LEADERSHIP
Lauren Wesley Wilson Activist and Communications Leader M EL ISSA WAG G E NE R ZO R KIN
Of course, the industry still has a long way to go. According to data from PRovoke Media, white men are paid more on average than any other demographic in communications, and are promoted more often. 51% of partner-level employees are men, despite the fact that they only make up 25% of the total PR workforce.
One lunch became two, then three, then it became an ongoing series. Word of mouth brought more attendees. Women started connecting with each other outside of the lunches. They got each other jobs, helped with projects, even went to each other’s weddings.
Lauren’s work seeks to correct this. She’s an activist who sees the value in everyone’s perspective, and who knows that diversity, equity and inclusion is so much more than a pledge or a corporate initiative — it’s people helping each other and connecting with each other on a human level.
Lauren decided to make it official and turn ColorComm into a membership network. Fast forward 10 years and it’s the country’s leading organization for women of color in
That kind of connection requires vulnerability. A few years ago in Miami, I saw Lauren tell a story at the annual
communications, media, marketing and advertising, with over 100,000 professionals, local chapters in ten cities, and more than 100 local programs each year.
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And it’s all thanks to Lauren Wesley Wilson.
Lauren Wesley Wilson literally changed the communications industry over lunch. In 2011, Lauren was working at an agency and realized that nobody in executive or senior leadership looked like her. She gathered 34 women of color for a networking lunch she called ColorComm. They listened to speakers, shared media contacts and talked job opportunities. Everybody left wanting to do it again.
RELEVANCE REPORT 2021-22
ColorComm Conference. At the previous year’s event, Lauren said she had a bit of a
