By Antonice Strickland, VP of PR & Business Development, 98Forward
When Detroit made history by electing Council President Mary Sheffield as its first woman mayor, it was more than a political milestone. It was a defining moment for leadership, representation, and power.
But behind that historic victory was another story worth telling: A locally based, Black-owned PR agency led the communications that helped make it happen.
That agency is 98Forward, Michigan’s longest-standing Black-owned, woman-led, full-service PR, marketing, and strategic communications firm, owned by Marilyn Horn. For nearly 30 years, we’ve operated in boardrooms, briefing rooms, and newsrooms, where our presence was questioned, our expertise underestimated, and our firm labeled “niche” instead of fully capable. Yet through it all, we’ve continued to lead, to deliver, and to build a legacy of impact that extends far beyond Detroit.
For Black and Brown professionals in public relations and communications, the idea that we must be “twice as good to get half as far” isn’t a cliché — it’s a reality. Many of us have worked twice as hard throughout our careers and in spaces that still underestimate our value. And yet, we’re still here. Still building. Still rising.
At 98Forward — formerly known as Berg Muirhead & Associates, which was founded by PRSA Hall of Fame Inductee and PR legend Georgella Muirhead and legendary press secretary to Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young and Governor William Milliken, Bob Berg — we’ve guided presidential visits, led civic and corporate campaigns, managed crises, and built strategies that influence policy and public opinion. Our work spans sectors from business and government to philanthropy, nonprofit, and hospitality. We are rooted locally, but we move nationally and globally.
So when journalist Roland Martin posted in 2023 that he wanted to see a “major Black-owned PR firm that doesn’t just focus on entertainment,” his words struck a chord. Not in frustration, but in reflection. Because while his sentiment was valid, the omission was revealing.
Full-service Black-owned PR firms do exist outside of entertainment. Many have been quietly operating at scale, leading campaigns with the same strategic sophistication as their local and national counterparts, just without the same spotlight.
The public relations industry is far from a niche space. In fact, the U.S. PR market is valued at roughly $24.5 billion as of 2025, according to IBISWorld. It’s a sprawling, competitive industry that shapes public perception, influences markets, and drives major business outcomes. Yet, within this multibillion-dollar sector, Black-owned PR firms remain underrepresented, too often viewed as community specialists instead of strategic partners. The truth is, we are not side players in a niche market. We are leaders in a national industry — and it’s time the industry began treating us that way.
Too often, Black-owned firms are brought in late, when diversity becomes a checkbox or when community trust is suddenly and rapidly required. But the best work happens when relationships are built before the crisis, before the campaign, before the RFP.
This can either be a foundational strategic practice, or a hard lesson. To quote our co-founders: “The best time to make a friend is before you need one.”
That wisdom applies to our industry now more than ever. Strategic communications must be rooted in trust and built on genuine partnership, not convenience. When corporations, philanthropic institutions and government agencies engage not only Black-owned PR firms but local PR firms early and equitably, the results are more authentic and they’re more effective.
It’s time to recalibrate how the industry views and values Black-owned PR agencies. We are not “alternatives.” We are innovators, thought leaders, and strategic powerhouses. We bring cultural fluency, narrative intelligence, out-the-box creativity, and community trust — assets that global firms often spend millions trying to replicate.
And in Detroit, we just proved it.
Mary Sheffield’s historic win was powered by strategy, storytelling, and community connection. A Black-owned PR agency helped her make history and, in doing so, we made a point that resonates nationally: Representation in leadership matters just as much as representation in strategy.
To my colleagues across industries, in media, philanthropy, business, and government, this is your call to action. Find a partner before you need one. Build trust, share opportunities, and recognize the capacity that already exists in this field.
To my peers in PR, especially Black and Brown professionals building firms across the country: let’s connect, collaborate, and scale together. The next chapter of this industry won’t be written in silos, but in shared strategy and collective strength.
And to Roland Martin, whose advocacy and truth-telling I deeply respect, we are that Black-owned firm, and we do this work. From entertainment, government, nonprofits, events, and everything in-between. I extend this message with clarity and invitation: We are here. Let’s work together to move this conversation, and this industry, forward.
Because the point isn’t just that we deserve a seat at the table. It’s that we’ve already built the table and proven we can deliver.
Detroit has always been a city of firsts; a place that redefines what’s possible. And as we continue to rise, we’re showing the world what happens when excellence, equity, and execution align.
We’ve earned it. We’ve built it. And, when given the opportunity, we rise, we lead, and we get it done.
Antonice J. Strickland is the Vice President of Public Relations and Business Development at 98Forward. She is an award-winning public relations strategist with nearly 15 years of experience spanning politics, government, nonprofit, entertainment, and corporate sectors.
Antonice has led local and national campaigns and secured coverage in top-tier outlets nationally. She holds a Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University.
She currently serves as President-Elect of Public Relations Society of America Detroit, is a Committee Member of The Recording Academy, and formerly served as President of the National Black Public Relations Society, Washington, D.C. Chapter.
