The Importance of Diversity in News Innovation
Decades of research and evidence illustrate why diversity is crucial to newsrooms and storytelling, and there is also evidence showing that diversity is extremely beneficial to any company’s bottom line. But diversity in news innovation is also very important on a human level.
Last year, I was a student at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism and we were lucky to have great guest speakers in class talking about the latest innovative projects in news. Many of the speakers came from journalism startups like the one I work for now, Spaceship Media. And even though CUNY J-School prides itself on inclusiveness and diversity, many of the speakers from the startups were white or male or both.
While these journalism startups were extremely innovative and cool, I never saw myself working at them because I thought of them as a culture built on nepotism and exclusive social networks to which I don’t have access.
However, when two people from The Coral Project, a startup that “brings journalists and the communities they serve closer together,” came to speak to our class and one was a black woman I was pleasantly surprised. Sydette Harry is the editor at large of The Coral Project and her representation and her leadership role inspired me to look for non-traditional journalism roles.
Seeing Harry in that position with The Coral Project led me to believe that maybe these companies would hire someone like me. So when an opportunity opened up at Spaceship Media I hopped at the chance to apply. And here I am! Not just me — our entire team is full of diversity, something Spaceship Media has worked hard to achieve and not just pay lip service to. And diversity of race, age, gender, and lifestyles have been extremely essential in our projects.
Adriana Garcia, project manager for The Many, feels that our diverse staff brings with it unique possibilities to pull from our own life experiences when engaging in the group.
“It makes us a lot more empathetic in a way that makes us sort of feel what they’re feeling that I don’t think I would be able to communicate if I were working with all white people,” Garcia said.
Briayna Cuffie, a member of The Many, said she checked out Spaceship Media’s staff via our website before joining and was surprised by the colorful team (can I say this?).
“I think either way I would’ve applied to be a part of [The Many] but I anticipated it being predominantly white,” she said.
Cuffie said she takes comfort in our diverse team when it comes to the intersectionality of topics discussed in the group.
“Whether it be race and politics, social justice and something else, finances, I think it helps non-people of color understand we’re not all monolithic,” she said.
In The Many, there are times that we reach out to group member privately be it for praise for a conversation or to check in after a tough exchange. And in one instance I felt compelled to do both.
Candricka Sutton is a black group member who engaged in a contentious conversation with a white member of The Many about fatherlessness in the black community. As the conversation developed and Sutton presented evidence to dispel the myth of fatherless black families, the white group member was adamant there were facts to dispute that claim.
As I watched the conversation, I admired Sutton’s calm rebuttals and attempts to engage in conversation. So I decided to reach out to her to tell her what a great job she did in that conversation, that she was fulfilling the model of dialogue we hope for, and I thanked her for being in the group.
For me, I was reaching out to a black woman — as a black woman who had witnessed a tough interaction — and a member who was trying her best to play nicely. I feel like I knew how she felt, and what she was holding back.
I recently reached out to Sutton again to talk with her about our interaction. I wanted to if she felt me reaching out to her as a black woman, or if she thought that I was just doing my job.
“I felt that. I appreciated that, honestly,” Sutton said.
Beyond racial diversity, a range of personal beliefs is important to connecting on the human level as well. Kristine Villanueva, another moderator for The Many, draws from her religious background in her moderation practices.
“We have a lot of practicing Christians in our group and as a practicing Catholic I kind of view my experience as a way to understand how they form their opinions,” said Villanueva.
Once people make a connection on a human level, there’s greater opportunity for trust. This allows us to take agency in guiding group members through productive conversations.
While diversity in the newsroom is essential for storytelling, diversity in journalism startups is essential in building the connections to build public trust back into the industry.
Spaceship Media’s The Many is a closed, moderated Facebook group for women across the country and of all political stripes from hard left, hard right and everything in between. The group will run at least until midterm elections in November and is a place to talk civilly and respectfully about a range of political and social issues. Visit our website to learn more about the project and join the conversation by filling out this form.
