Diversity in Journalism
Diversity of Coverage
As an EIC, it is my job to control the type of content that our yearbook seeks. Because of this, my staff and I have been able to better tailor the focus of our book. In our beginning of the year meeting when we brainstormed a mission statement for the 2021-2022 yearbook, one word stood out specifically: diversity.
When our staff and EICs consistently mentioned the importance of diversity, I decided that I would take this to heart and ensure the diversity of our book throughout the year. One component of this was new spread ideas that we had never included in the book before. This included extensive commitment among the editors and myself to come up with new ideas that brought a new view of the student body into our book. Along with this, we were also very dedicated to creating and maintaining an up-to-date "Blacklist" that listed all of the students that had been featured in the book twice, indicating to staff members that they were now off-limits for any sort of coverage.
This was a very important aspect for me, as in past years we had a very out-of-date blacklist which allowed staffers to interview their same people— therefore retarding the advancement of our book. But with this promise, more students than ever before will be featured in our book. meaning that every facet of life at Rampart will be covered.
Diversity of coverage was more important to me this year than ever before. During our totally online COVID year (2020-2021), our coverage became mundane, repetitive, and all around redundant due to the uninvolved student body and detached staff. But this year, I decided that we would stay on our staffers to go out of their way to diversify coverage as this was an important part of our mission statement that everyone emphasized.
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Note: As of last week, our updated Blacklist is seven full pages, 11-point font, single spaced, and with one name per line (314 names in total that have been included in our book).
Diverse Representation
Although I do not have much control over diverserepresentational standards within my school, I do use my voice through writing to advocate for diversity within the school, outside of its walls, and for equality in general.
This is well demonstrated by two writing samples that I have previously attached in this portfolio (again displayed below).
Black Lives Matter
Following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests have sprung up across the nation, demanding justice from the officers involved and calling for the end of the constant police brutality that has been showcased in our nation for centuries. The events of May 25th, 2020 have greatly impacted our whole country over the months that have passed. Civil unrest has occurred across the nation, and in Denver, protestors blocked I-25 multiple times in calls for action. These injustices have even infiltrated some of America’s favorite pastimes; following the NBA restart, players changed the text on the back of their jerseys to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and have even protested playoff games to bring the public’s attention to their cries. Major League Baseball followed suit that same night, canceling games across the country over the next two days in an attempt to show solidarity from a sport where only 7.8% of athletes are black, as of 2019. Local protests have been held nationwide calling for justice for George Floyd, along with Breonna Taylor, who was killed on March 13th when officers shot at her while she was sleeping after entering her home with a no-knock warrant, and Elijah McClain, who was killed on August 30th, 2020 in Aurora, Colorado. Though these three names have been the most recognizable throughout the nationwide movement, there are countless others who have been victims of police brutality in America. It seems that 2020 has the potential to be a year of change for our police force, but as law enforcement continues to fail to take notice of the public pleas, all we can do is keep fighting until something changes. Not only in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Elijah McClain but for the good of our country as a whole.
Freelance Reporting on Social Justice Issues
Mookie Betts kneeled: he received support from most of his teammates.
Mookie Betts said he wouldn’t play in Thursday’s game vs. the Giants: the Dodgers as a team decided to protest the aforementioned game, and they stood by him unequivocally.
Jackie Bradley Jr. spoke out against social justice issues in America: the Red Sox didn’t back him up in any way.
After announcing he wouldn’t play in Thursday’s game vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, Jackie Bradley Jr. sparked a movement in the Red Sox clubhouse. The team met before their scheduled game and collectively decided not to play in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting. The Blue Jays followed suit, and the game was eventually postponed and will be played at a later date. This is all well and good, but the Red Sox need to do better in supporting Bradley Jr. in his quest to speak out against racial injustices in the United States. Before Boston’s game on Wednesday, the team didn’t hold a meeting to discuss the possibility of not playing their scheduled game. All that happened was a conversation between Bradley Jr., Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke, and backup catcher Kevin Plawecki. All that transpired was exactly that: a simple conversation. No public statement from either Roenicke or Plawecki backing Bradley Jr. until after the game was played. As the only African American player on the Red Sox, Bradley Jr. has been essentially alone on his march for social justice. The Red Sox have barely supported him publicly, and have even gone as far as making him the leader of this cause. Bradley Jr. should definitely be a prominent figure in decision making around current events in the Red Sox organization, but it can’t be solely put on his shoulders to make decisions for a whole team’s actions.