz. Every Friday we’ll round up the week’s most compelling stories about social justice, human rights, public health, and public relations.   Study predicts 42 percent of Americans will be obese in 2030 [The Washington Post] NYPD defends their much-criticized "stop,... Read More

In 2010, Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old Rutgers University student, jumped from the George Washington Bridge after having an intimate encounter with a male student broadcast over the Web. Now Dharun Ravi, the student who secretly filmed Clementi, could face 10 years in prison and deportation to his native India. According to... Read More

People often ask me the following questions: "Am I qualified to do this? Would they consider me an expert?" They tend to ask these questions before introducing their expertise, knowledge, skill or trade to a new audience who may judge them more critically. I most often hear these questions from... Read More

Video: Quick Minute with Gwen on American Exceptionalism & Diversity In this episode of "A Quick Minute with Gwen," our President Gwen McKinney takes a minute to discuss the recent census data revelation that for the first time minority births outnumber white births. Gwen argues that America's exceptionalism is directly tied... Read More

Calling all writers! We're excited to announce the launch of our Voice Matters Guest Bloggers Series. McKinney & Associates was established in 1990 with a commitment to social justice that has prevailed for more than 20 years. From the beginning, McKinney has skillfully practiced public relations with a conscience for local,... Read More

Photograph courtesy of Time. Welcome to our latest column, the Weekly Buzz. Every Friday we’ll round up the week’s most compelling stories about social justice, human rights, public health, and public relations. Click here to see last week's column. Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. Teens Has Diabetes or Prediabetes [Time]   Undercount in 1940... Read More

The office would seem like the last place you’d see text message lingo used in emails or other communications. Well, it’s happening, and often in smaller office environments where a higher comfort level has been established. The article “OMG! More Text Speak Creeping Into Business Communications” informs of increased text lingo... Read More