“Marcus,” she said, turning back to the room, “what’s our reach look like?”
He pulled up new charts.
“We’ve got solid relationships with major outlets, especially those focused on diversity in business. Several journalists have already reached out wanting your side of the story.”
“Who, specifically?”
“Sarah Chen from Business Weekly. She did that piece on discrimination in venture capital last year.”
“Michael Torres at the Financial Times. He’s been covering systemic racism in luxury industries.”
“And Diana Washington wants you for her primetime slot tonight.”
Alicia nodded slowly, processing the options.
“Diana’s show reaches the right audience, but it’s too soon. We need to build our case first.”
She walked back to the table.
“Set up interviews with Sarah and Michael. They understand the bigger picture.”
“What’s our message?” Sasha asked, ready to take notes.
“The truth,” Alicia said simply. “No spin, no emotional appeals.”
“We lay out exactly what happened at that airfield. Let people see the pattern for what it is.”
Thomas leaned forward.
“We should release the contract termination details. Show how they breached the anti-discrimination clauses.”
“Already on it,” Marcus said, typing rapidly. “I’ve got draft statements ready for review.”
Janet raised her hand slightly.
“What about the shareholders? They’re going to want reassurance.”
“Schedule a call with the major stakeholders for this afternoon,” Alicia decided. “I’ll walk them through our position personally.”
“And prepare a memo detailing our financial strength. Remind them why they invested with us in the first place.”
The team worked steadily through the morning, crafting responses and planning their counteroffensive. Sasha coordinated with security to monitor for any escalation in threats.
Marcus drafted talking points for the upcoming interviews. Janet prepared financial documents showing the company’s solid foundation.
Around 11, Marcus’s phone buzzed.
“Sarah Chen can meet at two. Michael Torres wants to do a longer sit-down tomorrow morning.”
“Perfect,” Alicia said. “Book them both.”
“Sarah’s piece will set the tone, and Michael can go deeper into the industry implications.”
Thomas reviewed the interview outlines.
“Remember, stick to verifiable facts. They’ll try to bait you into an emotional response.”
“Don’t give them the satisfaction.”
“I’ve been handling their type for 30 years,” Alicia reminded him with a slight smile. “They’ve never seen me lose my composure, and they won’t start now.”
The team broke for lunch, but Alicia remained in her office reviewing the morning’s developments with Sasha.
“Their strategy is backfiring,” Sasha observed, showing Alicia new social media trends. “People are starting to question why they’re attacking your character instead of addressing the incident.”