The Inside Scoop of How WWPR’s is supporting the nonpartisan nonprofit, Running Start
By: Suzie Ozioma
As part of Washington Women in Public Relations’s (WWPR) ongoing commitment to supporting women, we’ve proudly chosen Running Start as our pro bono client for 2024-2025. Running Start is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to inspiring young women, in high school and college, to run for political office.
Over the past year, WWPR’s Pro Bono Committee–led by co-chairs Christina Crawley and Alicia Aebersold–has been working diligently to help amplify Running Start’s mission and visibility. Here’s a quick snapshot of what we’ve accomplished together so far:
How WWPR Has Been Supporting Running Start:
Developed updated talking points featuring both detailed messaging and memorable one-liners for staff and board members to best describe their organization.
Compiled impactful data points that showcase Running Start’s measurable influence and reach to enhance external support.
Currently building a video testimonial strategy to capture powerful stories from alumni and current cohort members about the organization’s lasting impact.
Why This Matters: This Partnership with Running Start allows WWPR to continue fostering leadership, collaboration, and a supportive community for women while effectively sharing Running Start’s mission. Running Start’s dedication to empowering young women to lead in the political arena is inspiring and essential. According to their website, research shows that confidence in running for public office among women decreases in high school and college. Running Start’s work in supporting these young women gives them the opportunity for confidence and for all of us to have a more widely represented government across all levels of government.
Join Us in Supporting Running Start: Support Running Start’s mission to uplift the next generation of women leaders. Learn more and donate atwww.runningstart.org.
Want to get involved? Members can reach out to WWPR’s Pro-Bono Committee Chairs at probono@wwpr.org for more information on volunteer opportunities and how you can support WWPR’s efforts with Running Start.
About the Author:
Suzie Ozioma is a copywriter and brand strategist who helps brands drive sales and build long-lasting customer relationships through engaging copy, compelling storytelling, and a distinct brand voice.
There’s something to be said about standing firm in your beliefs, especially when your truth isn’t the majority opinion. History remembers the people who refused to back down—even when it was uncomfortable, inconvenient, or outright dangerous—because they knew what was right.
Think of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who defied convention by introducing the practice of smallpox inoculation to Britain after witnessing it in the Ottoman Empire. Despite skepticism and resistance from the medical establishment, she championed this life-saving procedure, paving the way for later advancements in vaccination.
Or Johtje Vos, a Dutch woman who, alongside her husband, risked her life to shelter Jewish families in her home during World War II. Working with the Dutch resistance, she repeatedly outsmarted the Gestapo and helped countless people escape—proving that moral courage isn’t about power, but about action.
And then there’s one of the G.O.A.T.s of our lifetime – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her relentless pursuit of gender equality and civil rights reshaped American law. From fighting for equal pay to playing a pivotal role in rulings on healthcare and same-sex marriage, she didn’t just make history—she changed it. Her legacy is one of fearless advocacy and lasting change.
Taking a stand is never easy—but it is always necessary.
So when the WWPR board met earlier this year, I asked a simple but defining question: Where do we stand on DE&I?
Do we take the “safe” path, like so many companies that have chosen to quietly retreat from diversity commitments? Or do we stand firm, knowing that Diversity, Equity & Inclusion isn’t just a checkbox—it’s fundamental to who we are?
More importantly, as communicators, how do we make sure that people understand DE&I — not as a corporate buzzword, but as a lived experience?
Because DE&I is not some abstract concept — it’s everywhere, shaping our daily lives in ways big and small.
It’s lactation rooms in airports and workplaces, so working moms don’t have to choose between their jobs and feeding their babies.
It’s curb cuts and inclined sidewalks, making sure those with mobility challenges can cross the street with dignity and ease.
It’s raised bumps on subway platforms, allowing visually impaired commuters to navigate safely and independently.
It’s workplace accommodations, not as favors, but as essential tools that empower people with disabilities to contribute fully.
It’s equal pay for equal work, because talent, dedication, and impact should be the only things that determine compensation.
DE&I isn’t about giving some people an advantage — it’s about making sure everyone has access and opportunity. Because when we break down barriers and prioritize inclusion, everyone benefits.
We cannot afford to be neutral—because neutrality is a decision in itself. As communicators, we have the power, the platform, and the responsibility to shape the narrative. To educate. To inform. To challenge.
So I’ll ask you this: Where do you stand?
Are you willing to be part of the movement that ensures equity, accessibility, and inclusion aren’t optional—but essential?
