Mike Gonzalez BIO:
Born and Raised in Miami, Florida, Attended NC State University, Grad School at University of Missouri School of Journalism. Started in reporting in Columbia, MO and finished my TV career in Phoenix in 2020. Started at Franklin PUD as Government Affairs Director and Public Relations Director in Jan. of 2020. Began with the City of Pasco in June of 2021 as Economic Development Manager.
Contact: gonzalezm@pasco-wa.gov, Cell 509-850-4748.
www.hispanicfoodnetork.com
My video work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJqoQYSy-aQ&t=20s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJqoQYSy-aQ&t=20s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQDr_Djp3HE&t=35s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCeuDljxdFs
HOW THE CITY
OF PASCO APPROACHES MESSING
1.
From a community
outreach perspective, what are the characteristics of the larger subcultures
here in the Greater Tri-City Region, and what kind of cultural obstacles have
you or organizations had to overcome for
effective outreach? – Michael, we’ll start with you.
My lens = Grew up in Miami, Florida, 20 years in News -spent my
life trying to be unbiased – so I’ve always had to be very careful in my use of
language, 12 years of writing for Hispanic Food Network blog, Energy Executive
and Economic Development Manager.
1.Tri-Cities
has complex subcultures.
2.Predominant
are Hispanic & White.
3.Those
can be analyzed into sub categories: Ethnic and socio economic.
·
Hispanic:
o
First Generation Hispanic, Older and are more traditional in their communication consumption…Spanish
is their primary language. Very hands on. Like face to face contact. Like using
cash.
· 2nd Generation Hispanics Between 30-50 years old, Educated, English is their primary use
language, Bilingual, Consumption of media is primarily in English but will
consume Spanish language media, very close with extended family, very proud of
their Mexican heritage and close ties to their states in Mexico,
·
3rd Generation Hispanic, 29 and younger, English is
primary language, majority don’t know Spanish, strong ties to culture and nostalgia
to Hispanic and Mexican heritage. Consume all media in English, heavy users of
digital.
·
NON HISPANIC/WHITE
·
White/Hispanic Highly Educated
·
White/Hispanic Rural Blue Collar
Obstacles we’ve faced?
· Language barriers English/Spanish
· Cultural competence (Know our audience is primarily from Mexico 60
percent from Colima)
·
Make
sure you have someone in house that knows how your audience speaks.
·
My
training always forces me to look at my audience…who must know your audience.
(Research)
· City of Pasco we have to know who we’re talking with. (60 percent
from Colima
· In Pasco our audience is really two-fold.
· English speaking & English as a second language. So, we go into a messaging campaign with that mind.
· We have to be culturally competent and realize that our Spanish language
message is going out to a primarily Mexican audience.
ACTION ITEMS THAT WILL HELP
1.
Get
a bilingual expert for your agency or organization
2.
Become
culturally competent – because there’s many types of Hispanics.
3.
https://www.msflowersinterpreters.com/
CHANGING THE IMAGE OF PASCO.
I was hired to reshape the image of Pasco and really showcase the
great things happening, dispel some misinformation about our city and then take
an inclusive approach to marketing our downtown core and surrounding areas. So
how did I do that?
We hear about implicit bias a lot. I like to call it cultural
assumptions. Bias is too strong of a word. I also know, through my
journalism training, everyone sees the world through their own lens, based on
their life experiences, surroundings, community, family, politics, and region. I
think a lot of people like to equate bias with racism and I think that isn’t
the truth.
How I’m working to change the image of Pasco?
1.
Be
honest with yourself and your organization about who you are. I played for Ray
Tanner at NC State, he went onto U of South Carolina. He’s considered one of
the greatest College Baseball coaches in history. He always said Perception is
Reality. So how can you change that to your favor?
2.
(Research)My
first month I spent exhaustive hours on the phone and in person visits to
really find out what is the outside perception of Pasco was?
3.
(Talk
about uncomfortable subjects) One thing I found, many felt like the marketing
efforts for downtown felt uncomfortable “ if I’m not from Mexico or a Spanish
speaker”
4.
(Are
you customers getting value?)There was also a feeling from business owners that
we weren’t engaged with them or weren’t providing marketing and useful support
service.
5.
(Take
Action) I formed the Pasco Business Advisory Council
6.
Content
Creation Plan, I am also making sure our marketing efforts take a 3 prong approach
utilizing the City’s platforms, DPDA’S and Farmers Market.
7.
(Market
in English) Taking a more inclusive approach.
8.
Then
content is in English even though we’re talking about places like Dress shops,
Mexican restaurants and grocery stores.
9.
(Showcasing
Hispanic Businesses in English) I’m showing that a diverse customer base frequents
places like Vinny’s.
10.(Come up with realistic production schedule)Consistency is the key
and making sure we’re highlighting a diverse business base.
11.Very strategic in the language I use. I’m subtly calling downtown core
the International District.
12.Making sure I talk about the great things that are happening downtown.
What
are some of the existing bridges and potential barriers for
collaboration between these subcultures in the Tri-Cities? –
I think there is a feeling amongst some Hispanics they aren’t given priority
politically, socially and economically. I have seen that in the news business
and in the City of Pasco job. Some scars from the Antonio Zambrano shooting
still exist. There’s certainly feelings in our downtown core that the City hasn’t
paid as much attention to its economic development than say, West Pasco. For me
it’s all about visibility, communication and action. I approach it like a journalist:
identify the issue, get the information I need, then come up with action items
and come up with a result.
