On Friday afternoon, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) issued the following statement about a Washington Post story called “White, and in the minority,” a story we here at Latino Rebels believe was one very poor example of modern journalism.
Here is NAHJ’s full statement:
Screen grab from The Washington Post
Journalism of story ‘White, and in the minority’ called into question by NAHJ national board
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 3, 2018 – The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is concerned with the inaccurate portrayal of the Latino community, in a recent piece by The Washington Post. The story, ‘White, and in the minority’ published on July 30, does not provide a variety of viewpoints at the center of the topic, but instead leaves readers focused almost entirely on one viewpoint. The national board has discussed the danger this poses and questions the journalism of the story.
As journalists, access to communities is essential and requires trust. There is no reflection of voices by any of the other workers or community members, consequently leaving readers to assume there was no trust gained with any other individuals.
NAHJ President Hugo Balta will reach out to Executive Editor of The Washington Post, Marty Baron, to discuss the importance of Latino representation and perspective both inside and outside the newsroom. There is an opportunity to continue the storytelling and give a platform to all voices.
The NAHJ national board reiterates the expectation to all newsrooms across the country that diversity isn’t achieved by simply meeting a hiring quota. Diversity and inclusion throughout newsrooms and accurate representation means diversity among class, experience and background.
