We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Gillespie recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The most meaningful projects I’ve worked on always happen to be the ones that help people or directly impact the community around me. One that stands out in my mind happened precipitously when a friend called me on the phone exclaiming that her community garden was at risk of being closed by the landowner. The irony of the entire situation was that the landowner was a Presbyterian church which was being run at the time be an interim pastor who had not been handling their position of power in ways that benefited their congregation or the community (i.e ending long running programs and services for no apparent reason). This particular garden on the South Side of Chicago was extremely important to the neighborhood and surrounding areas as it provided thousands of pounds of food for a free local pantry throughout the year.
One might think, “it’s just a garden, so what?” It was food for local residents who kept small plots in the garden for many years. It was a safe haven for local residents to enjoy the outdoors while gathering with their neighbors. I knew that a closure would negatively impact people who were really needed that resource. I had the chance to talk with dozens of those gardeners and the garden committee who were sharing their stories with me about the importance of this green space, not just for food but for safety and wellbeing in their community. After doing some research, I learned that green spaces in urban neighborhoods have a positive effect on mental health, social engagement and community engagement, and it even reduces the rate of violent crimes within a significant radius of the garden!
Within 6 weeks, I worked with the garden committee to coordinate some grassroots activity that would help us create more awareness around this issue. We hosted a couple of town hall meetings at a local coffee shop in the area to review the nature of the problem. After that we went door to door and collected hundreds of signatures from residents opposed to the garden closure. I wrote and distributed a press release to the local news media in Chicago and we garnered several print feature articles, radio and television interviews about the garden story and the possibility of it being closed.
The media attention helped us to get a meeting with the Executive Presbyter of Illinois! This person is like the Governor of all Presbyterian churches and at the meeting we were joined by several bishops from across the Chicagoland area. My clients had come a long way to that meeting feeling the ups-and-downs and uncertainty of the entire process of trying to save the garden. The landowning church had not been moved or inspired to change their mind after all of the press. Some of the committee members were becoming frustrated and losing hope. We were investing alot of time on the garden issue while living very full and busy lives! However, the reception we received was warm and welcoming. We were listened to with ready ears and open hearts. After sharing the signatures, the stories of the people and our requests for the garden to stay open, we left the meeting feeling hopeful and positive about the outcome of our efforts though we were still uncertain about what would happen next.
Well, the very next day there was an order for he locks on the garden gates to be removed and the gardens were reopened! It was the most incredible moment of my career at that time. Prior to this 6 week pro bono project, I had lost my job with a small boutique firm in the city. It was a surprise and I was crushed by the reason for being let go. I was down about it for a few days and I thought about changing my career path all together. This project saved more than the garden! It kept me on the path to doing this work as a publicist and ultimately transformed my reasons for doing this job. Since then, I’ve dedicated my practice to working and partnering with organizations that are doing work which directly and positively impacts the community. It means that I’m always making a positive impact in my work and it’s been the most gratifying change I could have made in my career and life.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My work began by curiously following my nose in a career that actually started in marketing and landed me in PR agencies of various sizes from global conglomerate to hyperlocal boutique. I was fortunate very early in my career to have a gracious boss who encouraged me to trade my marketing coordinator job for a role on a PR team at the company where his wife worked. That is where I began a 13-year career working in public relations. Though that might sound like an easy inroad onto what became a very fulfilling path for me, it took a lot of twists and turns! It was a journey through a 4 month internship, a cross country move for work for one of the top agencies in the world, returning back home to work for small startups, navigating severances and gaps of time being unemployed, finding my groove in leadership within smaller companies and formally starting my own company after the pandemic started in 2020. Many, many experiences throughout this time have shaped the mission, work philosophy and style in which I operate as The PR Handler.
