Debbie Ebalobo- the True Diversity Advocate

Imagine that you walk into a room filled with 300 people and everyone in the room is wearing white. You, however, stick out like a sore thumb because you chose to wear purple that day. Would you be delighted with your bold uniqueness? Or would you start to feel a little uncomfortable when you realize that no one else in the room seems to be like you?

This is the reality that so many minority students face here at the University of Georgia and one particular student saw the need to change it. Debbie Ebalobo came to the University as the first person in her entire family to go to college. A Filipino-Scottish American, she quickly noticed the lack of diversity on campus and decided to participate in the Filipino American Student Association. From there she began attending seminars and conferences on diversity to see what she could do to make a change on campus. She then went on to join an Asian-Interest Sorority, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority Inc., and later to become president of the Asian American Student Association on campus.



But Ebalobo did not stop there with her work in diversity. When she changed her major from environmental sciences to public relations, she noticed a dire need for more diversity within Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications. So she founded two distinct diversity committees- one within the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and a student diversity committee with Grady College itself. Although Ebalobo knew that she wanted to increase the amount of minorities within Grady College and PRSSA, she never set a clear definition of what diversity was or should be for the college or for anyone.

“I know that I am leaving soon when I graduate, so my focus is developing others to make an impact at UGA. Diversity cannot be defined and should not be defined--I want others to partake in conversations,”said Ebalobo.

In May 2008, Ebalobo began a blog about her passion, called Diversified PR: 'A blog dedicated to the public relations efforts to increase diversity in the industry.' On her blog, she writes about various definitions of diversity, her experience with the subject, and what it means to be Asian American.

On an August 23, 2009 blog post, Ebalobo vented some of her frustrations with the usual conversation about diversity on a post called ‘What is Diversity’:

“I don't know if I am being arrogant, but I don't believe in an entire discussion about this question. It's archaic and a waste of time. It becomes a frilly mess. It becomes ‘I remember this time when...’ Everyone claps. People cry. That is it. The end. Um, what did that accomplish? Nothing. Go past the diversity pow-wows and add something new”

Ebalobo plans to one day work in a PR agency after graduation and ultimately she hopes to one day return to University and teach public relations. Ebalobo’s work continues to make changes on campus as new members are added each year to the committees she has founded, as she continues to blog for change and simply through her living example.

As Ebalobo herself puts it,“There is no sugar coating it, but I see a chance to make a change. I'm here so more people of different backgrounds can come to enjoy being a DAWG in the future.”