We Find Ourselves - David Clarke - Lead Communications Manager, Oh Hello, a The Big Smoke Media Group Company #243

Empowering Authenticity: David Clarke's Journey on The Us People Podcast

In the Season 5 episode of The Us People Podcast, host Savia Rocks engages in an empowering conversation with David Clarke, a seasoned communications strategist. David shares his inspiring journey, discussing his challenging upbringing, his career evolution from teaching autistic children to excelling in public relations, and how he discovered his authentic self through rugby and other transformative experiences. 

The episode explores into themes of diversity, creativity, and the power of being true to oneself, making it a compelling listen for anyone looking to find their own voice in the world.

00:00 Welcome to Season Five!

01:14 Introducing David Clarke

02:21 David's Journey: From Hawaii to New York

06:53 Finding Strength and Authenticity

11:02 Career Highlights and Challenges

22:35 The Power of Self-Acceptance

28:07 Impacting Lives Through Stories

30:00 Mentorship and Uplifting Others

31:08 Common Misconceptions in Public Relations

32:58 Authenticity in PR

37:43 Personal Reflections: Who is David?

42:03 Desert Island Companions

47:49 Soundtrack of Life

50:17 Finding Peace and Legacy

54:17 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Thank you so much David for showing us, that we find ourselves when we find people who embrace our truth

People truths help us to find our truths - Savia Rocks

Transcript

We Find Ourselves - David Clarke - Public Relations & Communications Expert #243

[00:00:00] Savia Rocks: Hey guys, we made it to season five of the us people podcast. I'm your host Savia rocks. And in this season, we aim to empower and embrace creativity through diversity as we dive into the fascinating stories and experiences of a diverse range of individuals. Highlighting their unique perspectives and creative endeavours from artists and entrepreneurs to innovators and activists, we celebrate the power of diversity in driving creativity and fostering positive change.

[00:00:32] Join us as we engage in thought provoking conversations like,

[00:00:37] Tony DaDa: I made myself intentionally homeless in pursuit of my purpose. 

[00:00:41] Jay Harris: We're aware that. A lot of people want to present and they, and they were in my position and what's worse, they weren't a white male, which is a joke. That's even still a thing. I 

[00:00:49] Mel: think my family never, ever say you can't do something.

[00:00:52] So full of support, full of support for whatever dream. If I said tomorrow I want to fly to the moon, they'll probably say, I wish you all the best Mel. 

[00:00:59] Savia Rocks: So [00:01:00] guys, I just want to say thank you for supporting the Ask People podcast for the past five years. I really look forward to sharing another new theme song.

[00:01:10] Hi, 

[00:01:14] David Clarke: my name is David Clark and I am a public relations and communications expert currently working as lead communication manager at Oh, hello, a big smoke media group company. And you're listening to the us people podcast with Savio Ross.

[00:01:36] Savia Rocks: Hey guys, welcome to another episode of the Us People podcast. I'm your host Savia Rocks. And today I have the beautiful David here with me, who is a seasoned communicator strategist and also a media relations expert. I love the fact that it's a mouthful for me because I know it has purpose. You know, David, thank you so much for taking your time to come on the Yes People podcast.

[00:01:58] How are you? [00:02:00] 

[00:02:00] David Clarke: I'm doing well. Yeah, things are rocking and rolling over here in Brooklyn, New York, and I'm excited to be here. Thank you for having me on. 

[00:02:07] Savia Rocks: You are more than welcome. So David, the first question I absolutely love to ask every guest who comes on the show is, could you tell me a bit about yourself, where you grew up and how that influenced you to be the person who you are today?

[00:02:21] David Clarke: Yeah, so I am, uh, well, I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii of all places. That's a beautiful place. Right? Like what a cool thing. Um, but I was only there for eight weeks. My parents were in the air force. So, um, at the age of eight weeks old, they were reached. Well, when I was eight weeks old, they weren't eight weeks.

[00:02:41] Um, I was recently, station with my family to, uh, Great Falls, Montana. And then at three years old, my family relocated to the Houston, Texas area. So I really grew up in and around, um, Houston. And I will say, you know, I had some challenges really growing up. Um, [00:03:00] I want to say, like, if I had the language really for it at about eight years old is when I recognized that, um, I wasn't like the other boys in my class, that I was different.

[00:03:10] Uh, you know, of course I didn't have the word then to know that that meant I was gay, I was homosexual, but, um, it made some, some things really tough as I grew up in a pretty conservative area. Um, but because of that, I always had my eyes on, um, You know, expanding my horizons and going somewhere else and really, you know, kind of taking life as a journey and seeing where it would lead me.

[00:03:35] Um, so, I mean, it took a while for that to really get started and going after college, uh, I ended up becoming a special education teacher and I worked with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, uh, in grade six through eight, teaching them social skills. And I did that for three years. Um, and while I was doing that, I was reviewing [00:04:00] performing arts in the Houston area for the Houston page of BroadwayWorld.

[00:04:03] com. Uh, and my reviews of Houston Grand Opera were seen by the PR offices at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Uh, and through like this kind of kismet moment, I had this really great meeting. Uh, with one of the heads of PR there at Lincoln Center in January of 2014, when she was down in Houston to see a show at, uh, Houston Grand Opera that they were going to present that summer at Lincoln Center Festival.

[00:04:32] Um, and, you know, when she asked me to have that meeting, I thought to myself, there's just no way in hell. That some random person from Lincoln Center has found this person who's teaching in Baytown for just like a fun, like, I want to chitchat. There's got to be more to this. So I had my resume on me just in case and sure enough, uh, her first question to me was have you ever thought about, you know, working in New York City?

[00:04:55] And I was like, only every day of my life, you know, so I was like, I have the [00:05:00] resume, I handed it to her. And, you know, through a great series of events, I started that June at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts as the 2014 festival ticket coordinator, which was a temporary nine week job, but it was just the foothold I needed to get myself into the New York area.

