I'm encouraged to see so many newsrooms today publish internal diversity numbers & acknowledge that most don't reflect the communities they cover. But please remember, it's not enough to hire Black/POC journalists. These plans must include retainment & career advancement.
As you lay out hiring plans, ask yourself these questions: What sort of environment will these journalists be brought into? Will their voices be heard? Are they only being hired in entry level roles? Or in prominent beats and management roles?
Yes, newsrooms have shrunk/been decimated. But that doesn't change this fact: We weren't doing that great of a job covering these communities before that. The very future of journalism depends on all of us rising to the occasion to truly cover America's shifting demographics.
To close this out. For any young Black/journalist of color, here's my sage advice as newsrooms approach you: Know what you want. Ask for what you're worth. Ask for everything up front and in writing before you take that job. Hold them to it because they need you & your voice.
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A white neighbor displayed a KKK flag in a window facing a Black neighbor in a suburb near Detroit. "I was furious. How dare he feel comfortable putting a symbol of hatred, violence & domestic terrorism at his window facing my house? How dare he.” google.com/amp/s/amp.free…
I know y’all remember what I’ve been saying about Michigan’s dark history of racism that folks try to gloss over and deny. Guess what? Racism is still a problem here. Everywhere.
Grosse Pointe Park, as well as the other Pointes, are examples of places that Black parents warn their children about in Michigan. They’re located right next to Detroit.
NEW: Communities of color are disparately impacted by environmental & climate issues. But philanthropic funding rarely goes toward environmental & climate justice groups led by Black, Indigenous & other POC.
Stunning: A 2020 study by the Tishman Environment & Design Center at The New School found between 2016 & 2017, 12 national enviro grant makers awarded $1.34B to orgs in the Gulf and Midwest regions.
Just $18M — 1.3% — was awarded to groups dedicated to environmental justice.
The Donors of Color Network launched a Climate Funders Justice Pledge Thurs, challenging the nation’s climate philanthropists to shift 30% of their donations toward environmental efforts led by Black/Indigenous/POC. The Kresge Foundation & five other top funders have committed.
Bittersweet came to mind, as did frustrated when she learned charges were forthcoming in the Flint water crisis.
And repairing the physical & emotional scars of Flint residents could take years.apnews.com/article/flint-…
You may remember Ariana Hawk's story. Her son, Sincere Smith, was two when his picture, captured by the talented @reginahboone, made the cover of Time magazine in 2016. Sincere suffered painful, severe rashes & dry patches because of Flint's water --A trauma impossible to forget.
I spoke to Hawk after the @AP broke the news. She's hopeful but said justice delayed is justice denied. Sincere is 7 now. He remains skeptical of all tap water.
The family went to FL recently. The children asked if the water was safe to drink.
NEW: Black policy leaders will play a pivotal role in President-elect @JoeBiden's transition, marking one of the most diverse agency review teams in history. My latest for @AP: apnews.com/article/joe-bi…
Of the 500+ team members announced, more than half are women -- & Black men & women are leading more than one-quarter of the teams.
Diversity is significant: The teams will be responsible for evaluating the operations of federal agencies that have a broad impact on Americans’.
More on why it matters: Biden will take office at a time when the nation is confronting a historic pandemic, joblessness & police brutality -- crises that have disparately impacted Black Americans.
Black voters powered his victory. They want action now.
Michigan AG Dana Nessel has filed felony charges against two well-known out-of-state Republican operatives for allegedly orchestrating robocalls aimed at suppressing the vote in the Detroit area. detroitnews.com/story/news/pol…
From the story: The calls were made in late Aug to nearly 12K residents with phone numbers from the 313 area code. They stem from a false robocall that discouraged mail-in voting by saying their personal info would be part of a public database used by police if they vote by mail.
Why is this significant? Detroit is the nation's largest Black-majority city, it will play a major role in deciding which way Michigan goes in Nov. & in turn, a role in the overall outcome of the election. Suppression tactics like this could impact turnout.