0820_AUG Comstock's Magazine 0820 August | Page 20

DISCOURSE
21st-century news-delivery model that
encompasses lots of different media
vehicles that can reach our community
where they are and impact them where
they are, and there’s a value to our audience,
so they are willing to support us.
… We are working on a redesign of our
print product, a redesign of our website,
and are beginning to really put our arms
around what technology gives us that
allows us to be innovative and fresh
and exciting.
In June, The Sacramento Observer
with the Sacramento African American
COVID-19 Outreach Coalition
hosted a virtual town hall. The
Observer has always been active in the
community — you don’t just report on
it. Can you tell me about the importance
of this involvement?
It is different for media outlets to participate
in these types of things, unless you
look at it from the lens of the Black press.
The Black press first originated in 1827,
and the credo is no one else will speak
for us. It has always had an advocacy
role through the pages of the paper. (The
Black press) is really the first Black business
in this nation; you’re talking about
a printed publication prior to the end of
slavery, when reading for African Americans
was illegal. There is a need to not
only just report on the issues, but to be a
part of the discussion that helps change
the conditions for our community.
There’s a lot of discussion right now
in mainstream media about covering
the protests and how can reporters of
color cover the protest without bias? You
can ask that same question of non-Black
reporters: Can they cover the protests
without bias? People carry their experiences
with them. The challenge is how
do you remove those experiences or use
those experiences to help enlighten a
conversation or raise awareness about
issues and develop a healthy dialogue?
So many times we are so concerned with
trying to not bring up these issues that
we do ourselves a disservice. The Observer
has always wanted to make sure
and say, “Look, you know, when
African Americans walk in a room,
there’s a physical component to us that
is recognizable, and trying to ignore
that is really doing a disservice to the
conversation.” It’s very similar to the
discussion about (repealing) Proposition
209 (the 1996 ballot measure that
ended affirmative action in California
public institutions). Can you live in a
colorblind society? Well, no. There’s
nothing wrong with recognizing that
people are different. Our involvement
in issues, like the COVID-19 discussion,
the protests, we have been not only
documenting these issues but raising
awareness and trying to advocate for the
addressing of disparities in our communities.
Mainstream media is having to face
a reckoning with the lack of diversity
within its newsrooms and the way its
coverage feeds into systemic racism
and fails to fully represent American
society. How can these media outlets
do better?
It’s a lot of things. Let’s first take a look
internally. (They) have to do a better job
looking at their own staff. It’s been an
ongoing discussion about how the media
industry does not reflect the diversity
of communities they serve. … These
media outlets need to make sure that
they have the people in place, first of all.
The idea of saying you can’t find talent,
someone’s not the right cultural fit for
the newsroom, those kinds of things
need to be addressed honestly and
recognize there are systemic, historical
barriers to not only identifying but then
cultivating talent. Every reporter that
comes in through the doors is going to
be green. But it depends on how you
cultivate that talent and develop editors
and management that can help shed
light and educate future generations of
reporters and photographers. You’ve got
to do a better job of that. … Reaching out
to youth groups to develop a pipeline for
next-generation staffers is critical.
The other part is really checking the
coverage and saying, “Does this reflect
how people are feeling?” I think there
are some thoughtful media outlets out
there, but there is a level of uniqueness
and sensitivity and nuances that we
have as a Black newspaper that others
don’t have when it comes to covering
our community. … Having those voices
in the newsroom only makes your coverage
better.
What are some of the major local,
state or national issues your readers
want covered nowadays?
Right now, there is a feeling and understanding
of changing the systems.
There’s a complete buy-in from our
community in trying to say, “We’re tired
of the systematic oppression that is impacting
our communities, so we’ve got
to change that.” Business and economic
development, health care, technology,
social justice, those are some of the
areas that are extremely critical right
now. Obviously, politics as well. There’s
also been an ongoing discussion about
participating in the census to make sure
we’ve got the proper resources in our
community. Homelessness is another
critical issue. … There’s a bill right now
that is trying to change historic landmark
legislation in California, Proposition
209. … But it’s not all heavy. There’s
such a beauty in our community when
you start talking about our creativity,
when you start talking about artists and
artist development (and) authors. Of
course, our faith community is critical.
The Observer published a long,
two-part interview with Sacramento
Police Chief Daniel Hahn in June.
What did you take away from that
piece as both a publisher of a media
outlet and as a Black resident
of Sacramento?
We are very lucky to have Chief Hahn in
leadership with the Sacramento Police
Department. He is a thoughtful leader
who is trying to create change in our
community through his role as police
20 comstocksmag.com | August 2020