Women’s Day 2020: Who Would You Meet?

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It’s no secret that the public relations industry is dominated by women. As a matter of fact, females make up about two-thirds of all PR practitioners — including here are Schwartz Media Strategies.

Given these demographics, Women’s History Month is a big deal in our line of work.

Our team is kicking-off Women’s Month by honoring the women on our team and reflecting on a question: If you could sit down and have a conversation with any woman, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Yudi Fernández

I would take a walk with Marjory Stoneman Douglas inside Everglades National Park. During our scenic walk, I would get her thoughts on how we can better protect our environment for future generations the same way she loyally defended the River of Grass.

Allie Grant

I would choose Beyoncé – not only is she a powerhouse, but her mere presence is enough to encourage young girls everywhere to strive for greatness. She doesn’t shy away from telling it like it is, and her focus on every detail of her music makes her that much more amazing. Plus, she’s my twin mama inspiration!

Jessica Goswami

If I could have a sit down with any woman, it would be Princess Diana. She modernized what it meant to be a princess, making the British Royal family more accessible than they had ever been before. She spoke her mind and took on causes that no royal had ever dared. She was a humanitarian, revolutionizing the way the world viewed certain issues. Princess Diana was also a fashion icon – her sense of style was emulated and admired around the world – two decades after her tragic death, we still celebrate her style.

Paola Colberg

I would say after the Super Bowl Halftime Show this year, I would definitely have a sit down with J.Lo. Not only do I admire her as an artist, but she has also raised the bar for Latina women. She is an example to all the little girls out there that want to pursue their dreams and is a role model in the Latinx community. I still remember her small role in her first movie “Selena” and thinking who is this Jennifer Lopez? And now she is an admiration for all.

Victoria Cela

I’m a huge European history buff, so I’d love to sit down with Queen Elizabeth I and hear what it was like to have ruled one of the greatest kingdoms of that time.

Valeska Nuñez

Coco Chanel. She was able to create style that withstood the test of time.

Jennifer Etienne

If I could speak with any woman alive or dead I’d like to meet my maternal grandmother. She passed away when I was very young, and I never got the chance to get to know her. She was a very prominent matriarch within my family that made just about anything happen for the people she loved.

Janice Fredenburg

I would like to interview Barack Obama’s mother. As a new Mom of a biracial son, I’m raising a future world-changer, and I would love to hear how she helped encourage him to be a leader, teach him to understand the importance of education, and to know what his identity is in a world where not everyone embraces diversity.

Gabrielle Garcia

If there was any woman I could sit down and have a conversation with, it would be Reese Witherspoon. Not only is she a phenomenal actress, but she also uses her platform to bring awareness to a multitude of social issues and causes, specifically female empowerment and gender equality. I enjoy following Reese’s media company Hello Sunshine’s content on social media and share their content with friends on a daily basis and love following along with Hello Sunshine’s book club lineup when I can.

Paula Gomez

Any woman who works in public relations, commutes two hours every day and still has time to bathe, feed, do homework and play with their kids.

Isabelle Hernandez

I would want to sit down with Kris Jenner. No matter what anyone’s opinion on the Kardashians is, it cannot be undermined how they were able to transform themselves from just another wealthy, well-connected family into global icons who inform trends in fashion, beauty, wellness, music, etc. I think this is in large part due to how Kris Jenner leveraged her daughters, specifically Kim, to build the Kardashian brand image, and how she relentlessly put them in front of the public eye so that they became everyday, household names. Kris is clearly a brilliant Marketeer/Brander/Communicator/Manager, and I think she would be a valuable person to sit down and have a long conversation with at this early stage of my career in Communications.

Jaclyn Dadas-Kraper

I would like to sit down with Chelsea Handler. I have always admired her for her honesty and approach to life. She is known for saying what is on her mind and isn’t ashamed of who she is, and I respect her for it. It would be great to speak to her about successes and failures and really dig into what drives her, both personally and professionally. Oh, I also want to talk to her about her book “Life Will Be the Death of Me.”

Jamie Honowitz

If I could have a conversation with any woman, I would choose Malala because she is an inspiration to women around the world. I would love to sit down with her and talk about how she is fighting for women’s education rights and her goals for the future. People like Malala are shaping the future for women for the better.

Samantha Castellanos

I would love to have a sit down with Rihanna. I’ve spent the last 15 years enjoying her music and admiring how she exudes independence and power. In our conversation, I would discuss her most recent career move into the beauty and fashion industries to gain insight into her success as an entrepreneur.

Aaron Gordon

Katherine Post Graham. Most people know Graham for her role as publisher of the Washington Post, but her life story is so fascinating. She rose to the occasion following the death of her husband, running the Post for a ten year period that saw the paper expose wrongdoing at the Nixon White House and in the Pentagon. She was also a shrewd businesswoman, taking the Washington Post Company public in 1972 and becoming the first woman CEO of a FORTUNE 500 company.

Tadd Schwartz

A few years ago, I read the story of Anne Frank to my daughter, Siena, who is inquisitive by nature and had many questions about Frank’s life and struggle to survive the Holocaust. We come back to Anne’s story from time to time because it’s fascinating as much as it’s heartbreaking. Through Siena’s eyes, I took on a renewed interest in learning about Frank, and the courage, strength and determination she brought to her quest for survival. Today, thanks to Anne’s father Otto (the only member of Anne’s immediate family to survive the Holocaust), her story of how she and her family evaded Nazi persecution for two years until being discovered in 1944 and ultimately dying at the age of 13 in a concentration camp still haunts and captivates. I would like for Anne to know that her journals from her time in hiding in the Secret Annex had not only been published (Anne hoped to become a journalist after the war), but to this day inspire children and adults all over the world with hope and an appreciation for the beauty of life, and continue to shed light on the dangers of discrimination, hatred and racism.

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