Joshua Cook, Digital and Social Media Manager

Connelly Partners had the great privilege to host Dr. Ciarán O’Carroll on 3rd July, who facilitated our first Climate Fresk Workshop at our Dublin office. Our very own Anita Freeman, who attended a Climate Fresk earlier in the year, helped in delivering the session to members of the local community. We were joined by a diverse range of people, from business leaders to mindful residents, teenagers to DSP cardholders, all looking to learn more about the climate crisis and how they can make positive decisions to help our planet reach a greener future. 

Climate Fresk is a workshop built to explain the climate crisis in a way that is easy for everyone to understand – in the form of a card exercise. Each group begins by plotting various issues that the environment faces in 2024. Using a cause and effect methodology, all members of the team consider their cards and where they feel they should sit on a timeline. Through conversation and teamwork, all sets of cards are discussed and examined. At the end of the exercise, we are greeted by an overall picture of the seriousness and severity of the problem that our planet is facing. 

The reasoning behind this is to show how our personal choices have a knock-on effect, ultimately leading to detrimental effects on our planet. However, all is not lost, as Dr. Ciarán then offered solutions, both personal and collective, to help ensure our planet’s future. 

The group left the session feeling refreshed and ready to combat the challenges before us. Overall, the session was incredible in giving us all the fire in our bellies needed to tackle the climate crisis. We’d like to thank Dr. Ciarán, Anita, and all the people who attended the fresk. We know this is only the beginning and we’ll have many different climate events moving forward, helping to create a greener future for us all.  

JoAnne Borselli, Group Brand Director

Across the nation, museums and heritage tourism sites often struggle to present diverse, inclusive narratives. The Black experience is frequently underrepresented or entirely absent from these spaces. Yet, Black history is deeply intertwined with every aspect of U.S. history. The United States could not have established itself without the crucial contributions of enslaved and free Black Americans.

Our client, Visit Williamsburg, is the destination marketing organization representing Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, Virginia. For years, this destination has been dedicated to researching, uncovering, and telling a more accurate and inclusive history of our nation. Despite these efforts, many remain unaware of the stories being uncovered. So Visit Williamsburg is shining a spotlight on the important work being done by community members across the region. In 2023, Connelly Partners developed a plan to support this messaging and amplify it through our integrated channel strategy.

In 2024, we launched paid partnerships with Essence magazine and Travel Noire. These Black-owned media partners were selected based on their strong reputations within the community and their broad audience reach. Essence is a leading media brand for the Black community, highlighting news and information on entertainment, social, and business topics. Travel Noire, a brand within the Blavity Inc. network, focuses on travel content aimed at Black millennials and Gen Z.

The Essence partnership involved creating a 20-minute documentary-style video showcasing prominent Black voices in the Williamsburg community and highlighting untold stories from our history. With Travel Noire, the partnership features a digital microsite with multiple editorial articles about evolving museum content, a new art installation at The College of William & Mary, and more. This digital content, featured on each media partner’s websites, is amplified through their owned and earned media channels, as well as Visit Williamsburg’s own channels.

Through these strategic partnerships and storytelling efforts, Visit Williamsburg aims to ensure that the rich, complex narratives of Black Americans are recognized and celebrated, enhancing the historical tapestry of our nation for all visitors.

As an agency hyper-focused on the importance of human truths, the opportunity to partner with a client who is so committed to telling a more accurate history of the United States is truly an honor.

Check out the video on Essence.com and learn more about the stories being showcased across the region on TravelNoire.com. Most importantly, pack your bags and head to Williamsburg for a trip that’s equal parts educational, inspiring, and fun.

Ashley Campbell, Group Brand Director

Empowerment (noun)
em·​pow·​er·​ment
The act or action of empowering someone or something: the granting of the power, right, or authority to perform various acts or duties. [1]

How many times have you seen an event, conference, or piece of content coupling females with empowerment? But have you ever taken a step back to look at the definition? I personally hadn’t. “Granting of the power” is an eye-opening definition of the word. As women, we should not be granted the power, it should be inherent in our being. The reality here is that being granted the power is not all that powerful.

In case you missed it, we just ran our third “CP Empowering Women’s Networking” event in Boston. Leading up to the gathering, the definition of the event name shed some light on a problem that my colleagues and I felt we needed to address. Sure, networking should create a sense of empowerment. But the power is already within us.

At each of these events, my colleague Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director of CP Health, and I lead a networking exercise that encourages our guests to chat with someone they have never met. Last month our topic was imposter syndrome. 

We have learned over time that these programs foster positive discussion. So, after reflecting on the name of our event, we determined that our April event topic should be ‘Stepping into the Power.’ We asked guests to discuss an example of a situation where they were either proud of embracing their power, or a time they wished they had stepped into it. 

This fostered wonderful conversation. We learned of times where these women were proud of using their voices to support and sponsor their colleagues. We also learned of times where they felt they voiced an opinion and were unfortunately shut down and wished they had not given up.

So, as you read this blog, we ask that you consider rethinking the word “empowerment.” Instead ladies, embrace the power you already have.

Please keep an eye out for our next Women’s Networking evening, which we plan to hold this summer. We’re excited to announce a new name via this fourth Connelly Partners event, but you’ll have to stay tuned to learn more!

If you aren’t on our invite list please reach out to me, Ashley Campbell. And while you’re at it, feel free to send event name suggestions my way as well. 

Sources:

1. Merriam-Webster