PR for the People Spotlight: Samantha Schilf | Sami See
This is a series of interviews with participants in PapaLoDown’s ‘PR for the People workshop’. Hear first hand from amazing people and businesses, who are learning how to amplify their stories in the news, and growing their visibility and brand awareness in the process.
Meet Samantha Schilf, Sami See:
What is your background and experience?
I paint under the name “Sami See” and am a freelance artist specializing in mural installations and multimedia. Whether I am designing and painting walls solo or working with small groups or communities to create collaborative murals, I hold an inner knowing that my art making generates positive self-expression, creative healing, and balances the mind, body and collective spirit. My unique style of painting draws influence from mural and graffiti culture, mind-body medicine and mysticism. As a second generation, bi-racial, Filipinx-American, my work explores elements of my cultural roots and unique experience of reconnecting and re-membering intergenerational wisdom.
What is the current Public Relations (PR) campaign you're working on about?
My PR Campaign aims to raise visibility about an augmented reality pop up that I’m hosting on October 19th, 2019 at Undiscovered SF. The series of interactive photos shares unique and meaningful stories from Filipino-American womxn and extends invitation to others to share their own stories.
What goals do you hope to accomplish through this PR campaign?
I hope to be able to share this creative invitation with as many people as possible and ensure the vibrant, local Pinxy community can participate in this storytelling campaign. I hope to gain new followers of my work who also share the view that amplifying our unique hxstories and documenting our successes and contributions to the SF Bay Area and larger American hxstory is critical act of resistance and reclaiming narratives.
“As a second generation, bi-racial, Filipinx-American, my work explores elements of my cultural roots and unique experience of reconnecting and re-membering intergenerational wisdom. ”
How has the experience of pitching and working with media to amplify the stories in your PR campaign been like so far?
This is a challenging process that asked me to strategize and think deeply about who the right people are that need to hear about the ethos and approach to my creative work. I’ve learned how to write to build relationship with writers and editors, and think about preparing my websites and digital assets in a way that supports journalists to catch on to meaningful stories in my work. I’ve loved working with Paloma, and my workshop cohort! We’ve formed a bond and support with each others process that absolutely has helped me achieve more and gain entrepreneurial insights!
What are a few things you know now about PR that you didn't know before you started?
PR is all about relationships! Relationships with writers, communities, partners, stakeholders are all critical elements of a cohesive and impactful PR campaign. Building these new connections is a way to shape sentiment and a deeper relationship with your business and brand. While this all takes a big amount of coordination and strategy, the output is visible, impactful and felt!
What other projects are you working on that we should have on our radar?
I’m having an upcoming pop up entitled Wag Kalimutan (Don’t Forget): A Pinay Arts Pop Up
Living in San Francisco, a city filled to the brim with some of the world’s most beautiful murals and street art, it’s a rare opportunity for the Filiipno community to difreclty become part of one! In 2018, muralist I co-led the one of the first Filipino-centric murals in SOMA Pilipinas, the Filipino Cultural District, at Mestiza Taqueria (a top 100 SF Chronicle Restaurant) and now I’m inviting local Pinays to become a part of her next one! My next mural will be painted in Spring of 2020 and will include portraits of Filipina-Americans that have shaped SF bay area Culture, communities, families, entrepreneurship, and more!
With October being Filipino American History Month, and the designated theme being "Pinay Visionaries: Celebrating Filipina American Women", she’s inviting the local Pin@y community to become a part of the mural process by sharing some of their stories.
I will be setting up a video storytelling booth Undiscovered on October 19th, 2019! Please come by and see the first round of Pinay stories that are coming to life!
Find out more at www.samisee.com