Public Relations for Social Justice - Now More Than Ever (working draft)

by Christopher D. Cathcart

I hold a belief I’ve carried for a long time—one that may have initially led me to pursue public relations as a career. It’s simple: human life, all life, is the most valuable thing we possess. Anything we do to enhance, defend, uplift, or promote life ranks among the most important work we can undertake.

To be clear, this is not a pro-life/pro-choice argument. That issue is far more nuanced than can be addressed here, as it should be. This is about public relations, about how, at least some of the time, we should use our skills with a greater purpose.

If the “life-above-all-things” premise is true, then the most important word in “public relations” isn’t “relations”—it’s “public.” People. In ours as in most professions, nothing matters without them. Thus, our work should follow a simple rule: use your skills, in part, to improve people’s lives whenever and wherever you can.

I also believe just as strongly in justice—for everyone, everywhere, regardless of background or circumstance. All people deserve to be treated fairly and valued equally. Yet too often, the opposite is true. “Social justice” has been diluted into a phrase we often use casually, sometimes carelessly, stripped of urgency and meaning.

We’ve grown accustomed to justice being inconsistent—available to some, denied to others, and rarely sustained. Constant exposure to injustice has numbed us. Images of death, suffering, conflict, and exploitation no longer shock us as they should. Instead, they fade into the background. 

Whether it’s war, abuse of power, or systemic inequality, we often view these issues as inevitable—and ourselves as powerless. Even when responses emerge, they’re often reactive, short-lived, and disconnected from a broader, sustained effort. That fragmentation weakens us.

For many, it becomes: no justice, no peace, no problem. I reject that. And this is where public relations comes in.

PR alone won’t solve the world’s injustices. I am not that naive. But the core skills of good practitioners—shaping narratives, focusing attention, and giving voice—can help shift the way people engage with these issues.

As a former advertising agency client once told me, “Our job is to give voice.” I never forgot that comment. Through our work, we can help people find their voice and see their personal stake in social justice, not by telling them what to think, but by helping them realize that these issues affect them, too.

This isn’t about persuading people to “do good.” It’s about reminding them that they are part of the communities they impact, whether local, national, or abroad. When people act in support of justice, they are also serving their own long-term interests. It’s not about being nice. We should approach this effort with the same intensity we bring to everything else. I wasn’t being “nice” when promoting products, candidates, or brands during my career. I was strategic, focused, and relentless.

Why should this be any different?

In 2007, I published my first book, “The Lost Art of Giving Back,” a concise guide to empowerment through volunteerism. One chapter explores how to help people reframe their perceptions of “giving back.” My experience has shown that when discussing community service, volunteerism, and social justice, people often adopt a “hat-in-hand,” overly polite demeanor, primarily to elicit sympathy or appeal to our so-called “better angels.”

While appealing to one’s sense of humanity may resonate with some, it falls short as a sustainable approach for a significant portion of the population. It fails to cultivate long-term commitment and action. Regardless of personal beliefs, we are predisposed to seek the inherent self-benefits in our actions, particularly those we engage in regularly. Sympathy, guilt, and even fear are insufficient motivators for sustained activity. Every competent public relations practitioner knows this, and many have dedicated their lives to acting on this knowledge. We have mastered the art of selling the benefits.

So, to my fellow PR professionals: this is a call to action. I can’t prescribe exactly what that action should be—that’s yours to define. But there is no shortage of causes that need attention. Find one that matters to you, and use your considerable skills to enlist members of the “public” to work on it as well.

Whether it’s local or global, focused on children or the elderly, health, the environment, or human rights, there is meaningful work to be done. That work can take many forms: pro bono campaigns, mentoring, public advocacy, and so on. Indeed, if you work in academia and have the honor of instructing young, budding communicators, please add a social justice element to your lesson plan. I know I will. 

My commitment is to offer ongoing encouragement for public relations and social justice in the weeks and months ahead. These updates will feature profiles of PR advocates in this field, examples of causes that need more public attention and support, and other related topics. This is not an organization or a movement; it is simply a reminder to act intentionally and with purpose.

Public attention drives action; we have the tools to focus that attention where it matters most. The world is on fire, and everyone has a role in putting it out. Public relations can be a powerful tool in that effort. Social justice should be our most important client. And the return on that investment is immeasurable.