Hyacinth Rucker
“The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation.” - Hyacinth Rucker
Our social media theme for August, #BuildingBuzz, highlights locals who have become influential in their communities due to their powerful stories and cultivated communication skills. This week’s feature is multi-talented public relations professional and influencer Hyacinth Rucker.
Hyacinth is currently the regional communications manager for the Indiana region of the American Red Cross and the owner of Hyacinth Innovative Solutions, LLC. She previously worked for the Eiteljorg Museum as their digital marketing manager. Prior to working in PR, Hyacinth utilized her degree in broadcast journalism to pursue a career in the TV industry for over a decade. She has been an active member of the Public Relations Society of America’s Hoosier Chapter since 2015, where she currently serves as the president-elect. Previously, Hyacinth was a blogger for Visit Indiana for four years, but she now spends her free time as a mommy/travel blogger for Mommination.
Though Hyacinth’s PR career is inspiring, sharing her life and travel/parenting advice through blogging has proven just as impactful. Blogging was not initially a pastime she expected to pursue, but she saw a need within her community that she could fill. “One of the main reasons I decided to share my adventures with my family was because I did not see many people of color in my community doing this,” she said. Whenever she posted photos of family vacations, friends and family would ask for her to share the details of their trip. She noted, “The questions I received let me know there was a need for Black travel bloggers in my community.”
Hyacinth does not take her position as an influencer for granted. She discussed how having influence directly impacts the way others make decisions. As a result, she highlighted the importance of using a platform authentically and responsibly. When asked for advice on how to best leverage influence, she shared that leading by example is a must. It is important to showcase expertise in a genuine way. Understanding your audience and sharing content consistently is the key to building trust. Hyacinth also shared the personal mantra that has guided her through her influencer journey: “faith over fear.”
To learn more about Hyacinth and her work, you can follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn or visit the Red Cross Indiana website. You can also read her blogs on Visit Indiana and MommiNation.