The PR Handler is a satellite public relations consultant that delivers exposure and engagement across a variety of media platforms for brands and businesses in dining & hospitality, lifestyle & travel, arts & entertainment and and community non-profit organizations. We bring a local sensibility and hands-on approach to storytelling and customer engagement through various PR strategies including media relations, communications strategy and message development, event planning, insight gathering, and relationship building through collaborations and partnerships.. In addition to gaining exposure for clients through traditional and new media platforms, our clients trust us to engage their audiences in exciting projects with local influencers, artists and experts in various fields of interest.
I’ve been behind the strategy and execution of successful PR projects and campaigns for clients in dining & hospitality, retail, the not-for-profit sectors, art & entertainment, and various creative fields. Exceptional at delivering strategic messaging, developing stories, and community building behind the scenes, the goal is always to bring the best out of my client’s brands and make a potent and lasting impression that helps people connect. Results-driven and socially adept, I lead the right people to support, share and contribute to my client’s mission, values, product, and most importantly, community.
The PR Handler’s clients have achieved national features in top-tier publications, industry recognition, awards, and a presence on major digital platforms during their time on her client roster. Essentially, my work is working when my clients visibility and the stories we’re putting out about them influence people to adapt to a positive perception, ideas, language, strengthen their habits with buying products products and deepening parts of my client’s brands into their lifestyle (to start).The most powerful vehicle of advertising is still word of mouth! So when word is abuzz from consumer to consumer, that’s most ideal.
From behind-the-scenes to on-screen, my acting work does a similar job but in a completely different way. I have credits in short and feature length films Pictures Only (Prime), Primary Positions (Amazon Prime), Three Dates To Forever (Peacock), and the television drama series The Chi (Paramount+) and the NBC series Law & Order. Additionally, I’ve taken on some engagement producing work with educational documentaries and public broadcast television series, and participating in film industry panels like Chicago Film Symposium, Essence Film Festival, and XL Film Festival. How I got my start on camera is a whole other story! Those gaps of time unemployed were productive and I used that time to explore my hobbies and passions which I always encourage for multi-faceted creative people.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
The most obvious answer to this question for me is creative communities online. Especially in more recent years, social media content creators have produced these digital gardens for creatives to gather, connect, converse and find collaborators! Nearly every time I open the Threads app, I find people inquiring about where the people are who share their interests and there are always TONS of responses. I’ve been to a few of these meeting ups and they are often great places to meet new people, skill share and even start new projects together. A less obvious answer to this question for me is meditation apps like Insight Timer and Waking Up have been immensely helpful in calming down the mind and allowing creative action to flow.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I want to be able to see evidence of my authentic self in my creative work. For me, it’s not just about performing or creating—it’s about embedding my core values, experiences, and growth into the process, regardless of the role or project. As an actor, my challenge is to find a way to bring my true essence into the performance, even when I’m embodying a character that is drastically different from myself. I believe that authenticity allows the audience to connect with the character on a deeper level, feeling that human vulnerability that’s universally relatable. I strive to bring that same authenticity into every project I take on, ensuring that my unique perspective shines through, even if I’m portraying someone else.
As a publicist, I feel incredibly fulfilled because I have the opportunity to work with organizations that don’t just focus on success or recognition but also on giving back to their communities in meaningful, creative ways. It’s fulfilling to know that my work directly contributes to the stories of these organizations, helping them communicate their impact and mission to the world. My own personal growth as an individual fuels my drive to work with people who prioritize purpose and giving back—something I feel strongly about.
Ultimately, my goal is to expand on who I am, both in my professional and personal life. I see every opportunity as a chance to grow and bring that evolution into my work. I believe that when the journey and growth of the artist or individual are reflected in the work, it allows for an authentic connection with others. That’s what makes storytelling so powerful—it’s not just about the plot or the role, but about creating something real that resonates with people on an emotional level. If I can tell stories that are not only true to myself but also reach others in a meaningful way, then I’ve truly achieved something.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theprhandler.com
- Instagram: @itsjesspatrice
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicagillespie
