A 2021 report from the Reuters Institute found that while there has been a global conversation and some action around diversity in newsrooms, “substantial change [is] still required.”
To help journalists in the region with this endeavor, the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas is offering the course “How to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in Latin American journalism.”
The course, which is in Spanish and sponsored by Google News Initiative (GNI), will take place from Feb. 28 to March 27, 2022. Participation requires an application, and a limited number of students will be accepted. Apply today!
“This is a continuation of a series of projects the Knight Center has been offering to help journalists in Latin America interested in developing their own initiatives to make sure diversity, equity and inclusion are considered in their media outlets, in the newsrooms and in the news they produce,” said professor Rosental Alves, Knight Center’s founder and director. “We are grateful for the generous support of Google News Initiative that makes this program possible.”
“We are proud to once again partner with the Knight Center. The issues of diversity, equity and inclusion are a priority for the Google News Initiative,” said Juan Manuel Lucero, Google News Lab Lead, Spanish-speaking Latin America. “We believe that an important part of innovation is related to these issues and that most Latin American newsrooms are interested in them. We believe that this course can help provide more tools to those interested in bringing these topics to newsrooms.”
Over four weeks, students will learn about DEI and come away with knowledge and skills that they can incorporate within their own organizations, or independently.
“We want journalistic coverage to be more diverse, more inclusive, more equitable,” said Mariana Alvarado, Mexican journalist and coordinator of the course. “But, we also want newsroom newsrooms to be more inclusive workplaces, because we believe that in order for us to cover diversity we have to have a more diverse newsroom.”
There are four instructors for the course, each teaching a different module.
In module 1, Lucia Solis, a Peruvian journalist and gender editor, will review basic concepts of diversity within a human rights perspective. She’ll also look at its importance, challenges and myths in Latin American journalism. And, she’ll review the concept of DEI.
For module 2, María Teresa Juárez, Mexican screenwriter and expert in training for journalists, will look at developing journalism with an anti-racist approach, and with a focus on disability. She’ll share new narratives and best practices in journalism on issues of diversity and inclusion.
In module 3, Pilar Cuartas, Colombian journalist who specializes in investigations and gender, will talk about doing journalism with a gender perspective, and approaching issues of sexual diversity. She will identify how to avoid errors and discrimination.
And for module 4, Belén Arce Terceros, Argentine communicator, will review how to make more diverse and inclusive newsrooms, and how to replicate knowledge learned in the course.
According to Alvarado, instructors were chosen based on experience in the field of DEI, as well as a commitment to educating others.
The instructors will teach the course with video lessons, presentations, readings, discussion forums and quizzes.
The course will be asynchronous, meaning students can complete the activities and assignments on the days and during the times that best suit their schedules. There are, however, suggested deadlines so students don’t fall behind.
Those who successfully complete course requirements will receive a certificate of completion. The certificate is not associated with any academic credit, but is awarded by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas to attest to participation in the online course.
Before creating this course, the Knight Center surveyed Latin American journalists, managers, editors and students concerning relevant topics on diversity for newsrooms. With more than 400 responses from 15 countries, the survey has informed this upcoming course.
The course is part of the Knight Center’s efforts in the field of DEI and journalism over the past few years. In February 2021, the Knight Center and GNI offered the Spanish course “Diversity in the News and in Newsrooms” with instructor Marco Avilés. It is now available to take for free at any time as a self-directed course.
The organizations held the first Latin American Conference on Diversity in Journalism the following month. It focused on the topics of gender, sexual orientation, racial and ethnic issues, and disability.
And then, the Knight Center, again with the help of GNI, published the ebook “Diversity in Latin American Journalism,” with reflections from 16 journalists from seven countries who discussed how to make newsrooms and news coverage more inclusive. It is available to download for free from the Knight Center website.
Alvarado said that in the region it is often considered taboo to talk about gender, sexual diversity, race or disability. However, there has been a change in the last decade to address these issues. Still, she said more diverse coverage is primarily coming from niche digital native outlets.
“With all of our work to this point, we are pushing for diversity to really be an important issue,” the journalist said.
To join that work, apply today for this new and exciting course. The instructors are waiting!
