Representation in Editorial Policy:
1. Include Diverse Perspectives: Commit to seek out expert voices and stories from marginalized backgrounds for a range of topics, not just when they are directly related to identity.
Terminology:
1. Avoid Offensive Language: Review and eliminate discriminatory or offensive terms. Use language that is respectful, inclusive, and acknowledges intersectional identities.
2. Prefer Self-Identification: Allow individuals to self-identify their identities, and respect their preferred terminologies.
Training and Education:
1. Cultural Competency: Provide training to journalists on cultural competence, sensitivity, and the unique experiences of marginalized communities.
2. Unlearning Bias: Offer workshops that challenge journalists to unlearn unconscious bias and create a more inclusive working environment.
Diverse Staff and Leadership:
1. Representative Hiring: Increase efforts to hire journalists and editors who come from various marginalized groups, expanding representation within media organizations.
2. Diverse Leadership: Ensure leadership positions include individuals with diverse backgrounds, who can advocate for inclusive storytelling.
Language Representation:
1. Respect Language Usage: Be attuned to diverse linguistic styles and language variances within communities, and avoid homogenizing language.
Contextualizing and Historical Accuracy:
1. Provide Historical Context: When discussing marginalized communities, incorporate historical context that illuminates past struggles, systemic injustices, and cultural heritage.
2. Avoid Stereotypes and Generalizations: Resist pigeonholing individuals or communities into stereotypes or treating them as solely representatives of a larger group.
Community Involvement:
1. Collaboration: Engage with marginalized communities themselves to collaborate on stories and ensure their voices are heard directly.
2. Community Advisors: Create advisory boards or work closely with community members to get feedback and guidance on coverage.
Fact-Checking and Verification:
1. Cultural Sensitivities: Train journalists to be culturally sensitive during the fact-checking process, especially when dealing with sensitive, traumatic, or controversial topics.
2. Community Input: Engage community members in fact-checking processes to enhance accuracy and ensure the fair representation of their perspectives.
Promoting Agency and Empowerment:
1. Center lived Experiences: Give marginalized individuals agency to tell their own stories rather than speaking on their behalf.
2. Positive Narratives: Resist the trap of solely portraying marginalized communities through stories of poverty, violence, or victimhood. Showcase positive accomplishments, success stories, and community empowerment.
Accountability and Transparency:
1. Public Commitment: Make a public declaration committing to inclusive and diverse reporting, and transparently report on progress.
2. Feedback and Corrective Action: Foster channels for community feedback, and be willing to acknowledge mistakes, learn from them, and take corrective action.
Data Collection and Inclusion:
1. Inclusive Measurement: Rethink how data is collected, analyzed, and presented to ensure it captures the diversity within communities accurately.
2. Intersectionality: Gather data that goes beyond single identity categories to account for the intersectionality of various characteristics.
Through these changes, media can enhance their reporting to be more inclusive, respectful, and representative of marginalized and smaller communities, breaking down barriers and fostering a more just and equitable society.