Why representation matters in newsrooms and media coverage

David Plazas, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read

Greetings, familia:

"Representation matters" is a cliché, but it resonates when covering underrepresented communities who historically have been marginalized by and/or in the mainstream press.

The concept is not new, but it was on full display during the joint conference between the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists last week in Las Vegas.

Nearly 5,000 Black and brown journalists from across North and South America gathered to learn, connect and sometimes vent in their first such gathering since COVID-19 emerged.

I attended with the main purpose of moderating and presenting on a panel about Latino-oriented newsletters, and I expressed how wonderful Latino Tennessee Voices readers are and how the Hispanic population has soared in the South. Fellow panelists were Angel Rodríguez of The Los Angeles Times "Latinx Files" and Astrid Galván of Axios Latino.

Please check out their newsletters and share Latino Tennessee Voices with your contacts. I was so pleased to hear that we have out-of-state readers, too.

Among the highlights of the conference for me were:

  • Reconnecting with friends and colleagues — some whom I only previously met through Zoom or Teams

  • Engaging with the NAHJ student project mentors and participants — the future journalists of our newsroom. Check out their work at the Latino Reporter.

  • Meeting a journalism icon, María Hinojosa of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Futuro Media, and watching her record the podcast "In the Thick" live with her co-host Julio Ricardo Varela. She also gave me a signed copy of her book "Once I Was You."

David Plazas And Maria Hinojosa at NABJ-NAHJ convention August 2022
David Plazas And Maria Hinojosa at NABJ-NAHJ convention August 2022

If you are or know of an aspiring journalist, connect them with NAHJ for training opportunities, mentorship and camaraderie.

As a longtime mentor and organization lifetime member, I am committed to the mission of increasing Latino representation in newsroom and telling stories for and with the community in accurate, fair and holistic ways. That also aligns with the values of the USA TODAY Network.

You will also find more compelling reads of the week:

Events

  • Casa de la Cultura is back with a free concert called "México en el Corazón" on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Nashville Symphony, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 1 Symphony Place, downtown Nashville 37201. Learn more at https://casadelaculturanashville.org/

  • Conexión Américas is preparing for events during Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) that include an awards ceremony, student essay contest and the return of The Latin Party on Sept. 30. Learn more: https://www.conexionamericas.org/hhm-award-ceremony/

  • SAVE THE DATE: The Tennessean hosts the Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers event where people from the community share a story from their lives, be it about fitting in, accepting their identity or finding their voice. The event will be at Plaza Mariachi on Nolensville Pike at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. Right now, we are selling tickets for the Black Tennessee Voices Storytellers event on Sept. 20 at the National Museum of African American Music, which I encourage you to see. Tickets for Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers will be on sale soon, more details to come.

¡Muchas gracias!

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee. He is of Colombian and Cuban descent, has studied or worked in several Spanish-speaking countries, and was the founding editor of Gaceta Tropical in Southwest Florida. He has lived in Tennessee since 2014. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Latino representation matters in newsrooms and media coverage