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AAPRC Weekly: Candace Sandy

Candace Sandy
Communications Director, Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
New York City


Candace Sandy spent the last four weeks of the 2004 Presidential campaign in Wisconsin. Not her normal hangout, but as communications director for Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), a co-chair for the Kerry-Edwards campaign, Sandy and the rest of Meeks' staff voluntarily scattered themselves to the far corners of the U.S. to lend their experience to the Democratic effort in key battleground states. As specialty media press secretary in Wisconsin, Sandy was responsible for African-American, Latino, Hmong and Muslim media in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha just 45 minutes outside of Chicago. Candace also worked closely with State Senator Gwen Moore the first African American woman elected to Congress in the state of Wisconsin. Even for an experienced political communicator like Sandy, the experience was eye-opening. "African-American media here plays a huge role in the community. There are fewer stations, fewer media outlets, so people really read the paper. They don't skim," Sandy said. "And there's been a significant effort to educate the community through the media outlets. I've never seen outreach like this. They were meeting in people's homes…Chuck D [came] and got together with young people and walked with them to the polls…Darryl McDaniel from Run DMC and Q-Tip went to Barbershops and spoke with young people on the importance of voting…3LW marched in the rain with Reverend Al Sharpton to convince people it was time to make a change…"

It's been a challenging and rigorous political season, but Sandy has relished the experience. "When I got here I didn't even know what I was going to do, what I was going to deal with, and I have come away from this experience feeling totally empowered," she said of her stint in Wisconsin. "If I was sitting home just doing regular press, I would be really frustrated."

Sandy's passion for media and politics developed during her undergraduate years at New York University (NYU), where she started in 1991 as a parttime business major. She had no plans for a career in media, but an internship opportunity brought her to NYU's awardwinning, tri-state radio station, WNYU. By the following year she'd changed her major to communications. In 1994, Sandy was hired as a publicist for the station, and by 1995 she'd worked her way up to general manager, the first for an African-American in 25 years who while maintaining a Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) Ad lab fellowship.

Sandy's unexpected career in media also triggered an interest in television and during her stint at NYU she did an internship with WNBC News, working first for the local morning broadcast and later for "Weekend Today in New York." During her tenure at NBC, she met then-State Assemblyman Gregory Meeks. The two became friends and when Meeks was elected to Congress in 1998 he asked Sandy to come on board as his press secretary. She left WNYU to explore new territory. She'd been active in voter registration efforts over the years, but being a Congressional press secretary would stretch an entirely different set of muscles. "It was a huge adjustment because a couple months after I started the whole [Monica Lewinsky affair] and the allegations against President Bill Clinton came out and we went from having three calls a day to 50," Sandy says of her first year.

In addition to the new challenges before her at work, Sandy was leading a dual life of sorts. By day a press secretary, the rest of the time a published author and editor. In 1997, Sandy and long-time friend Dawn Marie Daniels, an editor and literary agent, had a conversation that evolved into a collection of essays: Souls of My Sisters: Black Women Break Their Silence, Tell Their Stories and Heal Their Spirit (Kensington, 2000). "We decided that we didn't like the way women were treating each other and decided to do something about it by putting this book together," says Sandy. "A lot of our experiences are shared. No one goes through anything by themselves." Sandy and Daniels gathered inspiring stories from a wide cross-section of African-American women––from veteran publicist Terrie Williams and celebrities like Patti Labelle and Mary J. Blige, to doctors, lawyers and housewives. The resulting collection became an Essence best-seller and spawned a second successful project. Sandy and Daniels published Souls of My Brothers: Black Men Break their Silence, Tell Their Truths and Heal Our Spirits (Plume) in 2003. The male turn includes contributions from men ranging from music legend Isaac Hayes to Sandy's boss, Congressman Meeks.

