Are you successful at reaching your clients, donors, or adopters? We do not have a single audience, and our message has to be directed towards a multitude of individuals if we want to make a difference in the lives of animals. This is not always an easy task, but it is not an impossible one either.

To help us learn the different ways in which we can reach our audience, and the importance of understanding the community in which we live in, Dr. G has invited Mia Navedo-Williams to discuss marketing and communications in multi-cultural environments.

While the first thought, and a main focus of this episode, is individuals with language barriers, cultural diversity is much more than that, and includes socioeconomics, geography, and education. This episode will help you reach out beyond the walls of your clinic and shelter to your community, where you can make the biggest difference.

Please help us by rating and sharing! Together, we make a difference in the lives of animals and the people who care for them.

Mentioned in this episode:

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The Animal Welfare Junction is part of the Keep It Humane Podcast Network. Visit keepithumane.com/podcastnetwork to find us and our amazing animal welfare podcast partners.

Hi, and welcome to the Animal Welfare Junction.

2

This is your host, Dr.

3

G, and our music is written

and produced by Mike Sullivan.

4

Today's guest is a very special

friend of mine from Puerto Rico

5

originally, Mia Nevedo Williams,

VP of Marketing and Communications.

6

Thank you for being here

and welcome to the Junction.

7

Mia Navedo-Williams: Thank

you for having me, Dr.

8

G.

9

DrG: So let's start with what got

you involved in animal sheltering

10

and animal issues and kind of

how your previous experiences

11

brought you to where you are today.

12

Mia Navedo-Williams: Okay.

13

That's like, you know,

opening Pandora's box here.

14

So, um, I will try to make it as brief

as possible, but I think, you know,

15

me by now I'm really bad at brief.

16

Um, so I.

17

Um, like you, um, you know, came

to the U S from Puerto Rico.

18

And when I came here,

I was eight years old.

19

And even though, you know, I had seen

strays, I had seen, um, dogs as pets

20

in Puerto Rico, though, the less so,

um, when I came here and I, I didn't

21

know the language, I didn't have

friends, my family, um, was still

22

back in Puerto Rico, the thing I asked

my parents was, could I have a pet?

23

Specifically, could I have a dog and,

you know, even thinking back on it now,

24

it surprises me because I didn't really

have, you know, a pet in Puerto Rico.

25

I had only seen that and seen that

connection, um, between people and

26

definitely had this empathy towards

the dogs on the street, but not knowing

27

exactly how to make that connection.

28

So, um, my parents definitely gave in.

29

Um, I think they felt a lot of

guilt, um, you know, kind of

30

transplanting me somewhere new.

31

And so I got a dog and I loved this dog.

32

My family loved this dog.

33

Um, I think my mom loved the dog the most.

34

And, um, looking back, you know, when

I was in college, my dog passed away.

35

And at that time I had begun

learning more about animals.

36

Um, I had a roommate that brought in a

cat that, you know, just kind of happened.

37

into our, into our house

and became our pet.

38

And it was then that I started

reflecting on, you know, how

39

I, how we treated our pet.

40

And, you know, we loved our dog, um,

but we didn't spay and neuter him and

41

he lived most of his life outside.

42

And so looking back, I had, I

had tremendous guilt about that.

43

Um, as I went on to, you know, have my

own dogs, it weighed even heavier on me.

44

So when I had the opportunity to

volunteer and, um, I just, you

45

know, just by chance, I don't know.

46

I mean, Mary, maybe it was serendipitous,

but it was like, I became friends with

47

a veterinarian, um, in Kansas city.

48

And I began, um, volunteering

on the weekends, um, to help her

49

just, you know, do everyday things.

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I, I really wanted to learn more.

51

She noticed she was getting an increase

in Spanish speaking population.

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So it was really helpful when I

was there to be able to translate.

53

And that's when I realized that,

you know, we only had 15 minutes

54

with this client sometimes.

55

I mean, You don't have a lot

of time, especially if they're

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coming for a very specific thing.

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And I went all over looking for

information in Spanish, looking

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for something to give them.

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So when they left, they would have

some sort of information to look back

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on, to read about, and potentially,

you know, call us back and ask us.

61

But I couldn't find anything.

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I really could not find anything.

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That was, you know, worthwhile.

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I think I found one page on

the ASPCA site at that time.

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And that's all I had, but I

printed out everything I could.

66

And that's when I realized,

wow, there's a big gap.

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There's a big gap here in, in getting

information to a community that's

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growing and growing around us in

an area that normally we didn't

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see, you know, another language.

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Um, and so I did reach out to a couple

of people, um, locally who were,

71

you know, working within shelters.

72

I.

73

Um, I had gone to, uh, the University

of Missouri, um, and gotten a degree

74

in journalism and just so happened

to, uh, graduate with somebody that

75

actually did go into sheltering.

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And, um, and so I, I talked to him

and I was like, gosh, we really

77

need more Spanish communication.

78

We really need to do more outreach.

79

Um, but I was in the for profit space.

80

Um, I was a single mom and there

was no way I could afford to

81

switch over to animal welfare.

82

And, you know, and do this full time and

I didn't even know how I would even go

83

about connecting to animal welfare right.

84

Since we are in animal welfare, we,

85

I think we assume that it's a very

easy thing to find and it's not.

86

Um, you really have to be looking

for, um, this as an industry.

87

I don't even think many people

realize that it's its own sector

88

and it and its own very big thing.

89

Um, but I did express to friends that,

you know, this was definitely a gap and I

90

went back to my for profit job and at one

point, um, just about four, my gosh, maybe

91

four years ago, um, almost five years ago,

um, I got a call and basically saying, you

92

know, would you be interested in applying

for this role that was at best friends?

93

Um, and it was going to be focused on

multicultural and to me, it just felt

94

like it was, it was the right time, you

know, I had moved, I had gotten married.

