"In places like Johannesburg, Cairo, and Cozumel—beyond the exquisite architecture—I saw the faces of starving children, only a stone’s throw away. As I dined on fine china, I could hear the echo of wee voices begging for coins, for crumbs, for care. All my life I've heard 'their calling'—to combine my fascination for exploring new food, cultures and people to a desire to promote their cause."
The benevolent core of The Write Publicist is “soul work"—the philanthropic arm that is controlled by the heartstrings of publicist Regina Lynch-Hudson. She believes that there’s a moral obligation to “give back” and has compassionately donated an inestimable amount of uncompensated time, ideas and writing services to others during her long career.
“Find a mission you are passionate about, and the internal rewards of investing time and talents that benefit humanity will exceed monetary payment," stresses Regina. For her, that mission is homeless or poverty-stricken children. As a travel writer, she has had firsthand experience that has heightened her opportunity to give.
Regina believes firmly in the “Power of One”—that you do not have to be a part of a charitable organization in order to “give back.” Her personal power was exhibited when she conceptualized, coordinated and co-photographed "Children Nearby: Right in Your Own Backyard," an exhibit showcasing the faces of Atlanta’s homeless children that raised funds to benefit a shelter. She worked for four months, without pay, to bring this effort to fruition and make it a success.
In 2006, she visited Protea Primary School in Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of a group that distributed school supplies to a school plagued by a book shortage. “A sea of unforgettable children dressed in red, black and white uniforms serenaded us. Their harmonic voices were filled with welcome and pride—a symphony that will forever sing to my soul."
Regina’s enthusiasm and advocacy for the well-being of children around the world has its source in her own childhood on her grandparents' homestead in rural Black
Mountain, North Carolina. “When I was a little girl I could look out onto land that claimed rows and rows of corn, green beans, cabbage, collard greens, rhubarb, onions and apple trees. With a teaspoonful of this or a pinch of that, my grandmother conjured up captivating comfort food and healing remedies. Grandma’s kitchen was my safe haven. And, with every bite she served I could hear her chanting, “Don't waste your food; there are hungry children starving all over the world.”
Decades later, the universe—with all of its magic and unbridled opportunity— allowed Regina to blossom into a journalist-cum-publicist who had entrée into some of the world's most fabulous and exciting places. She wrote travel articles, penned restaurant reviews and experienced “all that glitters” all over the globe. She discovered that there was no “safe haven” at Motsoaledi Squatter Camp in Soweto, South Africa, where many residents live in tin shacks without running water, electricity or a toilet. “In a compound of dirt paths and ramshackle one-room huts, small, hungry children reached out their tiny hands to us.”
From Mokattam Garbage Village in Cairo, Egypt, to rural villages and urban shanties throughout the country, Regina finds a way to combine travel writing with projects that shine the spotlight on the plight of needy children.
She also motivates and encourages her clients to give back. She conceived one-time NBA star Theo Ratliff's "Stay on the Ball: Learn to Read Contest," a citywide essay contest that was endorsed by the Atlanta Public School System. In addition to securing APS participation, The Write Publicist signed Washington Mutual as a sponsor, as well as several children's book publishers, including Boyd's Mill Press, Cook Communications Ministries and Harper Collins Publishers.
Almost daily, The Write Publicist receives pleas from companies and individuals needing some form of public relations assistance. While The Write Publicist cannot respond to every appeal, each year the company provides a multitude of services gratis. The Write Publicist is partial to projects that aid underprivileged children and welcomes complimentary work for nonprofit organizations on a time-availability basis.