Talking strategy
and tactics, can you give us examples of how you've overcome these barriers and
facilitated collaboration between these groups? –
ACTION ITEMS
1 Identify feelings through in person visits. 2. Identifying where
we can see immediate results (garbage cans, street sweeping, dumpsters, 3. working
on homeless action plan, 4. Creating content consistently that puts Pasco in
positive light. 5 .tackling parking issues and helping market our long standing
business in the core. Getting our Downtown Pasco Development Authority to take
a leadership role in downtown issues.
Conversely,
do you have examples of a failed initiative to address these obstacles? Would
you be willing to share the lessons learned? –
I
haven’t had any real failures. I think you avoid those with making sure you’re
being culturally competent. If you try and please everyone, you please no one.
So just make sure your marketing efforts are authentic and you’re not trying to
push too much in one direction. I think
we are looking closer at how we communicate on our social media platforms,
especially when it comes to our Police Dept. We have recently discussed perhaps
focusing more on the positive things PD is doing rather than just catching and
arresting folks. The feedback we’ve gotten is it’s send the message that Pasco
is a dangerous place and we don’t want that.
1.
Mike, this one is for
you because of your Hispanic outreach experience with Franklin PUD, as well as
your current role. That said,
Michael, please feel free to add on. Mike, a Latina California assembly
woman was recently quoted as saying the term “Latinx” was something she sees,
quote, “a lot of white progressives use.”
Also, a now 2-year-old Pew Survey found that only 25% of those who
identify as Latino had heard the term “Latinx,” and 80% of them preferred not
to use it. Conventional wisdom out there says to use what a culture is most
comfortable with. Here in
the Tri-Cities, what term would you recommend we use for general Hispanic or
Latino audiences, and why?
The
Hispanic vs. Latino Debate & Latinx
Hispanics derive their origins from Spain and the Iberia Peninsula.
Where Latinos a made up of people from the Caribbean, Mexico and South
Americans, who in many cases have Indian-Indigenous blood. Latinx is used by
just 3 percent of those who identify as Hispanic in the census. I would
personally stay out of this fight. Some will argue that all Hispanics, Latinos
and Latinx can trace their roots to Spain. Others will argue that Latinos
fought with Spaniards and they are not a part of their race. To me the more
important thing to be is culturally competent. That means knowing that a Cuban
doesn’t make tamales for Christmas, that is something that’s done in Mexican
culture. Puerto Ricans love Pastelles. Salvadorans like Pappusas and
Venezuelans are the ones who love Arepas.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latinos-own-disown-hispanic-journey-harness-identity-n1279309
HOW TO GET YOUR MESSAGE IN LOCAL MEDIA?
· Make sure you get to know the reporters in your area.
· Stop saying that no one watches local news or never reads the papers.
There is an audience for that the power of local television news is in their
web articles they could share it on their social media platforms.
· Take a look at KEPR’S Facebook page, it has more than 100,000
followers, it’s really active and engagement is incredible. Tri-City Herald has
more than 70,000 followers. These social
media pages link back to their website and could be a conduit for your message.
· Timing for those you represent (If you’re a PR Firm
that represents a dentist, you know at Easter and Halloween kids are eating
candy) If you represent a fitness professional offer that person as the expert
on maintaining your weight during the holidays. If you represent a restaurant,
offer that person for holiday cooking tips. You’ll have to provide some work
though.
· Offer interviews through Zoom to make it easier for reporters.
· Get to know the Weekend reporters at all three stations and at the
Tri-City Herald. They are desperate for news during those time slots.
· Make sure it’s short. Give me the WHY in the first link of your
release. Then who, what, where, when!
· Provide pictures and videos and a release with quotes built in
from your clients.
· Introduce yourselves to the news directors and the key players in
your market
· Create a mailing list with your blog on it with all the local and
regional media outlets you never know who’s going to pick it up
· Send press releases with information in body and an attachment
KAPP/KVEW BIOS: Our Staff -
YakTriNews.com
KEPR
BIOS: https://keprtv.com/station/people
KNDU
BIOS: https://www.nbcrightnow.com/about_us/
Jana
Gray jana.gray@nbcrightnow.com
Tom
Y tomy@keprtv.com
Annette Cary 509-416-6136
tips@tricityherald.com
Wendy
Culverwell Tri-Cities Journal of Business editor@tcjournal.biz
CONFIDENCE
YOU’RE THE EXPERT
If you’re the owner of your firm, then get out there and sell your
clients. You have the social media platforms and the expertise to do this. Utilize
your best skill sets and leverage those for your clients. If you’re a great writer,
start writing articles for your clients, post them to your social media platforms
and tag the media outlets and reporters in the region.
Markertek, great place to buy video and audio equipment
Services after sale make sure you send a follow up email that also gives you an opportunity to push your next story.
Anchor.fm ( Great place to start your own podcast)
Create Zoom podcasts, buy the pro version for tools like sharing to Facebook Live events.
Get a teleprompter app
Learn how to shoot with your iPhone or your mobile device.
Learn an editing program.
You can set up and then tire platform for free. Facebook Instagram Twitter.
LinkedIn…Blogspot is a free website.
That integrates with your YouTube channel. And your Google
platforms. People are not looking for fancy these days there’s simply looking
for good content and takeaways that they can get from you the expert
CONSISTENCY
Consistency is key…set a goal on an actual day. Every Tuesday or
Wednesday we’ll have an article out. And a monthly goal (4 a month)
Set realistic goals
Quality over quantity.
Own a particular social media platform. I think we get thinking that
we have to be an expert at every new social media platform. You can integrate
your platforms. I would suggest Hootsuite https://hootsuite.com/billing/create-account?plan=PROFESSIONAL_PLAN
Best advice is Keep it simple, trust your skills and you're the expert!
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