95

Um, I was at that point where I

could choose to go into another,

96

um, industry and really do what I, I

was, I think, meant and called to do.

97

And so I, I started at Best Friends.

98

And that's really what kind of

catapulted, um, and really ingrained

99

me and, and, and my desire to stay.

100

Um, and continue to be a voice of

change and a voice of connection,

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um, and a bridge builder, uh, so

that we can do more community work.

102

So in the end, um, I did build a

multicultural team at Best Friends

103

that ended up merging into a commute,

what's called a community team.

104

It was, um, a center of excellence,

and it was really focused on

105

looking at a community and

seeing what their needs were.

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Where were they in terms of

information about animal welfare?

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Um, so that we didn't begin the

conversation about sheltering

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when maybe they didn't even

know what a shelter was, right?

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So what, what steps did we need to take?

110

Um, and what backup?

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And I was very fortunate to have a team

of incredible talent, young talent.

112

Um, that really understood

that understood the concept of

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community of, um, not seeing

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one, you know, just just one audience,

but really, truly understanding

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that the shelter we're working

with in the Rio Grande Valley is

116

going to look very different than

a shelter we're working with in

117

California or Florida or Pennsylvania.

118

Um, so that really made it I

think easier, but it really did.

119

I can't tell you.

120

Um, I really feel like the first

step of my dreams came true just

121

by creating a website in Spanish.

122

Um, because I knew then that someone like

me that was sitting in a vet's office

123

or was sitting looking for information

for their parents to explain certain

124

concepts or to explain heartworms, I knew

that now you could do a Google search

125

and have that information in Spanish.

126

So that was, you know, what seems like

so simple to people, "oh, it's just

127

a website", to me, that was a dream

come true, because that is access.

128

That is information that is tangible,

that you can print out, that you can

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show someone, that you can link to.

130

Um, and that is information

that I didn't have.

131

And it's information now that I

feel that, you know, someone like

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me, a young person that had their

first pet, would have access to that

133

their parents would have access to.

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And because of that could make better

decisions, um, for the family pet.

135

So, um, That's the very long story.

136

And now I am with Humane Rescue Alliance,

um, really focused on, you know, marketing

137

and the public relations that goes

along with an organization that runs

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two very different shelters and two,

um, different communities and also, you

139

know, has a city contract and has the,

um, I think, All of the many things that

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are involved with something like that.

141

So at the end of the day, though, it's,

to me, it's all about building those

142

bridges with your community and continuing

to exhaust myself talking about people.

143

I probably talk more about

people than I do animals.

144

Um, I'm very focused on that because I

feel that change cannot happen without

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embracing our very different communities

and, um, and bringing very important

146

information so that we can all, you

know, make progress in saving lives.

147

DrG: Yeah, we were always talking about,

I mean, and then one of the purposes of

148

this podcast is education and, and getting

the word out about different things.

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Because I think that first, we

don't know what we don't know.

150

And, and that can affect

people significantly, right?

151

It can affect.

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rescues and shelters and

what and what they can do.

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You know, animal shelters are going

through such a crisis with so many

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animals that have nowhere to go.

155

Adoptions are low, you know, intakes are,

they're actually not intaking because they

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have nothing to do with these animals.

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And perhaps some places are losing

contact with the fact that the

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answer for it is that, you know,

we blame people for the problem.

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But that's who is the answer.

160

The people are the answer.

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So we need to figure out how to get

the people involved in this process so

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that we can help the animals, right?

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Mia Navedo-Williams: Absolutely.

164

I think it's very, I mean, I don't know if

this, I think everybody can identify with

165

this particular example where we're very

good at, saying that a group of people is

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one way based on one interaction, right?

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So let's say you have an interaction

with a Hispanic family and you are

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not able to make headway, you're not

able to get the, you know, the good

169

outcome that you were hoping for.

170

Um, if this was your first

interaction, maybe, um, you

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would think, well, I did it.

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I went out.

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I tried to connect and it didn't work.

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I think Hispanics are this way.

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And I think we tend to do that.

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Um, and it's very easy to, um, you

know, stereotype and, you know,

177

stereotypes are based on, you

know, some factual things, right?

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Like you can look at a person and maybe

say, well, you know, he's Hispanic.

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He doesn't know this.

180

I'm not going to approach him or whatever.

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Um, you know, and, and those are big

mistakes because I can't imagine that if

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you're, you have 10 interactions a day,

and one of them happens to be with a

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BIPOC individual, that you've dismissed

the fact that you probably had five

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really bad interactions with, you know,

your, um, you know, your white Community

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members, but for some reason it that's

a little bit more forgiving than when

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you have an interaction with a community

member that you're not as familiar

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with their culture, their language.

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Um, and I think we can make, you

know, these very big assumptions that

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are incorrect and not only that but

really do you a disservice because

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there are people waiting to feel

included, to feel invited, um, and to

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be a part of something that's good.

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But they need for you to meet

them halfway and sometimes they

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need you to meet them all the way.

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It's very, I think, for some reason,

difficult for us to understand

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that newcomers are fearful.

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If you're dealing with an

immigrant community, likely

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they were seeking refuge.

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They were seeking asylum.

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There were things back home that were,

you know, they were fleeing something.

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They, there is trauma there.

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There is absolute trauma there.

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And it's important that we acknowledge

that there's fear on their side.

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There's, you know, trauma

that they're dealing with.

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These people didn't want to

leave their home country.

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I don't know if you, um, well, I'm

sure you know this because I don't

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think you could know any Puerto Rican

family without seeing the flag outside.

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Right?

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Like, um, I have a flag on my car.

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I have a flag, you know,

in my house, in my kitchen.

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And so we have this pride from

the place that we came from.

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And I think no one, you know, grows up

in a country and imagines themselves.

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having to leave it.

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Um, but when things are forcing you,

um, and you come to a new place, it is

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really important that we understand that

there is fear, there is apprehension,

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and there's just a lot of information

that, um, that we need from each other.