[00:05:20] And for the last 10 years, I mean, I've been here. Working in cross multiple out or multiple organizations and doing some really incredible work. So yeah, that's kind of me in a nutshell. I'm happy to go into more detail, but I also know that we have limited time. So 

[00:05:37] Savia Rocks: hey, listen, I'm always willing to hear.

[00:05:40] People stories. It's about you, my dear. I'm just you're the light. I'm just the gift in the background. You know, I always say that to people because there are many things that you have in common. Number one, obviously, I'm married to a woman as well. So I know exactly how you feel about people. Being, you know, not being accepted or people looking at you in [00:06:00] a different way, but that's only because they haven't learned this skill of being open mindedness.

[00:06:06] And I, it's an ignorance within them. And I mean this in the sense where it's an ignorance of lack of knowledge towards something that's simply. What it is, you know, and it's making people understand that narrative that the world changes, people change. Love is love. As we all know this, and it's a powerful thing.

[00:06:26] Love is a, and the one fundamental thing I always say in life is you do not get to choose who you love. You fall in love. That's it. Right. And, and that's just, I'm very passionate about it, but it's just because when there are things that are right. And you know, it feels right. You should have the power within yourself to give yourself the right to have an opinion about it, David.

[00:06:52] And, and it's about that. And also you teach autistic children. So I teach autistic children too. So that in itself [00:07:00] is a beautiful thing because the autistic children also teach you about yourself. 

[00:07:06] David Clarke: Oh my God. Don't they? Oh. 

[00:07:10] Savia Rocks: It's nice. It's a beautiful thing. 

[00:07:13] David Clarke: Yeah. I, you, you have hit on something that I think I never really had the words to describe, but you, you said it so beautifully.

[00:07:21] They do teach us something about ourselves. Um, you know, and while I was working in those three years with junior high aged children on the spectrum, I really started to see myself in a different way. And It really empowered me and imbued me to really want to be as authentic in my whole self as possible because, you know, we, we who are neurotypical see these kids who are neurodivergent as lacking, you know, the social skills and they, they do, they lack the traditional social skills that we've all [00:08:00] been acculturated to, but I don't really see it as a lack per se.

[00:08:04] It's, they're really seeing the world through a different lens. 

[00:08:07] Savia Rocks: They have a gift. 

[00:08:08] David Clarke: And they don't see the artifice and they don't see the facades we put up. They see through to the soul. And so while I was working with those students, I wasn't openly out. I was still closeted. I was still very much so doing everything I could to try to exist as a heterosexual person.

[00:08:31] I was married to a woman at the time. Um, you know, it was, But it was through them and the lessons and just seeing how, how they were so bold and brave in the world and they didn't accept the world, not accepting them. But I was like, there's, there's stuff here. And I think even though I wasn't openly out, I have a feeling that those children saw me for the homosexual person that I am.

[00:08:57] And I think through some of that, I found my own [00:09:00] strength in my own voice. Um, so that when I did finally come out to my wife in October of 2013, Um, you know, it was, it was a really powerful moment. And then it was, like I said, in January of 2014 is when that door opened for me to come here to New York city.

[00:09:17] And, you know, I won't tell my wife's story cause it's not my place, but she came out to me about 45 minutes after I came out to her. So we both took the opportunity. Yeah. Yeah. We both took the opportunity that I was granted to move to New York city together. And we came up here. Um, and lived in this area together for a long time.

[00:09:37] I mean, She's gone back to Texas now and is chasing her own life in a way, and so, you know, I, I don't see her as often as I used to, um, and our relationship got strained, um, you know, as well, whenever we started dating and things, so who knows what the future holds for both of us, but like right now we're just not in a place where we're [00:10:00] communicating as much as we used to, um, But, you know, I think I learned a lot from her, she learned a lot from me, and we definitely recognize each other as two queer people who grew up in a very conservative part of the state of Texas, who kind of rescued each other, um, and kept each other going and kept each other alive for a long time, and now we're off on our own adventures and doing our own things, um.

[00:10:26] And I, I, I'm grateful I have a partner that I live with and share a home with here in Brooklyn and, you know, I couldn't ask for, for a better life. I actually feel, and it's something I think about every day when I do my gratitude journal, I'm living the life of my dreams, right? Like, It took a lot of hard work to get here and get to this moment that I'm in.

[00:10:46] And it takes a lot of hard work to maintain it and to allow myself to continue to grow and evolve, um, and be the best version of me that I can be. Cause you know, that changes every day, what that actually looks like and what that means. [00:11:00] Um, but yeah, I mean, that that's where I am. And I I've learned a lot of lessons across the different places that I've worked, that imbue, That growth into me as well.

[00:11:11] I mean, from Lincoln center where I cut my teeth and really like, you know, met PR head on at one of the world's most recognized brands and places, um, to going to, after that, I went to work for a small agency that works specifically with, uh, left leaning progressive nonprofits and government entities.

[00:11:35] Both within the United States and globally, so I had clients like, um, the World Health Organization, uh, Echoing Green here in New York City, the Leo Baeck Institute, the, uh, Jewish History Museum in New York. Um, Alex Sanger, who's a philanthropist and former president of Planned Parenthood, whose grandmother famously founded Planned Parenthood.

[00:11:57] Um, so just a lot of really [00:12:00] rich, diverse experience there. And I loved it because Uh, you know, politically go figure. I'm left leaning as a openly gay person who lives in New York City. So I saw, you know, Trump's White House coming into effect in 2017. And while I have a deep love and respect and passion for the arts, I just really felt like I could do something more meaningful to combat what I didn't like seeing coming out of the Trump White House, which is what led me to that small PR agency.

[00:12:29] Um, and you know, when they downsized, unfortunately, as the last one in, I was the first one out. Uh, I was given some good heads up and some good warnings. So I wasn't unemployed very long because I had already started a job search before my last day of work at that, uh, at that agency. So I landed at National Sawdust, which is this incredible performing arts, uh, music venue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

[00:12:55] Um. It doesn't have the recognition that it should, but [00:13:00] it's something that I really, every time I get a chance, I tell people they have to check it out. It's co founded by this incredible composer named Paola Prostini. Um, she was the only female graduate from her class at Juilliard in composition. 

