What happens when women stop waiting for the communications industry to define leadership for them and begin shaping it on their own terms?
That question sat at the center of a dynamic conversation between Sabrina Browne, co-chair of the PRSA Black Voices Affinity Group, and Fatou Barry, founder and CEO of The PR Girl Manifesto, during PRSA ICON 2026 in Orlando, Fla.
Their session, “The Power of Presence: Women Defining the Future of PR,” on Oct. 19, brought together two Black women whose careers reflect different paths through the profession. Browne has built her career counseling leaders and brands at major global organizations while developing a national platform through her leadership in the industry. Barry turned an idea for connecting women in communications into The PR Girl Manifesto, a growing community that has created space for networking, professional development and opportunity.
Together, they explored what women are building across communications, how culture and community are influencing the profession, and the choices that allow women to develop careers grounded in confidence, clarity and purpose.
Building the Spaces You Want to See
Barry shared the story behind The PR Girl Manifesto and the experience of building a platform centered on access, visibility and community. The conversation examined entrepreneurship as both a professional path and an opportunity to respond to needs that traditional industry structures have not always addressed.
Her experience also opened a broader conversation about the value of relationships. Networks can introduce an opportunity, but strong communities can sustain careers through promotions, pivots, entrepreneurship and the inevitable uncertainty that comes with professional growth.
Presence With Purpose
Browne brought the conversation inside the rooms where communications leaders increasingly advise executives, navigate reputational issues and influence business decisions. She reflected on the importance of developing the judgment and confidence to contribute meaningfully in those environments while remaining connected to the experiences and values that shape how we lead.
For women of color in particular, presence can carry additional layers. Visibility creates opportunity, but visibility without support, sponsorship, and meaningful access to decision-making has limits.
Browne and Barry also discussed the importance of knowing when to advocate for yourself, when to create your own opportunity and how to build relationships with people who will speak your name in rooms you have yet to enter.
Women Are Already Shaping What Comes Next
The conversation ultimately turned toward the future and the influence women already hold across public relations.
Women are building agencies and communities. They are leading corporate communications functions, advising CEOs, developing emerging talent and creating new models for how communications professionals connect. For the next generation watching these shifts, the possibilities for a career in PR continue to expand.
Browne and Barry encouraged attendees to consider the role they can play in that evolution, particularly leaders with the authority to hire, sponsor, promote and invest in talent.
The session closed with a challenge that extended beyond the women on stage. Leadership creates the greatest impact when it also creates opportunity for someone else.
For the women shaping the future of communications, presence can open the door. What they build, change and make possible once they enter the room will define the legacy they leave behind.
Photos by Albert Chau