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So, you know, um, I like to think of

animal welfare as very much a people

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business, because it will take a lot

of strength and, um, vulnerability

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from our leadership to build these

bridges, because it really starts there.

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It needs to be modeled.

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Um, there needs to be open mindedness,

there needs to be more transparency, we

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need to talk more to each other, work

with each other, and it would be great

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to see nationals working together and,

you know, um, and really including more

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people in the equation and and helping

us inform communities because we we

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need our shelters to have support.

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DrG: I think in both shelters and even

in veterinary medicine and everything,

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we have to understand that there are

different barriers in communicating with

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people and, and it really, realistically,

it goes for everyone, right?

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Because it goes for minorities and

such, but it can even go by differences

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in socioeconomics, but you got to

understand, like, the culture of the

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individuals that you are reaching to.

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Because the culture here where I'm at in

Columbus is going to be different than

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the culture that is in Southern Ohio.

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And it's going to be really

different depending on the, on

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the makeup of that community.

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And then language makes a difference.

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And you know, it, they're not only, how

do you say, being able to understand

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who you're talking to first, it gains

trust, but then second, you can, you

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can transfer that information better.

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I have dealt with individuals that.

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have come to me and I have told them, you

know, I have asked them why, you know,

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like why haven't you spayed your pet?

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Because that's a big myth is that

Hispanic people, for instance, do

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not believe in spay and neuter.

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So I will ask, "Hey, why

haven't you spayed your pet?"

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And they will say, well, because

I don't need to, because she's not

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going to be around other dogs and they

don't understand the health benefits

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of it, but nobody has taken the

time to explain the health benefits

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because of the language barrier.

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So sometimes we have to make that extra

effort to meet people, like you said,

250

meet people where they're at and make

that effort to make sure that our clients

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are understanding what we're giving them,

because if not, who's going to suffer?

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The animals are going to suffer.

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Mia Navedo-Williams: Absolutely.

254

And you know, another point I, we should

probably discuss is the fact that when

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I speak about immigrant communities

or when I speak about multicultural

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communities, I think some people might

think, well, that's not me, right?

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I, I live in St.

258

Louis or, you know, I live in wherever.

259

Um, and the thing that's important

to note is that you are living

260

in a multicultural community.

261

Chances are, I mean, if one in three

Americans is already multicultural, you

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are living in a multicultural community.

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And even if, you know, I'll speak

specifically about, um, an example.

264

I have family in New Jersey.

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Family that's lived there all their lives.

266

Yet, they also speak fluent Spanish.

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They live in a mostly like bilingual

Spanish Puerto Rican neighborhood.

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These folks, you know, they go to Wegmans.

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They go to all of their, um, the

regular places that we're all at.

270

Um, but they still have some beliefs

that are exactly what you just said.

271

Well, I don't need to spay

and neuter because she's never

272

going to leave the house.

273

Um, and I had, you know, my sister,

um, a family member on her, uh,

274

side that her dog had pyometra.

275

And just had no idea, like,

why is this happening?

276

And, you know, and so we began to

have that conversation and what's

277

crazy is that, you know, it happened

to a friend of mine here in St.

278

Louis.

279

Um, and it's like, these folks are

getting the same information, you know,

280

that whatever the general market is or

used to be, um, but the way we think

281

of the general market is getting yet

they are in cultural groups, right?

282

So my friend here was mostly

part of the black community,

283

um, you know, in Ferguson.

284

And so we still gravitate to people

of our culture of similar values.

285

And therefore, there are just some

things that, you know, we're just like,

286

well, my neighbors never, you know,

spayed or neutered, you know, his dog

287

stays on his side, mine stays on mine.

288

Um, so it's important to note

that this is every neighborhood.

289

Um, it's important that we absolutely talk

to the people that are outside our doors.

290

And I think it's even

more than that, right?

291

We always say, yeah, talk to people

and I'm sure every shelter that's

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gone to HSUS or Best Friends or any,

you know, AWA, any conference is used

293

to seeing, you just have to open the

door and get out of your shelter.

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I would take it one step further.

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I think before you even walk out the

door, you really have to examine yourself.

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You really have to become aware

of, you know, your own fear,

297

your own bias, and that's okay.

298

Like.

299

But it's important that you're

aware of yourself, that you go out

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intentionally, that you open that

door and go into the community with

301

the intention of connecting, of

being open, and letting yourself

302

learn, and maybe even make mistakes.

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But it goes, it's not as simple

as, oh well, you know, I'm going

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to go outside, you know, I'm going

to leave the shelter and do this.

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It's, you have to really

be intentional about it.

306

DrG: Yeah, I recently attended the

International Veterinary Social Work

307

Summit, and something that was very

interesting is that, you know, some

308

of the people there that were shelter

individuals were saying, we don't look

309

like the community that we're serving.

310

And that can play a huge impact.

311

And they were just talking

again, like about socioeconomics.

312

Uh, I believe that the place that I

was talking about this, they were in

313

Wisconsin, and they were talking about

how the people that are in the shelter,

314

they're not from rural communities,

but that's who they are serving.

315

So we have to be socially competent.

316

We have to know the people

that we are dealing with.

317

We need to know what they need, but they

also, we need to know what they want.

318

And then we have to put that together

to be able to reach out to them and

319

again, help them and help the animals.

320

But if they don't know what they need,

then they may not know what to ask for.

321

Mia Navedo-Williams: I mean, absolutely.

322

And I think about, there are so many

examples of where there is absolutely,

323

you know, your shelter doesn't

look like your community, but the

324

leadership, the government, um, nothing

looks like the community it serves.

325

Now, sometimes that isn't always because

326

there are some populations that, and

many, I would say, um, there are two

327

things that you steer away from if

you're, you're a new immigrant or

328

you're of a different culture, and

that's politics and the police, right?