[00:13:14] Savia Rocks: And, 

[00:13:15] David Clarke: you know, as the only woman, she saw that she was the only one who didn't have, you know, some type of really cool post, you know, schooling like thing lined up, whether it was this really great, uh, um, you know, call to compose an original work or, you know, whatever, like she just didn't have that.

[00:13:34] And the thing that she looked at in the mirror when she was realizing that was, she was the only woman. So she decided to create a music venue that would give voice to female composers and queer composers and composers of color and other artists that are in those areas. And that's not to say that they don't program cisgender white dudes.

[00:13:54] They do like David Byrne has done, you know, residencies and stuff there, but the cisgender [00:14:00] white dudes that they program. They are aligned with the mission, and they recognize and respect the fact that a lot of times they're being asked to come in and help generate A big pot of money that allows these other voices that are experimental, uh, in quotes, or not as, um, you know, widely recognized to come in and, like, present work, and they don't have to worry about selling out the house.

[00:14:28] They just have to worry about being there, doing their authentic work. And having the space to really just be incredible artists. So, I mean, for that reason alone, National Sotus is incredible. But then it's also this acoustically pristine venue that has this really cool sound system from Meijer Sound that allows sound to envelop the audience in 360 degrees.

[00:14:50] They've got like over a hundred speakers. Hidden behind their panels, so they can take someone who's maybe playing like the clarinet or the flute in one corner of the venue, [00:15:00] and they can make it sound like their sound is shifting around the venue, you know, it's mind blowing what they can do with the spatial mapping of sound in that place.

[00:15:11] Um, So, I mean, absolutely incredible, wonderful two, two years there that I had, and I would probably still be with them had it not been that I saw that Joe's Pub at the Public Theater had an opening, uh, when a publicist who I didn't know as a, a friend and a person that I worked with as a reviewer was leaving her position there.

[00:15:35] And so I was like, hey, girl, like, you have my dream job, like. But I'm looking at this job description. It says that I need seven years of experience and I'm just not there yet, but you're leaving, what do you think? And Yuri Kwan was her name. She said, David apply. Like 

[00:15:52] Savia Rocks: exactly. Yeah. I'm with that. 

[00:15:54] David Clarke: You don't have those seven years.

[00:15:56] That's fine. Like you have a lot of talent. You have a gift [00:16:00] apply. Um, so I talked to the head programmer at the time at National Sadist, uh, Nicole Merritt. And she was like, you have to apply. And I was like, but I feel bad. I feel like I'm going to leave National Sawdust behind. You know, I don't want to burn bridges.

[00:16:14] She was like, you're not burning a bridge. This is chasing your dreams. We support you. And so with the support of National Sawdust and Yuri Kwon, who was leaving the job I wanted, I applied. I went through the whole interview process and was lucky enough to get the job. That was December, 2019. So we all know what happened that following March.

[00:16:33] I, we don't have to go into it. I helped Joe's Pub transition to COVID 19 digital performances over YouTube, where we were filming people live on our stage in an empty venue, but giving them an audience online. Uh, we did that for free. Uh, and, you know, in June or so of 2020, I was furloughed. The public theater did everything it could to keep those of [00:17:00] us who were furloughed on board, but, you know, due to the, you know, pandemic related budgetary issues they all were having, uh, at the end of July of 2021, uh, I was let go, you know, but to the public theater's credit, they kept us on, our medical insurance that whole time.

[00:17:19] So they really worked with us and treated us really well. So it was bittersweet being let go because I had landed that dream job. I felt like everything was going the right way. And then the pandemic just disrupted things like it did for everybody. But I bounced back, you know, I, I, uh, became a nutrition coach and a personal trainer for a little bit.

[00:17:37] I worked at a CrossFit gym. I helped them with their social media and their messaging. And then as things reopened, I transitioned back to the PR space working for, uh, this company called the WNET group, which is a public media company here in New York City that actually. Between them and WGBO and then what they import from the BBC does all of the [00:18:00] programming for the U.

[00:18:01] S. 's PBS basically like those three avenues combined to create the 100 percent package of PBS. So I did some like really cool national outreach for some amazing programs like Secrets of the Dead and American Masters and then some like one off documentaries as well. And I left them to, to join NYC Pride, which again, was like a dream job as an openly gay person.

[00:18:24] How could I not want to work for New York City Pride? Such a big deal. And I worked for them for a full year, basically. And unfortunately, they had some financial issues that caused my position to, to be eliminated, um, you know, at the end of 2023. But, you know, I, I kept going, like I always do. I hit the ground running, uh, and was substitute top for a little while to make some money, make some ends meet.

[00:18:51] Uh, and then I became, uh, a. publicist, or actually technically, uh, press secretary, deputy press secretary for [00:19:00] New York City Public Schools, doing PR for the very place that I had just spent a few months as a substitute teacher. Uh, and then in, in July, my position, unfortunately, was immolate, eliminated. Uh, but I sprung back and now I am the lead communication manager at Oh, hello, which is a, uh, sorry, I'm stumbling over my words, lead communications manager at Oh, hello, uh, big smoke media group company.

[00:19:30] Um, so the big smoke is this PR firm agency out of Sydney, Australia, that it's expanding to be global. As part of that, they have acquired Oh, hello, which is like a branding, marketing website, uh, agency. And so With me here in Brooklyn working with Oh Hello and the Big Smoke as they do this merger, I am helping these companies create this full 360 marketing, branding, [00:20:00] PR, comms, Uh, uh, company that they're becoming.

[00:20:05] And I, I'm being led by two incredible female CEOs, uh, one out of Sydney, one out of Lincoln, Nebraska. Um, Alex centers, who it is in Sydney, uh, Natalie McHale over in Nebraska. And yeah, I, we're changing the world. We're doing some incredible work. We have incredible clients, um, and we're doing some awesome stuff.

