How To Transform PR With Trauma-Informed Practices with Kahshanna Evans

That Solo Life, Episode 263:  How To Transform PR With Trauma-Informed Practices with Kahshanna Evans In this Episode

In this episode of "That Solo Life," co-hosts Karen Swim and Michelle Kane are joined by the passionate and inspiring Kahshanna Evans, a senior strategist at Kissing Lions Public Relations. Kahshanna's expertise lies in community building through communication strategy, corporate social responsibility, and trauma-informed communications management.

Kahshanna shares her journey into the trauma management space, highlighting her background in fashion, film, and television before delving into transformational well-being studies. Her lightbulb moment came during a trauma-informed outreach program, leading her to focus on trauma-informed practices and awareness.

The conversation delves into the importance of trauma-informed communications in various sectors, including crisis communications, corporate social responsibility, and media literacy. Kahshanna emphasizes the need for a shift towards person-first language and humanizing narratives, especially in historically targeted communities.

The episode explores Kahshanna's community building communication strategy, which integrates trauma-informed practices, media literacy, and the empowerment of historically marginalized communities. The hosts discuss the role of solo PR professionals as activists and educators, advocating for change and inclusivity in the industry.

Listeners are encouraged to engage with Kahshanna through Kissing Lions' website or LinkedIn, and to join the solo PR community for further discussions and collaborations. The episode concludes with a call to action for professionals to embrace trauma-informed practices and work together towards transformative change in communications and beyond.

About Kahshanna Evans

Kahshanna Evans brings her passion for community building through communications strategy, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and uniting people through stories to her role of Senior Strategist at Kissing Lions Public Relations, Trauma Informed Resilient Communities Consultant—and as a New York State Trauma Informed Network and Resources Center (TINRC) Advisory Council Member. Kahshanna has been a leading strategic thinker in various industries, including wellness, communications, nonprofit, and professional services. During her tenure at a nonprofit that educates the public and private sector on PACEs science, Kahshanna served as a subject matter expert, organizational spokesperson, and facilitator of trauma-informed (TI) training for various communities. As a founding member of a Diversity, Equity, Belonging, Inclusion & Allyship (DEIB/A) committee at a wellbeing tech company, Kahshanna played a role in advocating for the creation of a culture of belonging. 

Episode Timeline

00:00:00 - Introduction to Kahshanna Evans
00:03:20 - Importance of Trauma-Informed Communications
00:05:51 - Crisis Communication and Trauma-Informed Practices
00:13:11 - Overcoming Politicization of Trauma
00:18:25 - Community Building Communication Strategy
00:23:29 - Transforming the Industry through Trauma-Informed Practices
00:30:58 - Emphasizing Community Support and Collaboration

Resources:

• Kahshanna Evans article (chock full of resources): The Future of Corporate Citizenship: Can Solo PR Pros Introduce A Trauma Informed World View?
• Study: From managing emotion to trauma‐informed management: A new direction in crisis communication
• Victims as stakeholders: Insights from the intersection of psychosocial, ethical, and crisis communication paths 

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Say Thanks to Kahshanna Evans!

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Listen to the episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can also watch the interview on YouTube here.