Diversity

I remember my first experience with racism very distinctly. When I was eleven years old I was talking to a boy my age, James, down the street. With me was Maya, a little African American girl that I considered to be my sister. My mom and her mom were best friends and I had known Maya since she was born. While we were talking to James, his twin brother came outside. James called to his brother to come over but the boy shook his head and stood staring at us. I asked him what was wrong and he said that he was scared. I asked why and he responded by pointing at Maya. I was shocked....floored. I probably didn't have the best reaction, I believe I said something along the lines of, "Are you freaking kidding me?? What decade are you living in?? You better shut up and get over yourself!" Yea, not exactly my shining moment, but hey. It was my first experience with blatant racism.

I've never had another experience quite like that one since. And for a good reason. Diversity is everywhere and in general Americans are accepting of all kinds of diversity. Of course, there are some things that still need to be worked on but things are improving. Diversity is not only race. Gender, economic status, and religious backgrounds all contribute to diversity in America.

Diversity in journalism is key to knowing your audience and communicating well with them. While each journalist should not place too much emphasis on their background, they certainly can use it to make sure that different perspectives are not forgotten in the news. In this way, there will be less holes in their coverage. Because America is so diverse, the news media has a responsibility to cater to that diversity. Opinions should not be ignored simply because they are the minority. That truth is at the heart of democracy.