A look at the people and culture news from PR Newswire in January and February that you might have missed.

 

 

By Matt Harp | Published March 12, 2024

 

Throughout January and February, PR Newswire distributed more than 2,000 people and culture-related press releases. Some of this news revolved around designated months and events celebrating diverse groups of people and cultures. While tracking the news, our team noticed recurring trends tied to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, and veterans.

Let’s take a closer look at these trends and some of the additional newsworthy stories from January and February.

Popular People & Culture Releases

These were some of the most-viewed people and culture-related releases over the past two months:

• Ho-Chunk, Inc. released a study on American Indian economic and social change. It describes a growing middle class on the rural Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska, despite Great Plains tribes being among the poorest in the nation.
• Milk, the original performance beverage, proudly announced Every Woman’s Marathon, the only U.S. marathon designed by and for women. Scheduled for November 16, 2024, in Savannah, Georgia, this monumental event marks a new chapter in Milk’s commitment to supporting women – creating not only a race but a movement.
• WellBe Senior Medical, an in-home value-based care provider to the Medicare Advantage population, announced an investment from CVS Health Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of CVS Health. WellBe operates in seven states, has over 107,000 Medicare Advantage members and over $2 billion in premium under management. This strategic partnership and investment will help to accelerate WellBe’s national expansion.
• Larry Adams and Whoopi Goldberg launched BLKFAM, creating the first and only Black-owned, Black-focused family streaming platform. BLKFAM entertains, educates, and celebrates Black American family-friendly content, sharing authentic, inclusive stories incorporating radical diversity, equity, inclusion and empowerment, with compelling original series, animation, syndicated shows, documentaries and more.

 

People & Culture News Trends

These are a few of the trends we noticed among people and culture-related press releases in January and February, with a few examples of each.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

On Nov. 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, designating the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King’s legacy of working towards a more just and equitable world is an important initiative many organizations value.

In all, nearly 50 releases from January and February were related to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Here are some examples:

• The 13th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest, hosted by Hormel Foods, celebrated its three winners, who were asked to write an essay with the theme, “What Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Means to Me.” The nationwide competition promotes the value and importance of cultural differences and provides a platform for celebrating diversity.
• Coral Reef Montessori Academy marked a significant milestone by hosting its 15th annual Peace and Social Justice March and Assembly on Jan. 31, 2024. More than 570 students walked to Honor the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and commemorate the peace education philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori.
• Langco + Partners announced that filmmaker, professor and folklorist Dr. Kern Jackson was honored by the Port City Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) with its “Community Service Award” at the organization’s 34th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Jan. 15 for his work as co-writer and co-producer of the award-winning film “Descendant.”

Black History Month

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history. According to the US Census, 13.6 % of the national population identify as Black or African American.

Black History Month-related news accounted for nearly 100 releases during January and February. Here are some to spotlight:

• In Celebration of Black History Month, Hyundai proudly honored the African American community through a comprehensive program comprising philanthropic initiatives, community-based support and sponsorships. The initiative included a $25,000 donation to Howard University’s HBCU-Africa Correspondents Corps Program, financial support to Black-owned local businesses, and sponsorship of Pandora’s Celebration of Black Creativity in the Arts in New York.
• The Los Angeles Rams and non-profit partners It’s Bigger Than Us and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank provided roughly 800 families and individuals of Leimert Park and its surrounding communities food and essential resources for a special farmer’s market-style distribution empowering attendees to choose their food items.
• Pronghorn introduced the #AllBlackBar platform to amplify Black-owned spirits brands to consumers. The initiative highlights Pronghorn’s commitment to diversifying the spirits industry with cultural disruptors through its physical showcase of Black-owned tequila, vodka, bourbon and more.

Veterans

Today, there are more than 18 million living veterans in the U.S., representing about 6% of the country’s adult population. Veterans who served in the last 30 years make up the largest number of living veterans, making the initiatives and resources available to this ever-changing demographic of people important, serving them as they have served us.

Over 100 releases from January and February were related to veteran topics. Here are a few you might have missed:

• Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix) announced that the national nonprofit organization has distributed 20+ million free event tickets to our nation’s heroes in cities across America. Vet Tix works with nearly every MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL, NCAA and minor league team, along with NASCAR.
• Helping a Hero, a non-profit providing support for military personnel severely injured in the war on terror, Bass Pro Shops and Lennar, one of the nation’s leading homebuilders, held a ceremony to welcome Retired US, Corporal Corey Dingman to his new adapted Lennar home. Dingman, who was wounded in the line of duty, received a Trevi floorplan encompassing 1,943 square feet with four bedrooms, three bathrooms and spacious family gathering areas.
• Sport Clips announced on Jan. 24 a donation of $1.3 million for VFW Help A Hero Scholarships for veterans, offering service members and veterans support for education often needed in post-military careers. The donation event was held at VFW Post 7397 in Lenexa, Kansas, and marks the eighth year of donating more than $1 million to the Sport Clips VFW Help A Hero Scholarship program.

Looking Ahead

With Women’s History Month and National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month coming up in March, and Celebrate Diversity Month and Easter coming up in April, there will be plenty of upcoming news in the people and culture space to watch.

We’ll continue tracking the headlines to bring you the top stories in People & Culture!

 

About the Author

Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Matt Harp has been working at PR Newswire as a Customer Content Specialist since 2017. In his free time, he enjoys sports and exploring the outdoors as much as possible.