Reaching Broader Audiences

Bringing together a diverse set of experiences and perspectives will always lead to a lively discussion, and this was certainly the case with the recent Let’s PlantNJ virtual event.  At first conceived as a way to discuss the benefits of using native plants and where to find them locally, Susan Haig (founder of CivicStory) expanded on the idea to include food justice and discovering career paths in ecology and the environment.  TWENTYTWENTY public affairs was excited to participate on the Steering Committee that organized the event. 

The speakers touched on equity issues in the field of environment and sustainability, offering their personal stories to relate to the audience.  Attendees heard about surprises that emerge from composting in urban areas to how people of color can feel more welcome in the State’s natural spaces.

Tapping into the speakers’ relationships and social media followers, as well as the reach of the webinar host, the South Orange Public Library, allowed the Steering Committee to reach beyond the traditional “environmentalist” audience.  Organizers also identified target audiences right from the beginning and intentionally spent more effort on ensuring they had the information in a timely manner.  An edited version of the webinar can be found here.