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Thread: The Vancouver journalist community has been engulfed in controversy around an anti-immigrant oped. It’s a good moment to all figure out how to do better. That’s why I was disappointed at my treatment by my peers in a crowded press scrum today. thetyee.ca/Analysis/2019/… 
It was Trudeau's campaign launch tonight in a fairly small auditorium. Like the other press, I filed in and stepped onto the small stage for reporters to view the rally. I was filming live video. As soon as I got on the stage, reporters around me started asking if I would move.
Multiple journalists, at least 3, at different times asked me to move to make space for them, including someone who was just taking notes and not recording. I politely refused each time, to their surprise and annoyance. I was the only woman of colour in that corner of the stage.
There were reporters who stepped on the stage after me who were not asked by anyone to budge. Why was I the only one who seemed to not have as much claim to the space I was occupying? Scrums are stressful, but I think unconscious gender or racial bias was a factor here.
Context for the current debate and outrage over a racist op-ed published then removed by the Vancouver Sun/Province: thetyee.ca/Analysis/2019/…
I am an immigrant, and in Canadian media spaces, which are predominantly white, I've felt uncomfortable and invisible many times. Yet I nominally hold a privileged role: I'm a bureau chief of a top Canadian national newspaper. Often, people are surprised I hold this job.
It's not just a problem in Canada. When I worked as a correspondent in Beijing, female journalists were often overlooked and disrespected. An Asian female bureau chief was often mistaken for an assistant. Unconscious bias is **strong** and we need to recognize this and change.
Thanks Will! This is a good example of good ally behaviour. Instead of dismissing or being defensive, a fellow professional corroborated my experience.
When we talk about improving media practices to avoid publishing racist garbage and better serve our diverse communities, we need to make sure that minorities IN newsrooms are respected and celebrated. If the few that are in the industry leave, quality of work will suffer.
I am no stranger to aggressive press scrums. I worked for years covering some of the biggest international diplomatic events. Tonight was the first time I was asked multiple times to move after I successfully jockeyed for my space. Canadian journos -- this isn't normal.
As part of a newsroom that is passionate about and lives and breathes respect for diversity and doing justice to our multicultural country, we use our privilege to try to make a difference. I went on @CalltheQPodcast to discuss our efforts spreaker.com/user/11150467/… @CalltheQPodcast
@CalltheQPodcast As bureau chief, I'm proud to publish commentary pieces like this. Perhaps, people react negatively against my confidence because the "model" Asian immigrant is hardworking and keeps her head down, is unassuming and passive. That's not me. Let's do better. thestar.com/opinion/contri…
@CalltheQPodcast The struggles of minorities/women of colour in Canadian journalism is increasingly well documented. See this by @anyazoledz thetyee.ca/Culture/2019/0…
@CalltheQPodcast @anyazoledz I am afraid to list the more blatant and obnoxious examples of behaviour I experienced in the last year. Minorities often face disproportionate "trolling" and online/offline attacks. I don't want to stir up too much. Thanks for reading and reflecting.