[00:20:27] I mean, I'm loving it. It's keeping me so busy. It's very different than my nonprofit worlds that I've been existing in, but it's fascinating. 

[00:20:37] Savia Rocks: So this is what I love a person who, you know, when you speak, David, you have a lot of passion. Behind your voice and you know, when someone has been for a lot, but at the same time, you know, when you said you hit the ground running, I don't think you hit the ground, just running.

[00:20:51] I think you hit the ground sprinting. There's a massive difference, you know? So for me, I think that. You've been through so much, like you [00:21:00] said before, with your wife, both of you found each other. And I always believe in life. Everything happens for purpose and reason, because if you didn't find each other, you wouldn't be in the position that you are now.

[00:21:13] And even if you left one job or, you know, One job finished at that point of time, it happened at that right time for you to go on and do something else. And in life, the one thing I love is that you said that, you know, even if you had to make men's meat to do something else, you're willing to do it. And this is the thing about there's different types of success.

[00:21:35] And I'm sure we're going to get into that somewhere along the line within the show, but there's so many different forms of success of success. So I'm proud of you for, Even doing that and saying, you know, this is me. This is how I do me, I'm, I fully know who I am now. I'm still on the path on a journey of doing this, but I am happy to do it in this way.

[00:21:56] And then there's something else that you said about someone looking in the mirror, which is actually [00:22:00] gonna develop into my next question. So my next question for you is, and it's one of my favorites, it's can you define. Yourself as a person, but also who do you see when you look in the mirror? But on the flip side of that question, has there ever been a time where you have looked in a mirror and not recognize the person staring back at you, David, how did you manage to go from one person that you might not have liked the reflection or the view off from I view in the mirror to becoming the person who you feel is confident and is that that person with purpose in the world?

[00:22:35] David Clarke: Yeah. So, you know, One, I love this question. Um, and as someone who grew up closeted and gay, uh, you know, from, like I was saying, from the time, about the time I was eight, I started to recognize that I was different from my male peers in my classroom. And I think, you know, as bullying started to happen and things like that, I spent a lot of my childhood and early adulthood [00:23:00] looking in the mirror and seeing someone who I didn't like because of I, you know, was teased, um, and I, you know, wasn't popular.

[00:23:11] I wasn't having a lot of friends. So like things, you know, that I saw like on TV or in movies really didn't like seem to exist in my life. Um, and so I would see in the mirror someone who was deficient, someone who is undeserving, someone who was unworthy of things that I saw modeled, like, you know, on TV and things like that, which was really, really tough way to grow up, um, and really hard.

[00:23:38] And with that said, I had love and support from my parents and from my, my family members. So it's like, I knew. What it was like to be loved and to be liked, but I didn't feel like that Existed outside of the safety net of the homes that I lived in, you know Or maybe like within the safety net of like [00:24:00] my friends homes and stuff and I would say even until like 2014 2015 I would still look in the mirror and see myself as a young adult as someone who was just like not worthy and not good Uh, in 2016, um, shortly after my birthday in August, I joined the gay rugby team here in New York City.

[00:24:22] Uh, I had randomly become friends with Simon Dunn, who is this, uh, Australian Bob Sled. He was their first openly gay, uh, Olympic athlete in the bobsled category for the team Australia. Uh, I befriended him through Instagram back in the early days when you could actually do that, you know, you would contact someone's Instagram and then you would end up having like chats through DMs and just realize how cool of a person they were.

[00:24:48] It's like, that was like back in, you know, those days. And Simon and I became friends and he and I were hanging out whenever he was here in New York City in 2016. And I was [00:25:00] telling him about some of the issues that I was having in New York, like, at that time I was, you know, around 130 pounds heavier than I am now, I was weighing about 330 pounds.

[00:25:09] I felt completely invisible despite my body being so big. And I felt like the gay scene here in New York just had no space for me as an overweight gay guy who wasn't from the city and didn't have a shit ton of money. So, you know, uh, he was like, I think you should join Gotham Rugby. I play for the rugby team in Sydney.

[00:25:32] That's the gay rugby team. You know, I think it'd be good for you. Like those people I've, you know, played against them. I know how, like, nice and friendly they are. And I think you might find your tribe there. And so I was like, Simon, I'm an artsy person. I grew up doing theater. I've never done sports really.

[00:25:48] Like I tried soccer, football, as you would say in London, you know, when I was in seventh grade, uh, and it was awful. It was a terrible experience. I was, Like, I don't know that that's for me. He was like, [00:26:00] do this one thing for me. Go to one practice, just one. He said, it's two hours out of your life. If you hate it, we never have to talk about it again.

[00:26:08] It was like, but just try one practice. So I did, I went to that one practice and it literally changed my life. 

[00:26:15] Savia Rocks: I 

[00:26:15] David Clarke: spent like three and a half years playing rugby with the Gotham Knights. I lost 130 pounds. I gained physical strength. I gained mental strength. I learned a lot about who I was, what I was capable of, and I could change as a person.

[00:26:36] I found like, I found a voice. I found, you know, a drive, a purpose. Um, yeah. And so it was just, I found actually that I liked physical fitness, you know, so it's just like there, it was so many great positive things. And I stayed a member of the team for quite a while until it just didn't serve me anymore.

[00:26:57] Um, but it's something that I reckon, like I [00:27:00] recommend to people who are lost and like seeking things. I'm like, Hey, maybe this is something you could consider trying. Um, cause it was a great experience. I feel like it really changed my life and, um, made me into like the confident person who, You know, when I got invited to chat with you was like, Yeah, I deserve this.

[00:27:17] I'm going to take this opportunity. I'm going to talk about my life, talk about things I've done. And we're going to do this, you know, and I think before that I would have been like, Oh, this person wants to talk to me. I'm not worth talking to. And I would have just ignored the message, you know, hidden away.