Because this work doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens when we use our voices, our platforms, and our influence to ensure that DE&I isn’t just a discussion—but a standard we uphold, defend, and advance.
In recent news, there has been a weaponization of the term Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and increased backlash against equity-based programs and initiatives. However, in taking the temperature of our current climate, I believe the fight has just begun. This highly charged moment is an opportunity for a true culture shift where AI has the potential to play a key role in driving positive social change.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformative tool, boosting innovation, efficiency, and productivity across industries. However, like with any evolving technology, it poses both opportunities and challenges. Paired with a DEI lens, AI can become a powerful ally for promoting social justice especially in communications and cause-related marketing. Specifically, Ethical AI that integrates DEI principles adheres to guidelines that prioritize fundamental human-centered values, while avoiding harm. As a result, communicators that use these critical tools can develop communications campaigns that motivate diverse audiences and represent marginalized communities with authenticity, dignity and respect.
AI-driven tools with a DEI focus can analyze language in marketing and communications to detect gender, racial or cultural biases, allowing organizations to refine their messaging to be more inclusive. This ensures that communications are culturally sensitive and resonate with a wider audience. Significantly, DEI-focused AI helps prevent organizations from falling into the trap of performative DEI efforts or the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes.
Monsters and Ghosts in the Machine
Joy Buolamwini, bestselling author of “Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines” and an “Ethical AI” firebrand has been a vocal leader in making the case for DEI-informed AI to increase tech diversity, center marginalized communities and close the digital divide. In her book and lectures, she addresses the “coded gaze” and “coded bias” that dominates the tech industry to highlight the biases embedded in algorithms that serve to dehumanize BIPOC communities, especially with faulty facial recognition software that disproportionately targets and racially profiles black and brown people, turning them into digital boogeymen and phantoms.
As an advocate for “algorithmic justice,” Dr. Buolamwini has pushed for diverse representation at the developer level and to create AI systems that combat systemic racism, gender discrimination and ableism. Her book serves as a valuable resource for communicators. We too must be vigilant in ensuring that the tools used to enhance our work are not harmful to the communities and organizations we represent.
The New Digital Culturalists
A new generation of diverse tech leaders is disrupting the traditionally exclusive white male-dominated “tech bro” industry by building ethical and inclusive AI systems. Large Language Models (LLM) and chatbots like Latimer and ChatBlackGPT, along with organizations such as Black AI Think Tank are at the forefront of advocating for deep inclusion and developing anti-bias AI tools to ensure underserved communities are represented in authentic ways. Their mission is to combat the whitewashing, misrepresentation and erasure of BIPOC histories in technology.
I recently attended the National Black AI Literacy Day event hosted by Black AI Think Tank and
ChatBlackGPT’s listening session with industry leaders, which emphasized the need for transparency, diverse representation, culturally sensitive datasets and the development of ethical AI systems. These leaders are advocating for anti-bias tools, policy recommendations, and accountability from Big Tech to ensure more BIPOC developers and tech leaders are included as decision makers in the tech industry, especially at the C-suite level. They are leading an AI revolution, demanding a seat at the table and more skin in the game to make sure BIPOC communities have agency and control the narrative when it comes to preserving historical and cultural accuracy.
The Future of Ethical AI
Incorporating Ethical AI in communications can be instrumental in futureproofing DEI programs and initiatives. To maximize the benefits of ethical and responsible AI while mitigating risks, it’s important for organizations and communicators to follow these best practices:
Use inclusive AI tools that monitor bias through equity assessments during the design phase and incorporate diverse training datasets based on various demographics, cultures and perspectives.
Ensure transparent AI best practices are used across all departments within an organization, building trust in AI systems by making information about data use and algorithms accessible.
Provide ongoing education and training on AI’s ethical implications and opportunities to advance DEI initiatives, ensuring buy-in from leadership and staff.
AI has the potential to be a game changer in advancing DEI in communications and positioning
organizations as change agents, but only if it incorporates a commitment to digital equity and inclusion. By prioritizing ethical AI practices, organizations can ensure AI becomes a transformative force in fostering more inclusion and promoting social justice.
For more hot topics and engaging content on Ethical AI, check out Vanguard Communication’s AI Taskforce blog series.
About Lelani Clark
Lelani Clark is Associate Director and Senior Media Relations Strategist at Vanguard Communications. As a certified DEI advocate, she serves on the AI Taskforce, focusing on the intersection of AI and DEI. Her work centers on using Ethical AI in communications to amplify the voices of BIPOC communities and promote social justice. Ms. Clark is a professional member of WWPR.
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