I spent yrs working in a newsroom where I was one of a handful of folks speaking out about diversity, pay equity & coverage gaps, only to be treated hostilely or indifferently by mgmt & other co-workers.
Workplaces can be supportive to some, while being toxic to JOCs.
Workplaces can be supportive to some, while being toxic to JOCs.
What continually irked me during my time there was how much this newsroom prided itself publicly on holding institutions accountable and 'following the money.'
But when myself and others tried to do with the newsroom itself through the right internal channels, we were gaslit.
But when myself and others tried to do with the newsroom itself through the right internal channels, we were gaslit.
I, and ~5 others, were brought on FT as "diversity fellows" at @publicintegrity through a 3-yr $600K grant specifically for increasing newsroom diversity. Most of us made $35K for a year in DC, one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S.
A good chunk of the $600k grant didn't go to JOCs, it went to white leadership. To this day, I still cannot account for over a 1/3 of the total.
After we raised these issues internally, how I was perceived at @publicintegrity changed and I increasingly became seen as difficult.
After we raised these issues internally, how I was perceived at @publicintegrity changed and I increasingly became seen as difficult.
Tbf, I was always "difficult." All the same attributes that made me a good investigative reporter for that newsroom, also made me a liability and an annoyance for that organization's continuously revolving slate of leadership: 4 CEOs in the 4 yrs I was there.
Each CEO disliked me for different, yet same, reasons. The 1st thought I asked too many Qs during internal staff mtgs. The 2nd was annoyed by my concerns over asbestos, race + gender pay gaps. The 3rd felt I was being greedy when I complained about a male colleague making more.
The 4th, & this 1 hurt the most for several reasons, got annoyed with me when I pointed out a new team covering inequality + poverty (which was handpicked internally) was entirely white. I was also told I was disruptive bc I raised concerns w/o providing solutions
Anybody who thinks I'm unfairly characterizing the situation or exaggerating for dramatic effect: I have a stack of emails and voice recordings with HR and mgmt supporting each and every tweet here. Why? Bc I'm an investigative reporter. That's what we do, document and question.
One of the most disappointing things, again and again, was how several of my colleagues, many of them white women, were particularly hostile during diversity committee meetings. They were quick to acknowledge the 'patriarchy,' but racism?
There are still pple in mgmt there with well documented histories of abusive + inappropriate behavior, especially toward POC and women.
You see your value, or lack thereof, every day your HR complaint or talk with a mgr goes unaddressed. Every time you get knocked down a peg.
You see your value, or lack thereof, every day your HR complaint or talk with a mgr goes unaddressed. Every time you get knocked down a peg.
Being indifferent does not make you "neutral." I am disappointed + ashamed in those who left their colleagues to fend for themselves and justify their worth to an org that was too quick to embrace them in the name of diversity, but slow to give them autonomy + pay them fairly.
This is actually super personally embarrassing to admit, but when I finally left 2 mos ago I left w/o sending a goodbye email because the CEO had officially barred me from sending out any "all" emails. I was also told to CC the CEO on any emails where I complained about mgmt.
I was also officially instructed not to engage or partake in any discussion w/in the office that could be overheard or understood to be disparaging about the org or make others feel bad abt working there. This was both confusing/troublesome enough to led me to call an attorney
