back in 2012 a police officer George Zimmerman had killed Trayvon Martin a 17
Zimmerman had killed Trayvon Martin a 17
Zimmerman had killed Trayvon Martin a 17 year old african-american high school
year old african-american high school
year old african-american high school student this story had overtaken the
student this story had overtaken the
student this story had overtaken the entire country and journalists across
entire country and journalists across
entire country and journalists across the nation had reported on it furiously
the nation had reported on it furiously
the nation had reported on it furiously this story I as a journalist I believe
this story I as a journalist I believe
this story I as a journalist I believe that a dedication to presenting both
that a dedication to presenting both
that a dedication to presenting both sides of the story is a commonality all
sides of the story is a commonality all
sides of the story is a commonality all journalists should share however this
journalists should share however this
journalists should share however this wasn’t the case for the story of Trayvon
wasn’t the case for the story of Trayvon
wasn’t the case for the story of Trayvon Martin
Martin
Martin there was a stark contrast and the types
there was a stark contrast and the types
there was a stark contrast and the types of stories being reported here I have
of stories being reported here I have
of stories being reported here I have two articles written within the same
two articles written within the same
two articles written within the same week by three distinctly different
week by three distinctly different
week by three distinctly different reporters one article was written by two
reporters one article was written by two
reporters one article was written by two white men the other article was written
white men the other article was written
white men the other article was written by one black man is it immediately
by one black man is it immediately
by one black man is it immediately noticeable the difference in reporting I
noticeable the difference in reporting I
noticeable the difference in reporting I want you to take a quick look at these
want you to take a quick look at these
want you to take a quick look at these headlines and determine for yourself who
headlines and determine for yourself who
headlines and determine for yourself who wrote which article
the black man highlighted the tragedy of
the black man highlighted the tragedy of the event he discussed how the death of
the event he discussed how the death of
the event he discussed how the death of any child was inexcusable he even talked
any child was inexcusable he even talked
any child was inexcusable he even talked about how the police department had
about how the police department had
about how the police department had failed to conduct a thorough
failed to conduct a thorough
failed to conduct a thorough investigation and how that led to
investigation and how that led to
investigation and how that led to political unrest across the country
political unrest across the country
political unrest across the country whereas the two white men had decided to
whereas the two white men had decided to
whereas the two white men had decided to write a story based off ingrained
write a story based off ingrained
write a story based off ingrained stereotypes so often in the media we are
stereotypes so often in the media we are
stereotypes so often in the media we are exposed to this image of black children
exposed to this image of black children
exposed to this image of black children as thugs he was no saint they said but
as thugs he was no saint they said but
as thugs he was no saint they said but that shouldn’t be the narrative why is
that shouldn’t be the narrative why is
that shouldn’t be the narrative why is the media so quick to demonize black
the media so quick to demonize black
the media so quick to demonize black individuals and in 2016
individuals and in 2016
individuals and in 2016 17% of journalists in u.s. newsrooms
17% of journalists in u.s. newsrooms
17% of journalists in u.s. newsrooms were people of color and television only
were people of color and television only
were people of color and television only 10% of show runners were people of color
10% of show runners were people of color
10% of show runners were people of color and 11.7% of those in radio were people
and 11.7% of those in radio were people
and 11.7% of those in radio were people of color there’s a lack of diversity in
of color there’s a lack of diversity in
of color there’s a lack of diversity in our newsrooms
our newsrooms
our newsrooms and that is a cause for this disparity
and that is a cause for this disparity
and that is a cause for this disparity in journalism there are so many stories
in journalism there are so many stories
in journalism there are so many stories of African Americans that are worth
of African Americans that are worth
of African Americans that are worth telling I’ve seen and heard them myself
telling I’ve seen and heard them myself
telling I’ve seen and heard them myself but the majority of news presented in
but the majority of news presented in
but the majority of news presented in the media fits this crime Center
the media fits this crime Center
the media fits this crime Center narrative and that needs to change
narrative and that needs to change
narrative and that needs to change because this not only affects African
because this not only affects African
because this not only affects African Americans this affects all minority
Americans this affects all minority
Americans this affects all minority groups there is an obvious skew on media
groups there is an obvious skew on media
groups there is an obvious skew on media towards one perspective and it is a
towards one perspective and it is a
towards one perspective and it is a white perspective and often it is even
white perspective and often it is even
white perspective and often it is even more exclusionary as it’s a middle-class
