SPJ 22 Journalism Conference • Oct. 27-30, 2022

September 28, 2018 •

Silent no more: female journalists of color raise their voices at EIJ18

By eijnews

What happens when women of color are silenced in the newsroom?Benet Wilson, Associate Editor at the MagnifyMoney and Compare Cards - “There have been times when I’ve had to go the restroom, close the door, walk outside and yell because I’m so angry. But if they see that all of my credibility is gone. So, I’ve always had to be three times as good just to be seen as better.”Felicia Henderson, Assistant managing editor at the Detroit News - “We bring a unique perspective to our newsrooms. We have experienced what it is like to be women, number one. Secondly, women of color--we understand the challenges that people in the community face. So, we bring those experiences to the table.”Quanecia Fraser, Senior at Tarleton State University, TX - “Some women of color say that they feel shut down the say that they feel ignored and I don’t think that anyone should feel ignored. Especially when you’re doing something like journalism. Especially when you need to pay attention to all the voices in the room.”Brea Hollingsworth, recent Florida A&M University graduate - “I think we make a really big impact in the community as a whole. There are lot of stories we can tell from a different perspective.”Fareeha Rehman, recent George Mason University graduate - "I wish all the panels could look like this without having to be on this topic."Tracy Jarrett, Producer Vice News Tonight on HBO - "There's so much pressure to be the one to make sure voices are heard."Julia Craven, Reporter HuffPost - “"Trust yourself. Trust your gut. Trust your perspective."Nidhi Subbaraman, Reporter Buzzfeed News - “I think that silencing someone, no matter what their background, would mean losing out on perspective and losing out on representation in one’s coverage.”Juleyka Lantigua Williams, CEO Lantigua Williams Co. - "It is not a charity to cover people of color. It is a financial imperative."
Next story
The SPJ News