EVAN SEYMOUR

Publicity Strategist, Founder
ERS Public Relations
IG: @evan_renise
Twitter: @evangelist84

What was one of your professional highlights of 2020?

Securing CBS Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television Studios as clients.

What advice would you give yourself 5 years ago?

Focus your energy on that which is positive and productive. Block out everything else as much as possible.

What is one thing that can be done differently to promote more diversity in the sports and entertainment industries?

Celebrities and athletes can hire more diverse representation. I'd estimate that more than 75 percent of the top Black celebrities have non-Black publicists. This impacts the earning potential of independent publicists, and also publicists who are looking to get hired at agencies. Black celebrities need to demand that the agencies they engage have diverse talent - and not just for multicultural press initiatives. They need to push as loudly for diverse representation as they did for inclusion riders for productions. This goes for our white and non-Black allies as well. Demand diverse representation, hire diverse representation. Put your money where your mouth is.

What is one thing you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?

I've learned that I'm more resilient than I realized. I started ERS Public Relations in April, just days after being laid off. I was devastated to find myself without income or health insurance, during a pandemic no less, but I was determined to come out better and stronger. In less than a year, I've grown my agency tenfold. Without resilience, faith, and my community, 2020 really could have been a devastating year.

What is your theme word for 2021?

Growth.