While she navigated her way through the publishing industry, Sandy also managed to find success in her work for Congressman Meeks. She had quickly learned some key lessons. "Relationships are everything," says Sandy. "Sometimes we don't have the opportunity to write a press release because things are happening so quickly. By developing a relationship with the writers and editors of the papers and some of the producers we're able to get our story out very quickly."

In 2001, Sandy was promoted to communications director and found herself adjusting her focus to fit the new position. "The work became more needing to be a planner and working with a team than just booking media. It became more of a strategic way of doing things," says Sandy of her work with the Congressman's 22-person staff. "There's more of a global perspective of what we do because of the demographics of our constituents. We may be addressing the fact that he went to India and instead of just putting out a press release, we address the issues of the Indian community, come up with a strategy and op-eds, so it's more packaging."

Once the rigor of the campaign ended, Sandy planned a getaway to Florida, an ironic choice but who could blame her for wanting a trip to the beach––a Presidential campaign, working for a busy Congressman and two successful books in three years. Those few days on the beach will only be a pit stop, though. Sandy is passionate about politics and media. "It comes down to finding out what is your purpose in life. I know that's such a cliché but each one of us has a role," she says. "I feel that my role is to give information to the masses and I will always have some kind of role in politics. I don't know to what capacity but I feel that somehow I'm supposed to help the underserved and the disenfranchised. Whether I can do that through media or through some other avenue, I'm willing to just leave that up to God."

As a communications specialist in the political arena, what advice do you offer clients trying to navigate media relationships?

Always listen to the reporter's questions and turn them into your goals and objectives; always answer to suit your needs. Never allow the media to dictate the ground and always stay grounded as to the points you are trying to get across.

When you look at the relationship between media and politics in the current election season, do you think the public was well-served?

No, because generally the mainstream media outlets, primarily cable and network television, accepted and embraced the Bush characterization of Senator John Kerry. For example, Senator Kerry was portrayed as a flip flopper, but there was no comparable characterization of President Bush especially on the Iraq War or his many positions on different issues that he has changed many times. For example, he was against Homeland Security and the 911 Commission and then he was for them. One correspondent described Senator Kerry as stiff and without emotion. What is the basis for this and what does that have to do with being Commander in Chief of the United States?

Later on in the campaign the media was very critical of Senator Kerry, focusing on his voting for the first $87 billion dollars and then voting against the supplemental request for $87 billion the President sent up to Congress. The reason that Senator Kerry did not sign the supplemental bill was that the first had provisions to pay for it through tax cuts. Senator Kerry wanted to roll back the tax cuts for one year for individuals who make one million or more and the Bush administration was against it.

Finally, the media never made any mention of the racial composition of the audience that the President and Vice-President spoke to before and during the campaign. If you review the footage you would be hard pressed to find even a handful of African-Americans.

Some would say that many Americans have become increasingly cynical about political leaders and the image they project in media. Do you agree? If so is their a particular strategy that you employ to combat this?

Some media outlets have not been the objective source they were designed to be. I am certain there are other press professionals who join me in saying that when our political leaders provide news opportunities that portray the community in a positive light there is barely media coverage, if at all.

Instead, we are bombarded with scandal after scandal, which leads us to believe that our political figures are not effective. I employ the strategy of showing the human side of the clients. It is a tremendous sacrifice to serve as an elected official in any capacity in America. The work is exhausting, so I share the process. I have invited reporters to spend the day with the Member; sit in on meetings that often turn into debates; and share with them the source of a particular resolution, proposed legislation and/or program or project. It puts a human side on our process and permits them to experience how much the Member is committed to serving his constituents and the nation.

You've worked behind the scenes in the 2004 campaign for President? Is there an important story that mainstream media has missed or ignored?

Yes, I along with my colleagues who worked with the African-American communities in Wisconsin, Nevada and Ohio could not help but notice that the mainstream media hardly touched on how our vote would impact the election. They never mentioned how the Kerry campaign courted the African-American vote very aggressively. Lower income Black populations were especially ignored, even though we felt that the predominant issues in this election truly impact those communities. Unemployment and the economy, health care and health insurance, the disparities in public education and no child left behind all very significant issues. Residents in these communities often feel that their vote doesn't count and it seems the media feels the same way.

