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From Many Voices
Many of us in the regional magazine industry have been to countless conferences and webinars where experts and colleagues have emphasized that a successful local publishing entity needs to reflect the essence of the community it serves . February is Black History Month and with the heightened awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement , it is only appropriate to note that we are listening , we are trying , and you need to hold us accountable when we fall short . Diversity is a high priority for our editors , art directors and our entire staff . We are proud to have won seventeen Michael J . Metcalf Awards for Diversity in the Media , recognizing “ journalism that engages , inspires and empowers ,” from the Rhode Island for Community and Justice organization . These awards are judged by local journalists and community leaders well-versed on the topic . Do a bunch of plaques on a wall make us perfect ? Absolutely not . A couple of readers took us to task about lack of diversity in our “ Faces of Rhode Island ” advertising section in our December issue . While these were ads with content ( meaning individuals featured in the ads ) dictated by the businesses that purchased them , did we intentionally ignore minority-owned businesses ? Of course not . Readers who are interested in learning more about Black-owned businesses should read a piece by writer Theresa Brown and associate editor Jamie Coelho on restaurants , catering companies , health and wellness businesses , shops and more owned by Black Rhode Islanders . It was published on RIMonthly . com in June of 2020 and updated for the September 2020 print issue .
One reader observed that the page in the same “ Faces ” section featuring our majority-female staff contained twenty Caucasian faces . Is that intentional ? Certainly not . Over the years , we have had employees of color who moved on to other opportunities . As a small business with little employee turnover , adding staff members is rare . When we do , we will continue to work hard , as we always have , to recruit people of color to apply .
Lastly , on a lighter note , over these past ten months takeout has been more prevalent than ever . So , in this issue , associate editor and food maven Jamie Coelho has pulled together the cover feature on dozens of places that offer menus and creative cocktails to go , helmed by Rhode Islanders from all backgrounds , because takeout — like the state as a whole — is better with diversity at the table .
To the Rhode ahead . – J . J . P .
12 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l FEBRUARY 2021