The Kerner Commission 55 Years Later: The State of America & The Black Press

I think as an up-and-coming journalist, media is in a very interesting place. I think media as a whole is such a saturated industry and landscape as of now because of the internet and social media. Social media and the internet make it so that anyone can upload something and cause not only disinformation but also takes away from the social perception of the specialness of a journalist. Everyone in some sense can "act" as a journalist without actually being one which makes it harder for those of us who want to put out not only truthful works but acts that follow professional standards and guidelines. I also feel that beyond ideas of navigating truthful information as a consumer and journalist in a social media age, media is also constantly shifting and changing which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It has just become another thing that we as journalists must be aware of when we are thinking about publishing work as well as getting work to our desired audience before misinformation.

This idea of navigating misinformation due to the media landscape is exactly what the Kerner Commission was reporting on. The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders sought to understand the rampant rioting that took place which was later understood as caused by there being two separate Americas: one white and one Black. These notions were present in the media and newsrooms which perpetuated much misinformation due to racism as well as ineffectual reporting, and reporting based on hearsay and "scare headlines" vs the fact of events. Luckily the newsrooms and news outlets are different than yesteryears but we still have much work to do and continue doing to maintain these changes we have seen.

I would hope that overall my future work aids in disseminating not only misinformation in the statical sense, especially about marginalized and minority communities, but also about in the social sense. There are so many preconceived ineffectual ideas that the media and other communities have about minority groups. That Black people are so angry, that those living with disabilities are incapable, and that LGBTQ+ folks are trying to push an agenda. I hope that my work does the deep work of showing not only the truth of communities but also highlights the shared commonalities and personhood that we all have regardless of color, sex, orientation, nationality, ability, and more. I would hope my work continues to perpetuate truth and show that we are a stronger society when we work together and that we are all more alike than different when it comes to topics of diverse coverage and social issues. With this in mind, my future goals are to continue doing great work and work within the editorial/magazine writing space (hopefully at a publication like Teen Vogue), where I can report on everything from entertainment, culture, fashion, social issues and more. Work that allows me to continue writing stories that show new angles of communities especially cross-generationally, and to truly have an impact on younger generations. From there I then hope to pivot into broader communications work that assists in helping companies reach these communities in more meaningful ways through social media and D.E.I work. And lastly, I hope to finish my career giving back through public speaking, teaching, and mentorship to those coming in after me.