According to Lightfoot, Chicago media have barely reached any conclusions from the fierce debate about racism in the United States in recent years. It invites them to actively work on diversity by giving more people of color a chance as reporters or managers and checking that there are no implicit biases in reporting.
Fragmented responses
Many journalists criticize the exclusion. Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Pratt, who is himself Latino, says his newspaper has a scheduled interview Cancel. “It is not the business of politicians to decide who to write about.”
The National Association of Black Journalists also talks about a matter of principle. The interest group describes it as a bold measure that sheds light on an important topic, but cannot support it. “We never condone the exclusion of journalists, even if it’s just for a day and for clarity.”
Tiffany Walden, editor-in-chief of The Triibe, a website targeting the black community in Chicago, is pleased that Lightfoot is using its anniversary to tackle the topic. “This is a daily battle of black journalists in Chicago. Let’s talk about it, instead of people complaining about being denied one day access.”