329

And very much so when we think

about sheltering or ACOs, um,

330

you know, there are uniforms.

331

And, um, or so, so, so they're still

trying to figure things out, but a lot

332

of people don't run for office because

their home country and the values that

333

they kind of have for themselves and

their family didn't line up with the

334

authority and regime or, you know,

the politics that were happening in

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their home country, they fled that.

336

So there's not this.

337

desire immediately to

become a part of that.

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Um, and so in many cases, it's not just

that, um, that we're not being inclusive.

339

It's that we haven't built enough

bridges to bring information and help

340

them understand, um, what it could mean.

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For their, you know, for their

community, for them to hold an

342

office or for them to become an ACO.

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Um, so yeah, I, I think I, I

was definitely working with, um,

344

shelters in the South that were

white led, but, um, the community

345

was absolutely, predominantly BIPOC.

346

Um, and with the understanding of

your community, um, one of the things

347

that's beautiful about, like, having a

community approach versus this kind of

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national, um, blanket approach is that

349

you have information about how

these groups consume media, right?

350

So, you know, one of the things that we

know offhand that we, that we've always

351

known that we've known since I started in

352

um, is that Hispanics, Latinos, do adopt

technology quicker than any other group.

353

So, you know, when I was working at

Sprint, which is now T Mobile, um,

354

smartphones were being developed, but

they were not being promoted to the

355

Hispanic community because the thought

was, or the stereotype was, well, you

356

know, they likely want a free phone.

357

They likely cannot afford a

smartphone or maybe, you know,

358

maybe, maybe the thought was.

359

They can't afford it and they

probably don't know how to use it.

360

Right.

361

But our competitors, um,

were absolutely on it.

362

Um, and they were already gaining

growth from the Latino market because

363

they understood that Hispanics and

Latinos were using their smartphones.

364

To call home call back home so that again

at the time you paid for long distance.

365

You paid for these, um, larger, more

sophisticated phones, but since they

366

preferred cell phones to a home phone.

367

I mean, they were really the first group

that, you know, cut the cord, so to speak.

368

They never had a cord to begin with.

369

Um, so.

370

When you get to know your community,

you can also learn about how they

371

consume media, which will make your

message even, you know, go even further.

372

So, you know, I, I worked in a community

once where I knew it was a predominantly

373

black community who loved TV.

374

They got all of their information from TV.

375

So, you know, that would have been

the best way to them versus social.

376

Um, and the one thing, though, that

I think worked in all communities

377

was the face to face, the, the

person to person contact because,

378

um, that's what they valued.

379

They valued connection.

380

They did business with friends.

381

Um, and They didn't separate those things.

382

So that connection was really, and

to me is still the most important

383

thing, um, for any business

or, you know, any organization.

384

DrG: So if we have a, if we have a

shelter, let's say, you know, we have a

385

shelter in a relatively small community

and they're, they're struggling, like

386

all shelters are struggling as far as

decreased, decreased adoptions and that

387

kind of stuff, and they want to start

reaching out more to the community.

388

What would you say is their first

step as far as learning about the

389

community that where they live in?

390

Mia Navedo-Williams: I would say the

first thing that you'll want to do is

391

figure out the makeup of your community.

392

So whether that's going online and

googling your zip code and getting the

393

census information, but understanding

what the makeup of your community is

394

and identifying where they gather.

395

Right.

396

So let's say I'm going to

give an example here in St.

397

Louis.

398

We had what was once a community

that was mostly black at one point.

399

Turn into a mostly Latino Hispanic

community, and there was definitely a

400

gathering place there was definitely a

couple of buildings where they felt at

401

home together where there were parties

where there were meetings about, you

402

know, like, finding financial or, you

know, how to become a citizen where

403

they were really holding all of these

information, um, type of community events.

404

And when you know where those places are,

you can begin, I think, that relationship.

405

Go there, um, meet, um, here in St.

406

Louis, it was the library.

407

It was a library in a community.

408

And to know the librarian

is to know the gatekeeper.

409

And so it's always someone different.

410

It may not be a librarian

in your community.

411

You know, it may be a, um, restaurant.

412

Who the business owner is considered

almost a celebrity among that community.

413

And so that's the gatekeeper.

414

Um, but know the makeup of your community

and start to find out where they gather.

415

And I'd say the next step is try to

make one friend, just one friend.

416

And, um, I, I think that's

easier than most people think.

417

, DrG: So once you, once you gather the

information as far as the, the makeup of

418

your community, what are going to be the

ways that we can approach the community?

419

Like what are going to be the

resources that a shelter can

420

use to reach those people?

421

Mia Navedo-Williams: So I would say if

you're just starting out, the information

422

you should go out with is the very basic.

423

So information like what you do,

your address, why you're there.

424

Um, but it's really important

to start out with the basics.

425

I went to a community where

they were really excited to

426

show me like the information

that they had for the community.

427

And when I looked at it,

it was really complicated.

428

It was about TNR and it was like the

process of it and why do it and I was

429

like, oh boy, um, This is too much, right?

430

Like, um, I think it's important

first to assess, you know What

431

are your needs in that community?

432

What do you need to do?

433

Um, and then we'll work back from there.

434

So I wouldn't start right at TNR, right?

435

Even if you have the information

translated, um, into, you know,

436

the language of that community,

it's still very confusing.

437

You have to start at the beginning

by introducing yourself and

438

really inviting them to come See

you to come visit the building.

439

Um, if you have vaccine clinics

nearby or at the building those are

440

fabulous inviting them to things that

are, um, a benefit to them, right?

441

So either it's low cost or it's

free, but I would really start with

442

basic information, basic services,

And if you are able to provide like

443

free services, free vaccines, those

are the places to begin to connect.

444

You have a very, um, engaged audience when

they come to you for, at a vaccine clinic.