In your work as a press secretary, what's a typical day like for you?

During the Presidential campaign, I worked with the Wisconsin Victory '04 Coordinated Campaign as specialty media press secretary for Milwaukee, and surrounding towns of Racine and Kenosha. I was the onthe-record spokesperson within specialty media, primarily handling African-American, Hispanic and Hmong media outlets for the state party that worked on behalf of Senators John Kerry and John Edwards. On any given day––which ran about 18-20 hours per day––I would proactively pitch field stories, events, write advisories, booked interviews, prepared press briefings and traveled with surrogates. I had the great opportunity to work with Reverend Jesse Jackson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Al and Tipper Gore, Q-tip, 3LW, Chuck D, DMC "Darryl McDaniels," New York City Councilwoman Tracy L. Boyland, Assembly Member William Boyland Jr., former Secretary of HUD George Cisneros, Congresswoman Gwen Moore (the first African-American woman elected to Congress in the state of Wisconsin) and a small group of dynamic Latino soap [actors] and musicians. As a communications director for Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, I work directly with a team on all media related issues for the Congressman, which includes soliciting coverage for the Member's committee assignments on International Relations and its subcommittees on Africa and Banking. I organize and implement media events, press conferences and photo opportunities, develop team strategies and media goals. Most of my day is spent scheduling the Member for local and national radio, television and print interviews. It is not unusual for me to field calls from reporters from Malaysia, Africa, Europe, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, India, Israel and the Caribbean.

Professionally, what's been your greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge, which has turned into my joy, has been to work seamlessly with eclectic personalities in a pressurized environment.

What is the most satisfying aspect of your work?

I truly enjoy helping people and assisting them in reaching their goals, whether it is disseminating information or providing an opportunity. This position also enables me to work with and meet a wide range of great people, including my colleagues, who are some of the best and brightest. Congressman Meeks has always maintained that all team members submit their ideas and concerns, and often, after considerable research, your idea may possibly become legislation.

What advice do you have for young people who want to get into the communications end of politics? What are some of the dos and don'ts?

Join a local political club that you believe in and learn politics from the local level up. Don't go into anything thinking you know it all. Everyone has their own way of doing things and you can learn from even the most menial task.

Are you a news junkie?

Each morning I review several newspapers and radio programs. Unfortunately, sometimes the news is reported with a slant and if I don't filter it out it can be overwhelming.

Tell us one thing people might be surprised to know about you.

My godson, Martin Daniels, who is 11 years old, after spending about three weeks with me one summer said, "There are two things people don't know about you: You work really hard and you are a lot of fun." I love life and embrace it with humor and always rely on my strong faith in God. Also, I often take on the role of a counselor to people that I meet, not that I have the best advice, but I just love people and am often fascinated by their personal stories.

AAPRC's Mission
The African-American Public Relations Collective (AAPRC) is an assemblage of professionals who provide communication conduits among clients, journalists, media and our communities. We come together as a collective because we recognize the importance of building those same conduits amongst ourselves.

A great deal of what we do is professional development––updating our skills, keeping pace with technology, refining and streamlining processes, providing a forum to tackle the issues that impact our work environment––but we believe our professional lives benefit most from the forging of effective alliances. Connected to one another, we possess the power of a nationwide body of committed, knowledgeable practitioners with an eye on the future.

As we move into the 21st century at lightning speed, mass media and its potent messages occupy an ever-larger part of our daily lives and our collective psyche. The AAPRC is focused on helping our members gain a deeper understanding of media's force and supporting their growth as powerful participants in the global communications network.

AAPRC's Contact
GQ Media & Public Relations
1650 Broadway Suite 1011
New York NY 10019
1212 765 7910
1212 765 7905
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