Komen for the Cure: A model for getting a message out to diverse publics

By: Simone Fraid

The Susan G. Komen foundation, now known as Komen for the Cure, is a wonderful non-profit organization that serves the cause of breast cancer awareness well. I have had personal experience with this organization over the years; I have walked in the Race for the Cure, I have volunteered at the Race, and I worked as the OU Undergraduate Intern for Komen for the Cure for a few months last year. They are always eager to spread their message to anyone who will hear it.

Breast cancer affects many different populations, not just the 45 year-old woman many people picture. On their web site, Komen lists certain risk factors and statistics for different groups.

Some of these categories are probably very surprising to people. For example, people often don’t think about men getting breast cancer, or the fact that a lesbian sexual orientation can be a risk factor for breast cancer. Komen works hard to make sure that people aware of the many diverse risk factors in order to properly.

The diverse audience of Komen’s message is reflected aptly in its range of publications. Brochures, Breast Self Exam Cards, flyers and more are printed in different languages, and are specific to different groups. It is interesting to note that they even have publications for couples with advice on how to get through breast cancer together. Also interesting is the fact that they have BSE cards in Arabic, Hindi, and Russian- languages not typically covered by organizations trying to do typical diversity outreach.

With as important of a cause as breast cancer is, it is wonderful that Komen has done so much to reach out to so many. It is fitting that an organization fighting a cancer that affects so many would mirror that in its publicity and messages for so many.

Here is a great example of a targeted effort by Komen.

Independent Living Services in Need for a Change

Independent Living Services in Need for a Change

Morgan Byram

Norman Oklahoma's Independent Living Services for the Youth program, (ILSY) created in the early 1900s strives to "empower high school students in family crisis to pursue education without obstacles," as acknowledged by their mission statement. ILSY is funded by rental income, grants, donations, and United Way of Norman. ILSY provides services for around 110 students per year, and houses 20 students per semester.

Team Purple has conducted research and analyzed current data on independent living services throughout the United States and looked into organizations like ILSY in the Oklahoma community. Many current independent living services throughout the U.S., focus more on disabled or juvenile delinquent youth. There is not a lot of websites or articles that directly pertain to the ILSY organization. We found from online resources, the homeless population of teens is often overlooked. One program, the CHRIS Kids organization focused on foster care and juvenile systems, but did provide supervised housing like ILSY currently does. Another program found in the area is, The University of Oklahoma National Resource Center for Youth Services works with the Oklahoma Department for Human Services, Children and Family Division providing assistance to youth, foster parents, and also child welfare workers. The program works to promote planning of youth's future, but does not have the same offerings as ILSY. From our background research we came to a consensus of the increased need for awareness of youth services. Many of the organizations are not highly recognized because of their security issues and also attitudes and behavior of the community towards independent living youth organizations.

We received a triangulation of data by performing an observation, survey and a focus group of our internal publics of the ILSY organization: alumni, students, board members, staff and volunteers. We found the need for a new name allowing ILSY to be acknowledged more in the surrounding area. From our survey we found the need for a catchy name that did not necessarily state what the organization was in the name. We also held a focus group with our internal publics, and received similar results and name suggestions for the organization. 

Team Purple wants to increase the overall awareness of the current ILSY organization and help the organization obtain a new name. We want to promote a positive image and create excitement and optimistic attitudes internally throughout the organization on the new changes being made. From our research, I feel certain that a new name will help ILSY grow into one of the top independent living services in the community. The increase in awareness at the end of our campaign will generate an increase in volunteers and donation and hep gain positive news in the media. Awareness events I feel are a key element to a successful business. 

Independent Living Services-http://www.indliving.org

CHS- Corporation for Supportive Housing - http://www.chs.org

CHRIS Kids- http://www.chriskids.org/programsilp.html

NRCYS- http://nrcys.ou.edu/programs/okil.shtml

OAYS- http://www.oays.org

Morgan Byram