445

And so if you have one person that's,

you know, Doing, um, the vaccinating

446

and another one that's just connecting

that's greeting people, right?

447

Really basic connection

points, um, being kind.

448

Smiling, like it is.

449

It is just the basic things

that can take you so far.

450

Don't try to complicate it by going

straight into a TNR conversation.

451

Oh, do you feed community

cats or blah, blah, blah.

452

They will tell you, you know, um,

they will give you that information

453

in the best manner they can.

454

Obviously, if you have somebody

on staff that can speak that

455

particular language, great, but

we're not always going to have that.

456

Um, that language experience until

we meet someone that is bilingual in

457

that community and wants to help you.

458

And those people are out there.

459

Um, there are kids growing up in

these communities that are learning,

460

um, newer things about pets, about,

you know, businesses and, you know,

461

they can be your gateway as well.

462

So really think back to basics.

463

Um, think about even, you know, how to

connect in schools, especially if you're

464

in a small town, um, because, these kids

are learning the language and they are

465

giving the information to their parents.

466

I think a lot of parents that either

don't speak the language or are new here,

467

they delight when their kids

come home with information.

468

And so making sure that there's access

to that information it's fantastic.

469

You don't always have to

have the The knowledge of the

470

language to connect with people.

471

DrG: I like the idea of going to

schools because I have gone to

472

usually really young, um, classes like

kindergarten through about like third

473

grade, because they're the ones that

are really excited to see you, right?

474

Like once you get into high school,

they just kind of, you know,

475

watching their phone and, and

ignoring you or whatever, but the.

476

They're really little kids like they're

very impressionable and they want to

477

learn and they're so excited and they

love animals and you go in and you

478

give them information about, you know,

their, their pets overall health, the

479

important of going to get vaccines,

the same as your parents take you

480

to get your vaccines, the important

of, of taking care of their teeth.

481

And you give them handouts that you

know that the kids are not necessarily

482

going to read those handouts.

483

You give them coloring pages,

but then they take them home

484

and they say, Hey, look, look at

the coloring page that I made.

485

And then they start a

conversation with the parent.

486

And then hopefully that gets the parent

to, to say, Oh, I never thought about,

487

you know, if you're needing this,

and then that can potentially bring

488

them in to, you know, to, to get.

489

preventive care for their animals.

490

Mia Navedo-Williams: Absolutely.

491

I mean, think about it.

492

I mean, I remember when the dentist

came in and showed you the big

493

toothbrush and how you brush your

teeth and how you do these things.

494

And yes, I'm not reading the brochure they

give me afterwards, you know, um, but I

495

brought it home and parents knew about it.

496

And so we did have a discussion

and, um, and so it's really.

497

It's really a way to

begin those conversations.

498

One of the things that, um, I think

a lot of cultures have in common is,

499

um, or at least I know, you know,

when I speak to different ethnicities,

500

um, that are, you know, my friends

that are different ethnicities.

501

We all have this collective mentality.

502

Um, when decisions are made,

they're made for what's best for

503

the entire family, not necessarily

what is best for one individual.

504

So this There's a lot of

collective discussions.

505

There's a lot of, um, engagement in,

you know, what did you learn today?

506

Or, you know, um, and I think

also as I learned new words in

507

English, I was always excited to

like tell my parents, or I would.

508

I was, I feel so bad for doing this, but

I always corrected my mom, uh, because you

509

know, she was learning English at the same

time I was, but she was in her thirties

510

and, um, she would say what time it is.

511

What time it is?

512

And I'm like, do you mean what time is it?

513

Like, is that a question?

514

And it was something that

was really hard for her.

515

And so she'd always be

like, what time it is?

516

And I'm like, mom, it's what time is it?

517

And so we had a lot of moments where

I would, you know, And, you know, give

518

her information or, you know, educator

on how to say different or, you know,

519

conjugating different things in English.

520

Um, so we always have these

opportunities for discussion.

521

And I think, um, we're no matter whether

you're an introvert or extrovert, if

522

you're in a Latino family, you are.

523

required to talk about things.

524

So, um, so I think there are just so many

opportunities where you can, you know,

525

go to the younger ones in the family and

then that message gets up to the adults.

526

So that's, that's

definitely one way to do it.

527

Knowing that the decisions are made by

the parents, that's where you have to also

528

remember that you're going to need to have

some information and it has to be basic

529

information so that they can come along

with the child, um, and, you know, feel

530

more informed so they can make decisions.

531

better decisions for their families.

532

DrG: So we have evaluated our community.

533

We have decided on our messaging on

starting simple and not overwhelming

534

people with too much and about the

importance of face to face meeting.

535

Now, how about social media?

536

How does social media

tie into all of this?

537

Mia Navedo-Williams: I love

social media, first and foremost.

538

Um, I think that, um, all

generations are on there in some way.

539

Um, and so I think social

media is still fantastic.

540

What I would say is, and what we

do, is we ensure we have Things

541

for different audiences, right?

542

You want to know who's

coming to your page.

543

But the way I really think about measuring

how well we're doing on social media

544

and how well we're doing on our website

is seeing how many new follows are we

545

getting from people that, um, you know,

have are not part of our page, right?

546

So how many people are we seeing that

we're adding, that are seeing a reel and

547

are opting in to, you know, follow us.

548

Um, because too often

we just talk in circles.

549

We just talk to each other.

550

We talk to our Followers that

are already following us.

551

We know what they like, right?

552

Um, we know what gets the clicks.

553

And so we just continue in that pattern.

554

But one of the big goals for us

is to continue to add younger

555

people looking at this content.

556

Because those those folks are helping

to make the decision of the animal

557

that's coming in to the home, and

they are absolutely on social media.

558

So having information about adoption,

but not just adoption, like one of the

559

things I'm always strict on is adoption.

560

We want to push adopting from your local

shelter or rescue versus just adoption.

