The Maynard Institute seeks practitioners, consultants and firms that specialize in diversity, racial equity training, organizational transformation to help execute its Equity and Inclusion Transformation Program. An understanding of journalism and the media ecosystem is preferred but not required. Optimal areas of expertise include, DEI, racial equity, restorative and anti-racist practices, microaggressions, trauma, systemic racism and organizational psychology. Practitioners who work over a series of sessions are welcomed and preferred.
The Project:
The Maynard Institute received funding from the John S. and James L. Knight foundation to pilot a series of newsroom embeds to take news organizations from a conversation about diversity, to institutions of belonging for BIPOC journalists and those of diverse backgrounds. Two pilot embeds (six months each) will be delivered in 2021.
Time Commitment: Flexible
Consultant sessions would be scheduled at various times throughout the embed. Depending on the particular area of expertise, a consultant might come to conduct one two-hour session with follow-up work, or a series of sessions over the six months combined with outside coaching and guidance to various teams within the news outlet.
The Background:
Fifty years ago, the Kerner Commission excoriated the journalism industry for its lack of diversity. Decades later, the industry has failed to diversify its organizations and leadership to adequately represent the breadth of the communities it needs to serve. At the same time, more evidence has emerged on how critical diversity is to the survival of the media industry. As journalists of color speak freely about their experiences with racism in the newsroom, and audiences of color express deep distrust in journalism institutions, the industry has no choice but to make dramatic change.
The goal of these embeds is to dive deep into three key areas: the institution, the culture and the coverage. By the conclusion of the embed, a news organization will have goals, strategies and steps to move closer to becoming institutions of belonging.
Please send along information about you, your team and/or organization, area of expertise, process and rate sheet to Maynard Institute Executive Administrator, Alida Birnam, at abirnam@mije.org. If you have any questions, please contact Maynard Institute Co-Executive Director Martin G. Reynolds at mreynolds@mije.org.
The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2021.
The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism is the oldest journalism training non-profit in the U.S. dedicated to helping America’s newsrooms reflect the diversity of the nation. 1400 65th St. Suite 200, Emeryville CA 94608 - 510-891-9202