Racial and Ethnic Terminology Every PR Pro Should Know

Amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, we see people all over the globe coming forward to talk about racial injustice. When talking about such issues, the correct terminology should be used if you want to show respect.

For example, most people know POC, as a term which stands for People of Color. But did you know words such as WOC and MOC are often used when specifically addressing women and men of color, or that BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, which was created to highlight the historic oppression these groups faced by colonialism? BAME, similar to BIPOC stands for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic.

With less awareness Black and African American are often used synonymously however they, in fact, have their differences. Did you know, Black is a broader term and encompasses all people of African descent? In contrast, African American refers to someone who is a US citizen of African descent whose ancestors came to America in the 18th and 19th centuries and after.

As another example, Latino/Latinx and Hispanic are often used interchangeably despite having different meanings. Hispanic include those who come from Spanish speaking countries while Latinx includes people who live in Latin America or are descendants of Latin Americans.

Asian is the broad term that depicts someone who lives in or has descended from Asia. Since Asia is the largest continent globally, there are many different countries and ethnic groups within the continent. Although you would be correct to use the term Asian, it would be appropriate to use an exact label. It is never okay to use the term oriental.

As we become more sensitive, we need to all look to our symbols. Emojis can be powerful in making points via social media, but we must be mindful and respectful. The fist emoji has become a symbol of social justice movements and should only be used as such.

Keep in mind the skin color of the emoji you chose. The yellow fist represents all races and using all five colored fists in a row demonstrates that you stand for inclusivity and equality.

As with all communications, be mindful and respectful. Always.

Claire Whitten is an intern at ELPR and a Marketing Major at San Diego State University.