After reviewing all of the learning materials for the first week, I am inspired by the podcast created by MU alumni, “Black at Mizzou.” This is an in-depth audio story that provides us a lot of insights into the black students’ experience on campus. The United States is a melting pot, and a university is a place where many students of color further their studies. For news stories related to higher education, we need to include voices of students of color and apply the appropriate method to cover them, which can contribute to the diversity, equity, and inclusion in journalism.
Include students of color in your story
According to the survey from the American Council on Education, white students still are the largest group in 2015-2016. The percentages of Asian, Hispanic, and Black students have increased.
Screenshot by Clivia Liang
According to the Missourian’s article in 2015, there are more than 13,000 international students in Missouri colleges and universities. And students from China, India, and South Korea account for around half of the enrollment.
Even though the percentage of students of color has increased over the years, they are still a minority group on campus. Journalists need to be aware of including voices from students of color throughout the news production process. This means that we should not only seek for chances to pitch stories related to this community but also interview them as important sources in every story.
There are some tips to help journalists find sources of different races on campus. First, we can make use of social media. Clearly state your purpose of finding students of color for your story in written words. Then post the media request on Facebook or Twitter. Second, go to the university’s website to find organizations or associations of certain groups of students. Take MU for instance, we can find the contact information of the African Student Association at MU Engage.
Increase the understanding of students of color
Students of color are likely to have a different experience from white students on campus. They may experience discrimination and prejudice on campus. According to a survey conducted by World Education Survey in 2016, sub-Saharan African, Middle Eastern, and North African students and Chinese students were most likely to regard discrimination as the biggest challenge.
Even though students who have the same race may have different experiences and have different attitudes towards the same issue. Journalists should not assume anything before interviewing their sources. To understand the racial issue better, we need to do enough research ahead of time.
Firstly, we need to be aware of the related resources on campus, consulting staff at different centers to get access to effective information.
The Black Culture Center
Division of Inclusion & Diversity and Equity
Cambio Center
Photo by Clivia Liang
Photo by Clivia Liang
Secondly, we can find information from previous news stories conducted by local news organizations. By reading related news, we can have a better grasp of racial issues in this community.
Thirdly, apart from understanding students of color on campus, we also need to view racism from a broader perspective, which requires us to look at excellent examples around the country. Thus, I recommend journalists keep updated on works honored by the Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award. The award honors outstanding reporting on racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination.
Reference:
Opmerkingen