Three women in professional media shared their personal experience of coming up in the industry as women and women of color during the “Women’s Work” panel at MediaFest 25.
They advocated for young women who are new to the industry to believe in their worth and speak up for what they deserve in the newsroom.
Panelists included Tori B. Powell, a breaking news writer for CNN; Dorothy Bland, professor at the University of North Texas’ Mayborn School of Journalism; and Laura J. Downey, executive editor of WebMD Magazine. Together, they discussed topics ranging from climbing the career ladder and negotiating pay to finding mentors and calling out discrimination.
Downey said her first experience advocating for herself came during her college internship at People magazine. Halfway through her nine-week internship, she asked to extend it. She was in the right place at the right time because it led to a full-time position at People. Later in her career, she continued to advocate for herself by asking for a raise, which she received after a negotiation.
“Know what you bring to the table,” Downey said. “Speak up and do it strategically. Have your points written down before you go into your supervisor’s office.”
Mentorship and allies are crucial to survive in this industry, but they should start organically, Powell said. The best way to connect with someone is by doing what you are good at and building your portfolio. Also, don’t be afraid to be cringe, because people will notice.
“Don’t be afraid to be cringe,” she said. “Create that tangible database of your work, because you never know who’s reading it. You never know what’s going to click.”
An important asset is your passion — when passion is essential to navigating a challenging media landscape.
“You have to have that passion to pursue and persevere,” Bland said. “It’s your career. It’s your life.”
In a field as competitive as journalism, young journalists should view peers as potential collaborators, Powell said.
“Find mentors organically and authentically,” she said. “This is just a professional conversation. We’re all learning from each other.”
Downey shared her own approach to networking, explaining that preparation helps ease anxiety in crowded professional spaces. Make the most of those networking hours, research who will be there and set small goals like how many business cards you need to give out, she said.
“If you know what you bring to the table, be confident in that and then make your move,” she said.
Women and people of color are faced with unique challenges in the professional sphere. Bland shared a personal experience of when she was young, she was told she couldn’t be paid as much as men because she would get married and get pregnant. She took that experience and left that company. “Call out the ‘isms’ like racism, sexism, classism, ageism and ableism,” she said.
“As a Black woman, there will be times you have to prove yourself over and over again,” Bland said. “But you do it with grace, you do it with confidence, and you don’t let anyone else define your worth.”
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