Black History Maker: Brittany Mobley

Agency owner and industry advocate, Brittany Mobley has always been forward thinking when it comes to setting Black aspiring professionals for success. As a Black History Maker she is dedicated to supporting Black businesses and restructuring the way Black PR professionals have access to opportunity.

Q. In your own words, what does it mean to be a black history maker?

A.  A black history maker is a person who authentically serves the improvement, the betterment and the uplifting of the African American community as a whole. And in our profession, through the lens of amplifying Black business and professionals. 

Q. Do you have any affiliation with NBPRS? Are you a member? Have you ever held a leadership position?
A. I was a member a while back. I am not currently a member, but plan to reinstate my membership at the beginning of March. We don’t have a lot of hubs for Black PR professionals. Most people are familiar with PRSA Detroit, but even there, it’s not a large population of POC representation. I admire how NBPRS Detroit gives us our own space to thrive and get concentrated recognition. It’s super purposeful. It’s a thing that’s always going to be needed.

Q. Tell me about the first time you worked on your dream project or client.

A. I am currently working with a dream client. Detroit native and athlete Jalen Rose is currently spearheading a campaign that I am currently working on. The campaign aims to show Detroit as a city of self made successors who celebrates wins by being able to indulge in life’s luxuries. Another was Trap Vegan, the first Vegan restaurant to take over the Fashion Avenue and serve as the neighborhood’s primary resource Vegan for vegan burgers and smoothies. These have both allowed me to expand professionally. 

Q. Tell me about your career in communications. Where did you start? Where are you today?

A. I started at a PR agency in 2015 Downtown Detroit after having odd jobs, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car. After my experience at the PR agency, my contract ended and I was able to use networking as my drive into developing my own practice. I was literally at every networking event you could think of during 2015-2016. My most memorable was The Unlocked Summit where I really got my start. I met Ebony Cochran who decided to allow me to be her Publicist as a practice run and then she introduced me to Teia Wallington, who also had a hand in getting me started. Since then, I’ve been practicing public relations independently for six years. I’ve had a ton of ups and downs, but I am super grateful for that. The grind is real and you have to authentically work for the results to establish yourself as a credible publicist. 

Q. How has NBPRS contributed to your career? Why is it important that POC join?

A. NBPRS has definitely allowed me to connect with other Black Publicists from all over. I know for sure that NBPRS is the perfect hub for media relations and communications professional to connect and stay in the know. It’s literally one of the only resources we have that dedicated specially to public relations. Because this has always been a resource, and it’s always there for me to get involved, I can appreciate the value in that. It’s just finding the time with my whole demanding schedule. I remember in 2016 going to the national conference in Chicago. That was by far my favorite conference when I was an active member of NBPRS.

Q. What advice do you have for students and aspiring communications professionals?

A. Never forget to have work-life balance. It’s easy to work hard and grind, but self-care is detrimental to getting good results. Another thing I would say is never forget to always present yourself as a professional and always work on building your portfolio to prepare yourself for what’s next. It’s easy to say you do something, but the world and the results will speak for itself. 

Q. How do you plan to continue to make history and strides in the industry as a whole?

A. I’ve founded an organization called Young People in Public Relations that bridged the gap between entry level and veteran publicists in three different states (Detroit, Atlanta, Washington D.C.). Others were working as an independent publicist for corporate and six figure contracts. I am now transitioning into a Media Relations role at Eastern Michigan University. Haha.

I will also continue to tell the stories of black owned small businesses. There’s so many new small businesses with great messaging, great stories, products, and services that I would love to work with. For me, it’s like an adrenaline rush when I see businesses making an impact in their community. With the power of public relations, I can tell their story how it’s supposed to be told. Reaching the media on behalf of such impactful brands is what I want to be remembered for. 

To learn more about Brittany and her work visit www.culturitpr.com and follow her on social @culturitpr and @brittanythepublicist.