[00:27:30] So long roundabout way. Yeah, I spent a lot of time looking at the mirror and not liking who I saw, not recognizing the person that I think I always knew was inside, you know, reflected in the mirror. And it took me until my thirties, you know, my early thirties to like really start seeing who I always envisioned I could be when I looked in the mirror.

[00:27:53] Savia Rocks: That's a phenomenal story. That is absolutely a phenomenal story. I [00:28:00] hear many stories, but one that's resonates with me and I'm sure it's going to resonate with thousands of other people who are going to listen to this as well. And, and the one thing I always say is that your story, David, can impact a nation.

[00:28:15] The one thing is, is that we as human beings, because of trauma that's necessarily happened to us in our past, what we do is we, we say that we're not worthy of things when really everyone is worthy of everything, you know, in our life. And it takes a long time to get rid of that trauma. If we do, or it's one of those things where we decide that we're not going to deny it anymore.

[00:28:46] We're going to be accepting of what we've been through and use that as fuel to make us into the person that we want to become and want to be. So you've literally. You're doing that and you do it every day. [00:29:00] And I don't know your trials and tribulations of what you've been through. And, and even though you're telling me as much as you, you know, you can on the show to express who you are as a humble individual, there is still a lot for you to go through.

[00:29:14] But at the same time, you're doing it in your way that makes you happy. And that resonates with people. 

[00:29:23] David Clarke: Yeah, absolutely. And I think, you know, the one thing I learned, I think the most from Simon Dunn, who had such a great platform before he died, um, was that when you have a platform, it is a gift to be able to, um, help other people and uplift other people.

[00:29:45] And like, let them feel seen and be seen. And then just, you know, pass on the kindness that you want to see in the world. And that's something that I always have like done intrinsically and. Simon really reinforced [00:30:00] that in me. Um, and yeah, it's, I, I, I love to mentor people for that very reason. I think, you know, something I live by is that a rising tide lifts all boats.

[00:30:11] And I, I live that as much as I can every single day, you know? So I always look for ways to, to help people, um, feel uplifted, discover their worth, discover their potential. And just, you know, I'm generous and polite and happy to, to talk to anyone at any time. 

[00:30:35] Savia Rocks: I think I always believe in life that people are sent to you for many different reasons.

[00:30:40] And I know they say a reason, a season or a lifetime, I know that for sure. But when you're going for a certain thing within your life or a challenge within your life, People are always sent to you and even if you take a sentence, a word of what they say, a voice, it doesn't matter. They've been sent to you for that significant [00:31:00] reason and I always believe that and I and then one thing in life I never do is to take people for granted.

[00:31:06] Right, you know, and I think that's exceptional. So one of the the Okay, guys, one of the things that I make all my guests do There's a question I love to ask them before they come on the show. And that is, what is the common misconception about your field and that you would like to clear up? And that I've had so many, I've had so many things, some I can say, some I, well, I can say anything on the show, but there's some I can say, some I won't say, but David's one.

[00:31:34] I for really resonated. So David, I'm going to read it out. So one of the big misconceptions about public relations is that it's all about the spin. And I've heard this before, or polishing up an image. In reality, PR is about building genuine trust, trust and clear impact and communication that aligns with an organization and values.

[00:31:59] And I like [00:32:00] that because I have worked in fields where I have, I had to work closely with the PR team. Um, one of them was in boxing. And to see, to see how you guys work your asses off, I'm going to say how it is, is phenomenal because you guys literally do keep things together. And if there are challenging situations, which I know we go through, especially within PR, you guys make it so that.

[00:32:36] There is this way of turning things around and being very, I'm making it simple so that people can understand, but it's a lot more complicated than that. But I want to talk to you about this, about, you know, the misconceptions of being within the PR industry. Talk to me about it. 

[00:32:56] David Clarke: Yeah. So, you know, I think.

[00:32:58] There's this like I [00:33:00] said, there's this whole idea about everything is just for spin. It's just to make everything seem glossy or perfect. And you know, there's an aspect of that for sure. But as a really proficient public, uh, relations person, uh, are skilled seasoned public relations professional as I positioned myself whenever I was filling that out with you.

[00:33:26] Um, yeah. It's not just the spin, right? There's an audience for everything. You know, I don't have to agree with the point of view or the viewpoints of a client that I'm working with at my current job to recognize that there's an audience for that. Sometimes it can be really hard, you know, to like separate myself from the work that I'm doing, especially if I feel like the viewpoints that that person maybe holds go against things that I feel, you know, You know, [00:34:00] ensure my safety or things like that.

[00:34:01] And to that point, like, you know, I will push back and be like, I don't think so. Like I'm not the right fit for you. 

[00:34:07] Savia Rocks: Uh, 

[00:34:08] David Clarke: you know, cause I will respect my own integrity that way as well. Like I'm not going to compromise my mental and physical safety ever, um, to work on a project. But at the same time I recognize that that person has an audience, that person's audience maybe won't like me as a gay queer person, but you know, that person has an audience.

[00:34:27] Yes. And they can go and live in that world and do that thing. So it's really about recognizing the authenticity of that person, of this client, of the organization, you know, when I'm working in house and making sure that their messaging and their visibility is aligned with what their core values are, whatever those core values are.

[00:34:52] Um, you know, and in my career to this point, 10 years in, I have been very fortunate that I have worked for [00:35:00] nonprofits and government entities. And now this for profit commercial agency where the clients align with my personal values, which makes my job a little bit easier, and I can present them, uh, to their prospective audiences by really tapping in and getting to know them and what makes them tick.

[00:35:21] Kind of like what you're doing with me in this interview, actually. 

[00:35:25] Savia Rocks: And 

[00:35:25] David Clarke: then. Taking their thoughts, their words and distilling it in a way that makes it approachable to an audience, to a consumer. Um, because, you know, just like you said, like we could get into the weeds of PR and, you know, the typical listener of the show probably is gonna be like, I don't know what they're talking about, but there's ways that we can distill it.