more exclusionary as it’s a middle-class
more exclusionary as it’s a middle-class male perspective people of color are
male perspective people of color are
male perspective people of color are expected to make up more than half the
expected to make up more than half the
expected to make up more than half the entire nation’s youth by 2020 and more
entire nation’s youth by 2020 and more
entire nation’s youth by 2020 and more than half the entire population by 2040
than half the entire population by 2040
than half the entire population by 2040 for people like me but our voices aren’t
for people like me but our voices aren’t
for people like me but our voices aren’t present in media so what does this
present in media so what does this
present in media so what does this diversity look like in Columbus in order
diversity look like in Columbus in order
diversity look like in Columbus in order to gauge how the City of Columbus fared
to gauge how the City of Columbus fared
to gauge how the City of Columbus fared and representation in media I decided to
and representation in media I decided to
and representation in media I decided to research the race of each individual
research the race of each individual
research the race of each individual reporter and editor at the Columbus
reporter and editor at the Columbus
reporter and editor at the Columbus Dispatch the Columbus Dispatch is one of
Dispatch the Columbus Dispatch is one of
Dispatch the Columbus Dispatch is one of the most prominent papers in the City of
the most prominent papers in the City of
the most prominent papers in the City of Columbus thus its staff should consist
Columbus thus its staff should consist
Columbus thus its staff should consist of people that make up the racial makeup
of people that make up the racial makeup
of people that make up the racial makeup of the city
of the city
of the city and it’s ideas right well among all the
and it’s ideas right well among all the
and it’s ideas right well among all the writers and editors creating content for
writers and editors creating content for
writers and editors creating content for the city I found that 97 percent were
the city I found that 97 percent were
the city I found that 97 percent were white 97 percent it is such an
white 97 percent it is such an
white 97 percent it is such an outrageous number and it’s such a stark
outrageous number and it’s such a stark
outrageous number and it’s such a stark contrast to the actual racial makeup of
contrast to the actual racial makeup of
contrast to the actual racial makeup of Columbus Ohio almost 40 percent of
Columbus Ohio almost 40 percent of
Columbus Ohio almost 40 percent of Columbus consists of minorities of
Columbus consists of minorities of
Columbus consists of minorities of people of color but our primary news
people of color but our primary news
people of color but our primary news source consists of zero percent
source consists of zero percent
source consists of zero percent minorities it’s the expectation that our
minorities it’s the expectation that our
minorities it’s the expectation that our newsrooms have 95 percent people of
newsrooms have 95 percent people of
newsrooms have 95 percent people of color of course not but our expectation
color of course not but our expectation
color of course not but our expectation is that our newspapers are conducting
is that our newspapers are conducting
is that our newspapers are conducting the highest quality reporting and that
the highest quality reporting and that
the highest quality reporting and that cannot be possible when there’s only one
cannot be possible when there’s only one
cannot be possible when there’s only one perspective presented in your newsroom
perspective presented in your newsroom
perspective presented in your newsroom when you have a diverse staff you have
when you have a diverse staff you have
when you have a diverse staff you have people that are comfortable and
people that are comfortable and
people that are comfortable and experienced talking about certain topics
experienced talking about certain topics
experienced talking about certain topics and that produces better stories I
and that produces better stories I
and that produces better stories I witnessed the sentiment in action when I
witnessed the sentiment in action when I
witnessed the sentiment in action when I attended aaja high school journalism
attended aaja high school journalism
attended aaja high school journalism camp
camp
camp this past summer my peers came from a
this past summer my peers came from a
this past summer my peers came from a variety of backgrounds varying from
variety of backgrounds varying from
variety of backgrounds varying from different cultural practices and
different cultural practices and
different cultural practices and following different religions while also
following different religions while also
following different religions while also being a part of communities such as the
being a part of communities such as the
being a part of communities such as the lgbtq+ community this practice is not
lgbtq+ community this practice is not
lgbtq+ community this practice is not commonplace in our schools and in our
commonplace in our schools and in our
commonplace in our schools and in our communities working at my school staff I
communities working at my school staff I
communities working at my school staff I am the only black individual in the
am the only black individual in the
am the only black individual in the newsroom and only one of two people of
newsroom and only one of two people of
newsroom and only one of two people of color working with other school staffs
color working with other school staffs
color working with other school staffs across the state I see the same home
across the state I see the same home
across the state I see the same home identity even working at the state and
identity even working at the state and
identity even working at the state and national level with adults I am only one