561

Because one of the things I learned

when we did research, um, on Latinos

562

was that, and we already know this,

that adoption is a term that's.

563

used for all kind, all acquisition,

whether you did it at a pet

564

store or you did it at a shelter,

everyone's using the word adoption.

565

But I think even more so Latinos

really felt that they were saving

566

an animal at a pet store, right?

567

So they saw the conditions.

568

They weren't happy with them.

569

Um, but the, the, the response

was, well, I'm going to buy the

570

dog and get it away from this, um,

not realizing obviously that then

571

you're perpetuating, you know, the

whatever's happening on that other side.

572

So, um, I think it's important that

we stay on top of trends, listen to

573

your volunteers, your young ones.

574

Um, if.

575

You know, I loved the fact that, um, our

social media person, um, you know, is in

576

the know of the, the TikTok trends and

all of that, and was able to bring some of

577

that humor, um, and some of those trends

578

into shelter content, so it's about

looking at ways to bring people to

579

your content to bring new people

to your content, consistently

580

asking your followers to, um,

to, to forward the messages.

581

I even ask our volunteer team to ensure

that the volunteers know to share out

582

our content because their contacts are

out in the world and aren't following us.

583

So it's really about how do we get out

of our own loop and bring in more people

584

of all different, you know, age groups.

585

So you have to sometimes.

586

Take a risk.

587

Um, and you know, follow

it a certain trend.

588

Your older audience may totally not

know it'll go over their head, but

589

your younger audience will pick it up.

590

And I think to me, the most

important thing about social media

591

is understanding not everyone gets

served up the content you send out.

592

So it's, You know, all algorithm based.

593

The more engagement you get,

the more it does get shared out.

594

But, you know, you have to get

out of the loop of talking to your

595

followers, um, and really start

thinking about how do you bring in

596

more engagement from others and think

about content that requires engagement.

597

So, everyone, it's, you know,

whatever, "Yappy Friday" um, "please

598

post a picture of your adopted pet

and what he's doing right now."

599

People love that because if

I get an opportunity to show

600

off my pet, I will do it.

601

And so now.

602

Facebook is automatically already seeing,

Oh my God, there's a lot of engagement.

603

I'm going to push this out to more people.

604

And so your reach will go up.

605

Um, it's important to

comment, like your own post.

606

And like, if somebody comments

on your post, comment back, um,

607

that increases engagement as well.

608

So understand that it's not the one

all be all solution to adoption.

609

But it is a way to bring more people

into the fold of animal welfare.

610

So, be open to new ideas, um, try to do

as much engagement content as possible.

611

Keep an upbeat tone.

612

Life is hard.

613

It's really hard right now.

614

It's very difficult to maintain

positivity with politics.

615

With, you know, what's happening

in schools, there's a lot of bad

616

news and bad news weighs on people.

617

Don't have your posts become

the additional bad news,

618

which will turn people off.

619

So, try to keep an upbeat voice.

620

Try to bring people along in the journey.

621

But I would say the best advice

is maintain that positivity and

622

maintain that open mind to really go

a little extra, um, in your content

623

and know that social is part of your

media mix, not your entire solution.

624

DrG: Yeah, because some people,

especially in rural communities

625

and some underserved communities,

they may not have social media.

626

They may not have Wi Fi at home.

627

Like we, we don't even think

about that being a possibility.

628

I, we, we call people sometimes

and they have a landline.

629

Like what is that?

630

Right.

631

Like people don't know

that that even exists.

632

Yet, that is the reality of some of our

clients, of some of our community members.

633

So they are being left out if

we are only approaching one,

634

one thing.

635

As you say, you know, like social

media is going to approach a lot of

636

different people, but that person that

has a landline, that person is probably

637

the one that you need to reach at the

library, the person that you need to

638

reach at some community center, at the

Y, you know, because that's going to

639

be their, their focus of engagement.

640

The other thing that you said

that resonates is that I really

641

hate when on social media, you

get some of these groups that are

642

constantly posting and everything is.

643

death row.

644

This dog's gonna be killed tomorrow.

645

This dog's gonna be

killed if nobody gets it.

646

This is ridiculous that this is

happening and that kind of stuff.

647

And I'm not saying that we should

not speak for those animals

648

because definitely we have to

get their information out there.

649

We have to let people know that

this is the reality of shelters

650

and animals unfortunately and

sadly are dying in shelters.

651

But when every single thing you put out is

depressing, people are just gonna unfollow

652

you because they don't want to see that.

653

They don't want to see

all the depressing stuff.

654

One of the things that, that I do is

when I have a case that, that is kind

655

of sad, like we, we get a dog and

it's been hit by a car or, you know, a

656

kitten with a, ruptured eye or something

like that, I will take pictures.

657

I will take that story, but I'm also

going to wait until the story unfolds

658

and I have a happy ending so that then

I can tell people, look at how this

659

poor kitten came in, but look, there's

a light at the end of the tunnel.

660

We have a happy ending here.

661

And then that makes, you know, that, that,

those are the tear jerker moments because

662

you look at the positivity that happened.

663

And in my experience, that

helps draw more, more viewers.

664

And in the case of shelters that may

help bring in more donations because

665

you're saying look at look at the great

things that we're doing with the help

666

that you're giving us and this cat this

dog is in a better place because of you.

667

Mia Navedo-Williams: I think that's a

fantastic approach because I'm the same.

668

I see often too many graphic

images, but as it happens, which

669

can be really anxiety inducing.

670

And, um, very much, I think,

a detriment to your brand.

671

Um, because then it becomes, like

you said, almost like a rhythm.

672

So it worked one time.

673

So you continue to do it.

674

But over time that wears on your audience.

675

And yes, you will just stop seeing

those posts or opt out of those posts,

676

because it's very difficult to be in

fight or flight mode consistently when

677

you're looking at shelter content.