[00:35:47] It's not to dumb it down. It's not to take away the authenticity. It's just to use language that's approachable. That drives the messages across, and then that way, you know, you can say as a consumer, Oh, I like [00:36:00] that this brand stands for that, or I like that this brand cares about that. So that's a brand that maybe I want to learn more about, or that's a brand that maybe I do want to try to purchase a product from, or even better yet, That's a leader.

[00:36:13] That's a CEO who is really smart and is truly like a thought leader and their thing. And that's someone who I want to emulate or someone who maybe I want to try to network with, uh, and be coached by. Um, and that's, that's like, I think the real power of it all. It's just making sure that, you know, You're conveying the truth, the authenticity, the sincerity of the brand, of the client, of the CEO to whoever their audiences are, whatever their audience's beliefs are, and making sure that the audience sees how valuable this person is and the work that they're doing for them in that space, whether they're the politician who is fighting for their rights, for, you know, Access to certain, you know, [00:37:00] care or whatever, or whether they're the protein brand that wants to get out in front of all the gym bros who are worried about their macros and understanding that, Hey, like this is your value.

[00:37:11] We value that too. We want to make your macro accounting, especially when it comes to protein, easy so that you can achieve your goals and you can win the competitions that you're going into. You know, it's, it's, it's not the same, but it is the same. It's just how you talk about it, but it's not, yeah. It's not spin for the sake of being spinned.

[00:37:29] It's not to falsify and present yourself as something you're not. 'cause audiences see through that as soon as you try to pretend that you're something you're not. That's true. Audience are like, it's inauthentic and I don't care. And they're onto the next thing. 

[00:37:42] Savia Rocks: That is true. That is absolute true. Which brings me to my next question, David, with, so if I took you and I put you in a room.

[00:37:49] And there was a window and the sunlight was coming through that window. And I said to you, who is David? When you strip away his work, [00:38:00] when you strip away his social life, when you just strip away absolutely everything, who is David in his thoughts? 

[00:38:10] David Clarke: So David and his thoughts, he is. This half emotional, half logical person who loves to feel emotions and sometimes gets kind of like obsessed with like really being in the emotion, um, and then likes to pick it apart from a logical standpoint of like, why did I want to feel that in this moment?

[00:38:43] Why, why was that what was driving me? Why was my heart going there? And then like, really like. Having the brain and the heart communicate with each other and like get into an argument sometimes and battle each other over whether it was [00:39:00] It's a worthwhile venture or an exercise in, you know, whatever being, I, I, I feel like this is mostly whenever I'm feeling kind of down or depressed, I love to like go throw on some really sad songs on my Spotify playlists and just really let myself wallow in these like depressive moods.

[00:39:24] Savia Rocks: There's nothing wrong with that actually, there is nothing wrong with it at all. 

[00:39:28] David Clarke: I agree. And then my brain will go, okay, heart. snap out of it. Like, this is not productive for anything. You're just wasting time being sad. Change the tune, you know? And then sometimes my partner will also, you know, take the place in my brain and step in and be like, if I have to hear one more sad song, like, get over it.

[00:39:52] So, you know, it's that thing. But I feel like, yeah, that's David in like this nutshell. I am this like half. [00:40:00] emotional person who just wants to be super dramatic and like throw myself across the couch and sigh and like be in like the glitzy glammy like semi sheer like, uh, robe over like a slip or whatever, you know, living my like 1940s Hollywood, uh, ingenue in a meltdown.

[00:40:24] And then the other part of me is just this very analytical, almost like professor like person who is like, okay, let's talk about what the meaning of all of this is and how it's actually not maybe the best use of your time. So that's, that's David. David is a dueling, uh, dueling persona of like a, a kind of boring, stodgy English professor and a, uh, a screen actress who loves to cry on in close ups.

[00:40:56] Savia Rocks: This is a really, this is a really random question for you, but who do you [00:41:00] believe that you were in your past life? 

[00:41:02] David Clarke: In my past life? Oh my god. In my past life, I had to have been Some, like, person who was working in professional theater, probably, like, in the New York City area, maybe not Broadway, but definitely off Broadway, who got tapped to, like, do film and realized that they did not like doing film because they wanted to be able to do the whole scene every time, not, like, little snippets here and there and having to repeat the same snippets over and over again.

[00:41:38] You know, so they went back to the stage and died on the stage. 

[00:41:43] Savia Rocks: Died on the stage, David. 

[00:41:45] David Clarke: Died on the stage. Well, maybe not on the stage, but like died as a, as an actor, actress. 

[00:41:52] Savia Rocks: You'll never be forgotten. No, seriously, you'll never be forgotten. If you died on the stage, I swear to you, people be [00:42:00] like, do you remember this person?

[00:42:02] Literally be one of those things. So if I said to you, David, I'm going to take you, I'm going to put you on a desert island and you are allowed to speak to for 24 hours and activist. A president and a musician, who would you take with you and why? 

[00:42:21] David Clarke: I, I listened to some of your previous episodes and I knew this question was coming so I prepared my answer.

[00:42:29] So, as one of your previous people said, and I fully agree for many of the same reasons, I would want President Barack Obama. 

[00:42:38] Savia Rocks: Uh huh. 

[00:42:39] David Clarke: I would want activist Amara Jones who is the founder of Translash Media and a black transjournalist. 

[00:42:46] Savia Rocks: Yes. 

[00:42:47] David Clarke: And I would want musician Lady Gaga. 

[00:42:50] Savia Rocks: Oh wow, this is amazing. 

[00:42:53] David Clarke: Yeah. So I feel like this, these three people, [00:43:00] All of whom are alive, you know, sorry I didn't go into the, to the dead category.

[00:43:04] Um, they're just all like really extraordinary in their own fields. And very brilliant and super well spoken and super smart. And I would just, I think, I would just be in awe of the things that they could say in 24 hours. And at the end of those 24 hours, it just would not have been enough time. with any of them because there would just be so much wisdom and creativity and insight and leadership that was like there, you know, and it would just like everything from social justice and empowerment to like talking through marginalization and ways that we could like maybe forge paths to like undo it.

