A Story for Everyone

One of my distinctive memories growing up was the media I would consume as a child. I remember stumbling into the living room while my parents were watching television, and in the evenings they made the habit of watching the news. My parents exclusively watched media networks such as Telemundo and Univision, and at first glance, I assumed it was due to the fact that these shows were in their native tongue of Spanish. But as I grew older, I realized that there was another, a perhaps more important reason why my parents exclusively turned to these networks: they were the only ones that would actively report on issues in their community. 

75 percent of newsroom employees are non-Hispanic white people, compared to 65 percent of the general population of U.S. Workers this demographics comprises according to Pew Research. This same study also found that 61 percent of newsroom employees are male, compared to 53 percent of general U.S. workers being male. This data is a stark reminder of the lack of diversity in the newsrooms that are responsible for telling the stories of a population that is increasingly non-white and varies in race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and class. 

Throughout my time at The Corsair, I have been able to meet all sorts of people from many types of backgrounds. I have learned about them, their culture, and their perspectives. I am proud to see how diverse our newsroom is and to see the variety of our stories and perspectives. From cultural foods to festivals and holidays, stores and shops owned by minority communities/people in minority communities we have reported on so many different people and events, many of which can go unreported. In this issue alone, we have stories on Native American artwork by Matika Wilbur, Black food and culture featured in the Taste of Soul, and Black and Indigenous protests in the wake of the City Council controversy. In past issues, we have reported on The Compton Cowboys, a festival celebrating Korean culture, East Asian fashion designers featured in Los Angeles Fashion Week, LGBTQ+ artists like Denice Frohman, and various Hispanic Heritage Month events. Every time I see or read an article about a significant cultural event or a story about a group of people that is often overlooked, I not only feel proud about the story told, but I also always find myself learning something new. I am happy to see my staff hard at work telling the stories of groups that are often looked over in mainstream media and am excited to see what cultural pieces we will cover next.