national level with adults I am only one
national level with adults I am only one of few ethnic voices and that at times
of few ethnic voices and that at times
of few ethnic voices and that at times has led me to feel like my ideas didn’t
has led me to feel like my ideas didn’t
has led me to feel like my ideas didn’t matter but at camp I felt like I was
matter but at camp I felt like I was
matter but at camp I felt like I was given this space to talk about the
given this space to talk about the
given this space to talk about the issues that were important to me and I
issues that were important to me and I
issues that were important to me and I felt was important to my community in
felt was important to my community in
felt was important to my community in Philadelphia whether I camp to play
Philadelphia whether I camp to play
Philadelphia whether I camp to play they’re like a lot of cities had a large
they’re like a lot of cities had a large
they’re like a lot of cities had a large minority population and a large majority
minority population and a large majority
minority population and a large majority of that population also was afflicted by
of that population also was afflicted by
of that population also was afflicted by homelessness and as a woman I saw that a
homelessness and as a woman I saw that a
homelessness and as a woman I saw that a lot of these people that were homeless
lot of these people that were homeless
lot of these people that were homeless were also female so I decided to cover
were also female so I decided to cover
were also female so I decided to cover how domestic violence in Philadelphia
how domestic violence in Philadelphia
how domestic violence in Philadelphia had led to homelessness
had led to homelessness
had led to homelessness I had the connection to the story and I
I had the connection to the story and I
I had the connection to the story and I was immediately able to pick up on it
was immediately able to pick up on it
was immediately able to pick up on it but not a lot of other journalists could
but not a lot of other journalists could
but not a lot of other journalists could say the same similarly add a colleague
say the same similarly add a colleague
say the same similarly add a colleague who had a Chinese background who noticed
who had a Chinese background who noticed
who had a Chinese background who noticed walking the streets of Philadelphia the
walking the streets of Philadelphia the
walking the streets of Philadelphia the paradoxical nature of the city there’s
paradoxical nature of the city there’s
paradoxical nature of the city there’s plenty aegeon food trucks
plenty aegeon food trucks
plenty aegeon food trucks there’s tons in fact but there was no
there’s tons in fact but there was no
there’s tons in fact but there was no Koreatown or Chinatown he decided to
Koreatown or Chinatown he decided to
Koreatown or Chinatown he decided to investigate that disconnect because
investigate that disconnect because
investigate that disconnect because again he had a connection to the story
again he had a connection to the story
again he had a connection to the story that not many other journalists could
that not many other journalists could
that not many other journalists could say they had he was able to investigate
say they had he was able to investigate
say they had he was able to investigate that disconnect because of his
that disconnect because of his
that disconnect because of his perspective it was incredible how his
perspective it was incredible how his
perspective it was incredible how his people of color and as people of
people of color and as people of
people of color and as people of different backgrounds we could analyze
different backgrounds we could analyze
different backgrounds we could analyze the city in a way that others couldn’t I
think that as people of color our
think that as people of color our backgrounds in our upbringing is what
backgrounds in our upbringing is what
backgrounds in our upbringing is what makes us unique and what gives us
makes us unique and what gives us
makes us unique and what gives us perspectives important to the world of
perspectives important to the world of
perspectives important to the world of journalism and this is what I learned
journalism and this is what I learned
journalism and this is what I learned from that experience journalism is the
from that experience journalism is the
from that experience journalism is the pursuit of truth but it goes beyond just
pursuit of truth but it goes beyond just
pursuit of truth but it goes beyond just covering race issues and immigration
covering race issues and immigration
covering race issues and immigration issues and civil rights issues in
issues and civil rights issues in
issues and civil rights issues in ongoing coverage it’s beyond times to
ongoing coverage it’s beyond times to
ongoing coverage it’s beyond times to throw out this white experience as the
throw out this white experience as the
throw out this white experience as the sole norm and to include all races in
sole norm and to include all races in
sole norm and to include all races in the community as a part of the snorum I
the community as a part of the snorum I
the community as a part of the snorum I want you to ask yourself when reading
want you to ask yourself when reading
want you to ask yourself when reading the news how could the story be
the news how could the story be
the news how could the story be presented from another perspective we as
presented from another perspective we as
presented from another perspective we as a society have to start questioning not
a society have to start questioning not
a society have to start questioning not just the new source with the person
just the new source with the person
just the new source with the person behind the source thank you
behind the source thank you
behind the source thank you you
”
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