[00:43:49] Um, and so much authenticity and, you know, just like heart I, I, it would be a 24 hours that I would [00:44:00] probably just want to live in forever, like never leave that moment. Um, and then also I would just pick brains. I'd be like, look, I need, what can you teach me? What can I distill? What can I like? 

[00:44:12] Savia Rocks: You would be like a sponge.

[00:44:14] You would be like a sponge, David. 

[00:44:16] David Clarke: Absolutely. Absolutely. Like I would want Amara Jones to like, tell me how, you know, So she, like, makes these, like, really meaningful pitches to her editors so that my own writing could be stronger and better. Um, and like, then I also want to talk to her how, as a cis white gay man, what can I do to be a better ally to her, both as a black woman and a black trans person?

[00:44:45] Because it's something that I'm very in tuned with, you know. I recognize the, the systems of oppression that exist within the United States and across the world and I recognize the ways that they benefit me because of my skin tone and my gender. But, you know, I'm [00:45:00] slightly marginalized by being gay myself, but I recognize that there's people who are way more marginalized than me.

[00:45:07] And I want to give that stage or that spotlight. I never want to speak for anybody when it comes to that. But I love being the person who can be like, Oh, you think you know about this? Actually talk to and take the light and shine it onto them. Yeah, that would be 

[00:45:21] Savia Rocks: cool. So like, I would 

[00:45:23] David Clarke: like want to pick her brain about that.

[00:45:25] Lady Gaga, I would just be fangirling the whole time. I'd be like, Just make me feel brilliant. Like, let me tap into your brilliance some. And then also maybe like, I don't know, let's have a little bit of a dance off or something. I'm a terrible dancer. You're not really known for being a great dancer, but like you, we're both energetic and crazy.

[00:45:43] So let's just do it, you know, and live that moment. And then Barack Obama, I would just soak up every bit of wisdom and, and strength and just what he, he has such a majesty to him that I would just be like. teach me how to [00:46:00] be so composed and strong. And just when I walk into the room, people are like, that's the person I need to listen to.

[00:46:08] Because I think that's the thing I would want to really take away the most from him. Yeah, 

[00:46:12] Savia Rocks: I think one of the things I love about him is his way of articulating himself through writing. Yeah, a lot of his speeches were written by himself. He didn't have somebody else to write it. He wrote it himself. And I always find that When you write things yourself, the passion that you give it when you speak is a lot more, it's passionate, it's more meaningful.

[00:46:38] And when you were talking about opening doors, you can, you can open doors. And this is just from what I've seen from talking to other people and you know that you saying you want to be a light to help other people. I always say that you can be the light to open other doors for other people. You can be the light to stick up for people who feel like they're being, you know, their lips are [00:47:00] being sewed together.

[00:47:00] Just the terminology that they used, you know, so the and I can do the same for you. In a place where you might feel the light is being taken away from you. And I think that if we do this for each other, all of us become leaders and activists in our own way. You don't have to be a known activist in the world.

[00:47:21] You can be a silent activist who does things in the background. That doesn't mean you're 100 percent silent, but there are loads of activists who do things in the background that we don't know they exist, but they do phenomenal things. They are humanitarians and they do phenomenal things. So I always say that to people, regardless if you're known or you're not known, you are still brilliant and you can do things in the background.

[00:47:47] So that's just. I know we're talking about music as well when you said Lady Gaga, so I know that you've listened to a few of my podcasts, so I am going to ask you this question. If there was one song that was the soundtrack of your life, [00:48:00] what song would you choose and why would you choose? He's smiling guys, he's got me on point today.

[00:48:05] You know, what song would you choose and why would you choose that particular song? 

[00:48:09] David Clarke: So this was really hard for me to come up with an answer for. I spent probably too much time on this because I was like, do I want to go Broadway? Do I want to go pop? Do I want to like, I am such a music junkie. I listen to Spotify all the time.

[00:48:27] I'm constantly like, You know, digging into full discographies of artists and whatnot. But the song I ended up landing on is I Stand by Idina Menzel. So, Idina has a wonderful solo career outside of being a Broadway actress. And her song I Stand is this beautiful anthem of self empowerment 

[00:48:50] Savia Rocks: that's all 

[00:48:51] David Clarke: about finding one's own voice.

[00:48:54] Um, and as someone who works in communications and PR, I recognize the power of knowing your [00:49:00] voice and the impact that your voice can have. Um, and so I think, you know, where I am in my life right now, just having that idea, and then, you know, she has like that lyric that she stands For the moment to change and it's just there's something about me in this moment right now.

[00:49:22] I see so much need for change in our world 

[00:49:25] Savia Rocks: and I 

[00:49:26] David Clarke: really align with that. I stand for the change too and I want to be someone who helps speak about and bring forth that change that we all have better lives. And I want to empower, you know, the clients that I work with to do the same thing, to stand for the power to change, uh, as well, you know, so like, like you were saying, right, I don't always have to be out in speaking myself.

[00:49:53] I can be in that background, sharing somebody else's voice. I can make, if I have to, like, I'll go [00:50:00] on all fours and be the stage, the soapbox that they can stand on to speak their truth. Right. But like, we have to speak that truth. We have to live in this power to change and make the world what we need it to be for equality and for equity for all.

[00:50:15] Yeah. 

[00:50:16] Savia Rocks: I love that. I totally love that. So now I'm going to ask you, when was the last time that you felt totally at peace with yourself? 

[00:50:24] David Clarke: Oh, I knew you were going to ask this, having listened to other episodes. You look so chilled out now. It's like 

[00:50:29] Savia Rocks: you've gone into this chilled out zone. Guys, you can't see David, but I'm going to explain.

[00:50:34] David, David was sitting up for a second and then he just went, and he just went into this really chilled out position. So the last 

[00:50:43] David Clarke: time that I felt at peace with myself, you know, I think, you know, we talked earlier about how I feel like there's kind of this constant war within me between my emotional and my logical side.

[00:50:55] And that's kind of being the true tempest that is who I [00:51:00] am. Um, and it wasn't always easy to find peace and feeling that, but, you know, I would say that in finding peace in myself, I kind of try to tap into that every day and I feel like today was probably the last time that I really felt that way. I mean, you saw it.

[00:51:19] I leaned back. I 

[00:51:21] Savia Rocks: was 

[00:51:22] David Clarke: like, I'm going to be peaceful. I'm going to take this Zen to answer this question. So like, even just now was like the last time I felt peace in myself with that. But like, I recognize that that moment can be very fleeting at times. It's not something that stays with me 24 seven. And, you know, I could.

[00:51:41] Just drive that message home to anyone being at peace with yourself. It takes work. It takes understanding, gratitude, finding things to be grateful for, which is not easy whenever the world is treating you badly, um, or you're feeling [00:52:00] upset or hurt, but you know, it's finding those moments, even if they're only for a second or two to really just be like, okay, breathe Zen.

[00:52:10] And then you can pick it back up. Right. Okay. So, yeah, I 

[00:52:15] Savia Rocks: totally agree. If I was to say to you, if I was to say, David, I'm going to take everything away from you, your house, your money, your car, your partner, everything away. And I said, you're only allowed to fight for one thing. What would you tell me? 

[00:52:28] David Clarke: Fight for one thing?

[00:52:32] I would fight for my partner. He is someone who gives me such, such good support. Whenever I'm feeling like I can't anymore, he's there. cheering me on. So I would fight for that because as long as I have him in my corner, I know I'm going to get through it. 

[00:52:52] Savia Rocks: Yep. That ain't that the truth. And they're rare to come across when you do find them.

[00:52:57] Believe me, they are rare. So I've [00:53:00] only got two more for you, David. And my second to last one is if you, when you're finished and you feel not finished in the world per se, but when you decide that you are going to stop what you're doing, What would you like your legacy to be as a human being on this planet and in this world?

[00:53:21] How would you like to be remembered? 

[00:53:23] David Clarke: I think the thing I want to be remembered for the most, and I kind of hinted at this earlier, is being somebody who never took whatever heights I achieve for myself personally, as a human being. something that I couldn't help use to grow other talent. I want to have a legacy of being somebody who took the time and had the, the compassion and the drive to mentor [00:54:00] and help other people develop their passions and their strengths and become just as strong If not stronger in their work than I am, 

[00:54:13] Savia Rocks: I agree with you there, a hundred percent.

[00:54:16] I agree with you there. So my last one for you, David is I would love for people to be able to find you to know where, who is David, where is David, where I can find David, please. This is your time now for you to give me all your social medias, even if you don't have any, or if you do, please tell us where we can find you.

[00:54:35] David Clarke: Yeah, so I think the best place to find me probably because it's the place that I am the most active is Instagram. So that is at d e clark c l a r k e eight five. Um, and then probably the second best place is my linkedin because it's the You know, weirdly, LinkedIn was this place that I didn't really use a whole lot, [00:55:00] but within like the last two years, it's become kind of like a go to place of mine.

[00:55:04] And so on there, That's where 

[00:55:06] Savia Rocks: I found you. 

[00:55:07] David Clarke: Yeah. Yeah. It's amazing. Right. It's, I never would have thought that LinkedIn, when I first got onto it and was like, Oh, this is just a digital resume would become this like viable tool that I now I'm like, Oh, this is great. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I think, you know, finding me there, um, so if it's like linkedin.

[00:55:26] com slash I N slash David E. Clark, no periods, no spaces, just D A V I D E C L A R K E. Um, and then on Twitter, I'm at Ryder Clark and on Facebook, I'm david. e. clark. So. 

[00:55:48] Savia Rocks: Awesome. Awesome. This is David. This is where I say to you and and there was something I actually did want to say through everything that you've been through.

[00:55:57] I want to say to you. Number [00:56:00] one is thank you for coming on the show. Number two is keep living your truth of who you are because you shine. Never let anyone dim your light because usually When they see your light shining, it's because they are threatened by your existence of who you are as a person. So continue to shine.

[00:56:21] Thank you for telling us your story of who you are as a human being in this world. And to me, I feel like a humanitarian, in a way, and an activist. But You'll realize that eventually that is what you are too, because you're giving pathways. You're, you're talking out, you're giving people the light and that's what you want to do.

[00:56:39] So from me, from the Ask People show, from the Ask People team, I want to thank you so much for coming on the show and telling us your story. Thank you. 

[00:56:48] David Clarke: Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure. 

[00:56:50] Savia Rocks: Absolutely. And guys, I want to say thank you so much for listening and watching the US people podcast. And please remember you can subscribe and leave [00:57:00] us a review on Spotify, iTunes, Google play, or any other platform that you prefer listening to.

[00:57:05] Please also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and any other platform that you see, because there's so many that you can go to. And this is where I say guys. Thank you so much again, stay happy, stay positive. And as always, please continue to be kind to one another. Take care.

[00:57:47] Through the darkness of the night, you'll be guided through the light.

[00:57:57] David Clarke: Thank you. Thank you. It was so easy to talk to [00:58:00] you and you made it very easy. 

[00:58:04] Savia Rocks: so you can be free. Spread your wings and let the wing glad you have. Where's your So fruit is journey. We are far behind, oh, so full of courage, you can win if you try, redirect the S to U, you'll see the power, and yes, if you try.

[00:58:27] I fly like I'm superman, spread your wings and let the wind glide, I fly like I'm superman, spread your wings and let the wind glide, I fly like I'm superman, spread your wings and let the wind glide, I fly like I'm superman, spread your wings and let the wind glide, I fly like I'm superman, spread your wings and let the wind glide.

[00:58:48] Spread your wings and let the wind glide you high. We're just soaring through this journey, leaving fear far behind. Arms are full of courage, you [00:59:00] can win if you try. Redirected us to you, you'll see the power I'm fly like I'm superman, spread your wings and let them wings fly, I'm fly like I'm superman, spread your wings and let them wings fly.