Operations Unfiltered

Zuryna: Welcome to Operations
Unfiltered, the podcast that

takes you behind the scenes of
influencer and talent management.

I'm your host, Zarina, and on
today's episode, we're diving into

some cultural moments that have
captured my attention this past week.

Buckle up, because we're covering
everything from immigration arrests,

shaking up the culture, to changes
on my favorite WNBA team, the Las

Vegas Aces, and the fallout from
diversity, equity, and inclusion

rollbacks at some major retailers.

Trust me, it's a lot.

So let's get into it.

Let's start with something that's
equally heartbreaking and frustrating.

The recent rise in immigration arrest.

With the new president taking office,
we've seen a rise in high profile

cases involving people being arrested.

And sent back to their home countries.

And while this might seem like it's
happening in a completely different sphere

for marketing, let's not forget how much
of our culture in the marketing world

is influenced by immigrant communities.

Like, think about it, food
trends, fashion, beauty, all of

these industries borrow heavily
from the cultures of immigrants.

and of course Black people.

So when immigrant crackdowns
happen, it's not just a political

issue, it's truly a cultural issue.

And as content creators,
influencers, marketers, we really

have to ask ourselves, how do we
show up for these communities?

How do we ensure their stories and
contributions don't get erased?

What happens when these
voices are silenced?

It's truly something we all
need to think about as we plan

campaigns and partnerships.

All right, we're gonna do a hard shift.

Can we talk about the WNBA for a minute?

Specifically my team, the Las Vegas Aces.

The league's off the season has been wild.

And if you didn't hear, they have traded
Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Honestly, I'm still processing the
fact that Kate Martin isn't gonna

be on the Aces, and now Kelsey Plum
won't be rocking a jersey next season.

I'm heartbroken.

She's been such a crucial part
of our team, from her energy, her

game, and let's be real, she's truly
someone to watch on social media.

But With sad news, there
is some great news.

We are gaining Jewel Lloyd.

Jewel is an absolute superstar.

And her arrival in Vegas is
already shaking things up.

People are already calling her,
Asia, and Chelsea Gray, aka the point

guard, the big three of the WNBA.

Which, low key, is true.

I'm gonna need them to relax
because y'all are leaving Jackie

Young out of this conversation.

Like, excuse me?

Jackie was the team's second leading
scorer last season, so please

put some respect on her name.

The dynamics of this new lineup are
going to be so fascinating to watch.

Jewel brings a unique style of play that
compliments Asia's dominance in the paint.

And of course, Chelsea's, she's
the point guard for a reason.

For brands and marketers, this is
honestly going to be a dream team.

The potential for endorsements
and partnerships is massive.

And I can't wait to see how the
aces capitalize on this star power.

So for all my sports content
creator girlies, take notes.

Storytelling is going to be everything.

So whether you're hyping up a
new team roster or launching

a campaign, Find the narrative
that connects with your audience.

The Ace's story is one of evolution
and resilience, and it's truly

going to be exciting to see how they
write their chapter this season.

Lastly, we need to address the
elephant in the room, and we have to

have that uncomfortable conversation
about the ongoing or proposed

boycott of Target after their
recent rollback of their diversity,

equity, and inclusion initiatives.

So for those of you who haven't
been following, Target recently

announced that they would be rolling
back some of their DEI initiatives.

Target, along with some other
retailers, including Amazon,

Meta, the list goes on and on.

Make sure you hit up Google or
chat GPT for an accurate list

of , who said what, essentially.

So now with the company, Target,
scaling back its DEI efforts, the

repercussions are starting to ripple
out and babes, it's not looking good.

Here's the thing.

When a major retailer like Target
steps back from DEI initiatives, it's

not just a blow to their brand image.

It's a direct hit to Black owned
businesses and the content creators who

rely on partnerships with these companies.

Target has long been a space where smaller
diverse brands could thrive, but by

pulling back on their DEI commitments,
they're not only reducing opportunities

for these businesses, but also signaling
to other major brands that backing away

from inclusion is acceptable and it's not.

For content creators, influencers,
this creates an even bigger challenge.

Many creators, especially those from
marginalized communities, black,

brown, lesbian, transgender, gay, etc.,

etc.,

they've built their platforms around
promoting diversity and inclusion.

So Target's rollback forces
them into a tough position.

. Do they continue to work with the
retailer, potentially risking their

authenticity with their audience?

Or do they walk away from
lucrative deals altogether?

Honestly, this situation highlights
a larger issue within the industry.

Performative allyship.

Yes, I said it.

Clock it.

If brands aren't willing to stand firm
in their commitments to inclusion, what

does that really say about their values?

And for creators and marketers, how
do we navigate these murky waters

while staying true to our own values?

One thing is clear though, these rollbacks
and boycotts are not just isolated events.

They are a part of a larger
conversation about accountability and

authenticity in the business world.

Personally, I think as we move
forward, it's crucial to hold these

brands accountable and to use our
platforms to amplify the voices of

those who are being impacted the most.

And I know it may be hard, but please
listen to these Black owned businesses

when they tell you what they need.

I know it might be easy for you to say,
No, I'm just not gonna support them.

But if the Black owned business is
saying, Please buy my products off

the shelves, Please listen to them.

I'm a corporate project manager.

Logistics is my life.

Project planning is my life.

And know that things do
not happen overnight.

Some of these business owners
have mortgaged their homes to

supply these purchase orders.

It's just not as simple as taking
their stuff off the shelves.

So do with that information what you will.

Spend your black dollars
where you want to spend them.

But please listen to these business
owners when they're asking you

or telling you what they need.

So where do we go from here?

It's standing in solidarity with our
immigrant communities, Keeping an eye on

the WNBA's next big moves or navigating
the complexities of brand partnerships

in the wake of presumed boycotts.

One thing is clear, there's
always more to the story.

Widen your lens, friends.

Thank you so much for tuning into this
week's episode of Operations Unfiltered.

If you enjoyed this episode, don't
forget to subscribe, rate, leave

me a review, and if there's a topic
you'd like me to cover in a future

episode, feel free to reach out.

Until next time, I'm your host,
Zarina, reminding you to stay curious,

stay critical, and keep creating.