Commitment to Diversity

As a leader of a school publication reporting on a diverse campus, I value the importance of representing that diversity through our morning broadcasts. Whether that be ensuring that our “man on the street” packages include students of all backgrounds and grade levels, emphasizing the need to interview sources with different perspectives, or rotating our anchors, a job that is open to every member of our staff, a commitment to diversity has been a primary goal over the course of my time on InFocus.

Throughout my four years at Palo Alto High School, I’ve been fortunate to share classes with a diverse range of students from different ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, cultures, and perspectives. However, I’ve noticed that Paly’s journalism program doesn’t necessarily reflect the diversity of the wider school community. So, when one of my Paly journalism peers reached out to me asking if I would be interested in being a counselor for her summer journalism program: Speak Up, Stand Out: Journalism for Young Activists, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.

On the team, I co-taught a group of rising 8th and 9th grade students, the majority of whom were from underrepresented and underserved communities in the greater Palo Alto area. Over the months of June and July, I taught the process of writing an article, guided students through their outlines, and gave feedback on their drafts. Finally, each student presented their story in front of their peers and even had their articles published in a magazine, which I helped design in InDesign.

Overall, this experience was personally rewarding as I was able to form connections with each student and help them become excited about a field I am extremely passionate about. Because the profession as a whole has historically underrepresented people of color and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, it was great to see the students engaged and interested in the material. Hopefully, this program can continue to encourage and support students who are typically underrepresented in journalism, and shine a light on their unique stories and perspectives.

Here's a video of SUSO 2023 students presenting their work.