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Diversity Toolbox
How to Get Help

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By Catalina Camia

Some people in the news industry know the ethnic and other media associations only as groups fighting to change employment practices. But the companion mission of these organizations – making sure that stories about race, ethnicity, women, and sexual orientation are inclusive and free of stereotypes – is just as important. For journalists who want to get the story right, the organizations devoted to fair coverage of diverse populations are a good place to start.

These groups and their members don’t profess to speak for their communities. They can, however, be a source for journalists who want to better understand the complexities of a diverse society. Do you get confused by the different holidays celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hmong? Ask the Asian American Journalists Association. Is it correct to say American Indian? Ask the Native American Journalists Association.

Journalist associations

— Asian American Journalists Association
— Black Broadcasters Alliance
— California Chicano News Media Association
— Journalism and Women Symposium
— National Association of Black Journalists
— National Association of Hispanic Journalists
— National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
— National Association of Minorities in Communications
— National Association of Minority Media Executives
— National Federation of Press Women
— Native American Journalists Association
— South Asian Journalists Association
— UNITY: Journalists of Color
— SPJ Diversity Committee

Several of the groups listed here have published coverage handbooks. Some have worked with advocacy organizations, community leaders and others to better understand how media coverage can inadvertently perpetuate stereotypes and misperceptions. You can make a difference by asking these associations for help.

Catalina Camia is a diversity fellow at the Freedom Forum. She is a former president of the Asian American Journalists Association and of UNITY: Journalists of Color.