By Cassandra Slade
Toward the end of my junior year at Temple University, I began to explore various options for how I would spend my summer. In an effort to pursue my interest in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and my love for sociology, it was imperative that I found an internship where I could explore my passions even further. Fortunately enough, I was offered the opportunity to spend a part of my summer with The Presser Foundation as an intern focused on DEI. When my experience at the Foundation first began, I sat down with Abby Rolland, the Grants & Communications Manager at The Presser Foundation, who guided me in establishing my goal outcomes for the duration of the internship. As a student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sociology, conducting research plays a major role in my studies, so improving those industry-related skills was an important goal of mine. Within my first week, I was met with numerous projects and opportunities to do just that. It quickly became evident that The Presser Foundation is continuously working towards its DEI efforts by integrating them into its values and processes. At the Foundation, they are committed to advancing DEI through their philanthropic efforts and as an intern, as part of my responsibility as an intern, I was tasked with applying a DEI lens to my work.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion can be traced back to the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement. Since then, it has expanded into including various forms of identity such as gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other identities that may have been historically underrepresented. By the 1970s, DEI focus shifted to acceptance of integration in spaces such as schools and workplaces. Today, we see DEI take on many forms such as in the workplace through policies and procedures that encourage both representation and participation.
DEI can also be examined through the use of social media. Social media is a key tool that is utilized for engaging with an audience. That said, one of my most memorable and favorite projects that I completed in collaboration with Claire Moustafellos, another intern at The Presser Foundation, was assessing the Foundation’s communications and social media platforms, such as the website, Instagram, and Facebook, through a DEIA framework. To structure this analysis, we created a checklist using a framework made up of the following questions:
- How prevalent is the Foundation’s commitment to DEI across social media platforms?
- How accessible is the platform’s content?
- Through the use of imaging, how well does the platform depict DEI values and commitment?
- Whose stories and voices are being featured, centered, and uplifted?
As previously stated, The Presser Foundation is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, and most importantly, being proactive in their efforts. Advocacy on social media is a strong tool used for activism and one of the most common approaches due to its accessibility. When assessing communications through a DEI lens, it is vital to consider imagery, its impact, and the overall message the platform is reflecting. The importance of DEI is rooted in its ability to offer fresh perspectives and bring voices to the table. The work done at The Presser Foundation is simply one out of many DEI initiatives done throughout the world. However, it is part of a bigger picture and collective effort to promote change in society.
While immersing myself in this line of work, I was able to gain inside insight and perspective into the Foundation’s work. Due to my passion for social justice, I wanted to do the work where it counts, and interning at The Presser Foundation granted me the opportunity to do so. Working at the Foundation allowed me to further my academic goals by gaining more experience in the field which will ultimately be beneficial to my potential career pursuits in the future. Additionally, I was able to apply and strengthen my interpersonal skills that play a pivotal role in the line of work I want to enter upon successful completion of receiving my bachelor’s in sociology from Temple University in the spring of 2024. Thank you to The Presser Foundation for advancing my professional development, playing a major role in my journey, and lastly allowing me to explore my passions.
Cassandra (Cassie) Slade (she/her/hers) is a rising senior at Temple University studying sociology. She has research and communications experience and is involved in Beauty Birds and the Black Student Union at Temple. Cassie hopes to work in the DEIA field in the future.