678

So I'd say we're really similar in

that, um, you know, we had, we had

679

a case, um, We still we have a case

currently where a dog was shot.

680

Um, luckily this prognosis is amazing.

681

He's, you know, um, going

home probably this week, you

682

know, amazing things, right?

683

The dog strayed from home, comes back two

days later and they noticed that he's got

684

like, Like what looks like a gunshot wound

between his eyes, but it has not touched

685

that that gunshot did not touch any of

the, you know, the life altering tissue,

686

um, and the dog really made it home.

687

There was they were able to

pull the bullet out and he

688

has, he's got a great recovery.

689

And now.

690

We talk about it because we want to find

what happened to this dog and likely will

691

need to Find a way to pay for the care of

that dog For all of the medical and the

692

overnights that they did an emergency.

693

So I think that's a great

way to stay positive.

694

Um, and definitely I know that

there are some that say, you

695

know, here's our last chance list.

696

Um, I'm, I'm really torn in that,

um, because I think there are some,

697

um, organizations that are taking, I

think, a more positive approach to it.

698

Like here, we know we have these dogs.

699

Space is the only issue we have here.

700

Um, you know, if we can get these dogs

into foster, if we can get them adopted,

701

but, you know, and I think they're

using better names than, you know,

702

last chance or, you know, kill list.

703

Um, oh boy, that word just really.

704

Um, bugs the heck out of me.

705

But, um, I think it's It's important

to have a variety of content, not

706

get stuck in the doom and gloom

707

um, even if we feel it on the daily basis.

708

That is not how to bring

people in to help you.

709

Um, so it's really important to,

to find some positivity and bring

710

people to aid and be part of the

solution versus continuing to just

711

add anxiety to people's feeds.

712

But you're right, you know that when I

talked about that library, um, at that

713

library, the reason it is the gathering

point is because you have access to WiFi.

714

At the library, and when they were

laying like the, the what you need

715

for like Google fiber and all of that,

they didn't do it in that neighborhood.

716

Right.

717

But the library has it.

718

So it does become the

gathering point after school.

719

So you can have access to Wi Fi.

720

So yeah, that's why it's important

that you know where people gather

721

more than just social because your

community is probably not going

722

to be on social all the time.

723

DrG: And there are some people that

because of all of the negativity in

724

social media, they're little by little

getting away from it or only doing things

725

like like Snapchat or Instagram or, you

know, that kind of stuff because they

726

don't want to read all this, all this

stuff, they just want to see a picture

727

and kind of feed off that picture.

728

So, you know, we have to be,

we have to be able to approach.

729

A lot of different individuals that

may be getting away from social media.

730

So that brings me up to most

people have email addresses.

731

So how beneficial is it to create an e

newsletter for different organizations?

732

Mia Navedo-Williams: Um, I find

that I think e newsletters are

733

great as long as you keep it

brief and, um, use visuals, right?

734

So, um, if it's too text

heavy, it's just too much.

735

Like you said, there's a lot of competing.

736

Your, your audience is

getting thrown things at them.

737

I mean, if you're on Facebook

these days, you can see that even

738

everything has changed on Facebook.

739

You get more ads than you actually get.

740

Your friends content.

741

So people are becoming more

like, Oh, this is enough.

742

You know, let's just keep scrolling.

743

Keep scrolling.

744

Um, so I think if you do a newsletter,

having some visuals, but making it short

745

and sweet, you know, understand, like,

the action that you want is to stay,

746

have them stay in the know, have them

continue to, you know, engage in some way.

747

They're not going to click on everything.

748

They're not going to read everything.

749

But if you can find out what

they did read or that even they

750

opened it, that's important.

751

So I think newsletters are very valid.

752

I think if you can also, you know,

if you have the opportunity to make a

753

Spanish newsletter, if you have a Spanish

speaking audience, that's fantastic

754

because chances are they're not getting

a ton of content in their own language.

755

Um, so when they do, it's like,

ah, I want to read it, right?

756

Like I speak, you know, just

like you, we speak predominantly

757

English in our daily lives.

758

Um, but tell me you don't do a

double take when you see an ad in

759

Spanish and it's because they're

speaking to our heart language.

760

They're speaking to our

family language and that.

761

Has draw that has a lot of motion for us.

762

So when you can do that, you automatically

grab more attention than the other

763

emails that are in that inbox.

764

DrG: And then I guess finally,

the, some, some rescues and

765

shelters just for, for a website.

766

They just utilize things like

the free sites from Petfinder

767

and that kind of stuff.

768

And I feel like they're not able to

tell the story and they're not able

769

to really say what's in the shelter,

what sets them apart and showcase

770

their animals in an inviting way.

771

I know that I.

772

I just kind of cringe when somebody

gives me a website and I go in and it's

773

just some kind of like AI formulated,

you know, generic site landing page.

774

So how important is the website and

what are the things that they should

775

include in that website to, to engage,

not just the one time engagement, but

776

perhaps to keep people coming back to it.

777

Mia Navedo-Williams: I think the way

to keep people coming back to it is

778

to link to the places of your site

that you want people to look at.

779

First of all, you don't need a

difficult or complex, um, website.

780

You don't need to, um,

781

Every, I have to say, like, I'm,

I'm speaking from experience

782

because right now I'm not happy.

783

with our website, um, because I think it

needs to be a lot simpler and you have to

784

have a strategy in terms of what content

you want for people to look at, right?

785

So one of the things I Um, and that is

something that I suggest my team do.

786

So anytime we have a social, let's

say the social is about transports,

787

and we want people to donate

to a certain transport, right?

788

So I always provide the link to that page.

789

So people, so they don't

have to read the whole thing.

790

We can just gauge.

791

Do they want this content?

792

And then do they visit the site?

793

And at the end of the month, you can

look over your Google Analytics and

794

see where people are coming from, what

they're doing on the site, um, and

795

that leads you to formulate kind of the

strategy you want based on the goals

796

that you have, um, for the organization.

