News
President's Corner October 2026
There is something wonderful about fall that invites us to pause. After months of planting, tending and growing, we enter a season of harvest for a time to gather what has been cultivated and consider what we will carry forward. For communicators, I think there is a beautiful parallel. Our work is, in many ways, an act of cultivation. We cultivate relationships, trust, ideas, stories and connections. And when we are intentional about that work, we create something that extends far beyond a message, campaign or news cycle.
As we continue our 2026 journey through this year’s AI framework of Authentic Inclusion, Aligned Interactions and Adaptive Innovation, October is where all three are interconnected. PRSA’s observance of Diversity & Inclusion Month gives us an especially meaningful opportunity to consider what we are cultivating and who is impacted by it. It also calls us back to Authentic Inclusion, the practice of making sure people are not only represented, but respected, heard and reflected with care in the stories we tell. With Hispanic Heritage Month coming to a close on October 15, we are reminded that honoring culture and heritage should never be limited to a single month or social media post. It means listening to the lived experiences behind the stories we tell, seeking authentic perspectives and resisting the temptation to treat any community as a monolith. That same principle extends across the many communities represented within our profession and right here in Richmond.
That brings us to Aligned Interactions. In a profession built on relationships, every interaction is an opportunity to build connection and trust. But alignment doesn’t mean that we all think alike. It means finding common purpose while making space for different perspectives. Sometimes, the most valuable thing a communicator can do is listen long enough to discover the story beneath the story or allow a perspective that challenges our assumptions to help us communicate more effectively.
Fall also reminds us that change is part of the natural cycle of growth. The leaves change. The landscape changes. The weather changes. And we change along with it. That is Adaptive Innovation. As our tools and technologies evolve, the human element of communication remains at the center. That is one of the things I am most looking forward to as I head to PRSA ICON 2026 in Orlando this month to learn, connect and imagine what’s next for our profession. I’m excited to bring those insights back to Richmond as new possibilities for how we can grow together as professionals and as a chapter. Perhaps that is the greatest lesson of a harvest season: Growth is not the end of the work. It is an invitation to begin again with what we have learned, what we have gathered and what we now have to give. And that idea of growing together brings me to one of my favorite parts of this season: gathering.
At the end of this month, we’ll gather not for a workshop or professional development session, but simply to celebrate one another at our PRSA Richmond Member Appreciation Event. Behind every program we produce, every idea we exchange and every connection we make is a community of communicators who choose to show up for this profession, for one another and for the work that matters. Our members are the harvest of this chapter. You bring the experience, curiosity, creativity, and perspective that make PRSA Richmond what it is. Please visit our website for more details and to register to attend. We hope you will join us!
With cultivation + camaraderie,
Kenita B. Matthews, APR