797

So, you know, are people

coming direct to the site?

798

Are they coming from a link?

799

Um, or is it, you know, are

they coming from another site?

800

Right?

801

So, um, to me, it's about making

your, um, your website simple.

802

Not throwing everything at once.

803

Cause I know there are all these

stakeholders and they think their

804

program needs the most, and this program

needs the most, it's important that you

805

understand what your strategy is for your

organization, build the website in that

806

manner, keeping it simple, knowing that

807

it's not supposed to be everything.

808

It's supposed to be enough to get

people to act on something, right?

809

Make any forms that you have easy, simple.

810

If you're going to become, you

know, a volunteer, it should

811

just be a very simple form.

812

Then follow up, um, with an

email or another communication.

813

But it shouldn't be how

you conduct business.

814

Because at the end of the day,

people do want other people.

815

They want to talk to somebody.

816

They have questions.

817

Provide an email address.

818

Not just a link.

819

So I get that you may not have

enough bandwidth, and you can set

820

expectations on a website or on an email.

821

But it's important that you don't

see your website as the sole source

822

marketing information element.

823

It really should be a simple breakdown.

824

Use simple language.

825

Um, Stay away from a

lot of paws and effect.

826

P A W S.

827

Um, check out our pawsibilities.

828

P A W S.

829

Really try to stay as simple as

possible because if they're linking

830

or if they're clicking on a language

switch, those things do not translate.

831

So you could lose meaning.

832

So, use the play on words for social

or for big events, where you can

833

be, have some fun and try to find

what the fun might be on the other

834

language side, but there's not always

a fun on other in other languages.

835

So I would just kind of,

um, avoid it altogether.

836

DrG: I think that we have given our

audience a lot of information to,

837

to digest, but I think that these

are, these are necessary steps for

838

getting the information out there.

839

And as you mentioned, for getting,

for reaching out the people that are

840

taking care of the animals, so that

then the animals can be taken care

841

of, you know, we're not going to

adopt our way out of this problem.

842

The shelters cannot kill

their way out of this problem.

843

The intake problem needs to stop.

844

The overpopulation problem needs to stop.

845

So we need to come together and figure

out how to utilize all our resources

846

to get the information that needs to.

847

To be given out, educate the community,

educate the public, getting it, get

848

them engaged, and then have everybody,

everybody work together for the animal.

849

Mia Navedo-Williams:

Yeah, absolutely agree.

850

And feel free to, like, I talked

a lot, so feel free to snip and

851

cut and do whatever you need to.

852

Um, because I feel like I can talk

forever about this issue, but for

853

me, it just, it really comes down to.

854

Imagining for yourself, bridge building,

imagine yourself as a bridge builder

855

and understand that all of this work is

truly about connection and belonging.

856

It's all about that.

857

Um, and that it's an inside out job like

we cannot, we have to change ourselves.

858

In order to be able to come out

to the community in an open way.

859

And I think so many of us are stuck,

um, or our leadership is stuck.

860

Um, and, and those are big issues

that we need to look at seriously.

861

And the importance of mentorship, right?

862

Um, I think about a lot of our content,

even at these national conferences.

863

Is so similar, and it's the same

groups coming back to hear it.

864

A lot of the groups that need

the information cannot afford

865

to come to these conferences.

866

So we need to figure out how

to reach out to them, right?

867

How to provide mentorship if they want it.

868

Um, but we have to do that in

a way that's about connecting.

869

And that's about, um, you know, integrity.

870

Right?

871

And knowing that progress is slow.

872

I mean, progress is slow.

873

And, um, it's not gonna happen

in a year, in two years.

874

Please don't set goals like

that because, you know, we don't

875

know what's going to happen.

876

Um, and people turn over a lot.

877

So it's just important that you,

I think, extend yourself whenever

878

you can, to whoever you can.

879

And We will progress, but it takes time.

880

It takes time.

881

DrG: Well, thank you so much for

the work that you're doing and for

882

sharing your story and for sharing

all this important information.

883

Hopefully again, some of our, some of

our audience that are, that work in

884

shelters and in rescue can take, even

if they can take one thing and run with

885

it, then that's going to help improve

the life of the animals in the shelter

886

and the lives of the individuals that

are working in that shelter as well.

887

So I hope, you know, Yeah.

888

Say something.

889

Mia Navedo-Williams: Well,

yeah, I want to say something

890

because, um, I'm so proud of you.

891

Um, I'm really proud of you when I met

you through LinkedIn, I think because

892

we had a mutual friend, um, I was just

so impressed by the work that you do.

893

Not only that you're Boricua, because

I absolutely love you for that, um,

894

and I love that we, that we both come

from the same island, um, but to see

895

how much you've done.

896

Um, and the risks that

you've taken for the animals.

897

Um, just knowing I how much you've

gone through the changes that

898

you yourself have gone through.

899

Um, and to be such an agent of change.

900

Um, I'm so proud of you, Dr.

901

G like, really, I'm, I feel

really humbled to know you.

902

Um, and I hope that we can be side

by side in Puerto Rico someday.

903

DrG: Thank you

904

so much.

905

I'm horrible at taking compliments,

so I will do my best to say thank you.

906

That's it.

907

That's the introvert in me.

908

I don't know how to handle it.

909

But no, I really appreciate you

saying that, you know, it's a matter

910

of, of knowing, of knowing what

you want to do and not letting any

911

kind of obstacles come in your way.

912

You know, you fail and that's okay.

913

You just figure it out and then, you

know, go on to the next thing until

914

you find the one that doesn't fail.

915

Just don't give up.

916

Mia Navedo-Williams: Absolutely.

917

Don't give up.

918

DrG: So thank you so much for being here.

919

And for everybody who's

listening, thank you for listening

920

and thank you for caring.

921

Mia Navedo-Williams:

Thank you for having me.