Latest E&P "Exclusive" on Diversity

What’s next for DEI in newsrooms? Legal risks, political pressure and resilience

As legal threats, political attacks and corporate pullbacks mount, the future of newsroom diversity, equity and inclusion is on shaky ground. From shuttered DEI offices to Supreme Court decisions with industry-wide implications, many media leaders now find themselves asking how — or if — DEI can survive. In this in-depth report, advocates, journalists, executives and legal experts weigh in on where things stand and what’s at stake. The message is clear: retreating isn’t just risky — it’s a step backward for journalism’s credibility, sustainability and connection to the communities it serves.
Recent E&P "Diversity Spotlight Exclusives"

A voice that never wavered

Dallas Voice has been persistent and undeterred in its mission since 1984 to speak loudly and proudly for the Dallas LGBTQ community. Dallas Voice tells the community's many stories and advocates for the advances in equality, legal rights and basic human respect the community enjoys today.

Strengthening journalism one community event at a time: The Michigan Chronicle

The Michigan Chronicle blends journalism, events and marketing to build deep connections with the Black community. Through initiatives like Women of Excellence, Publisher Hiram Jackson fosters lasting engagement, while strategic storytelling highlights success and empowerment. This innovative approach strengthens trust, expands reach and redefines journalism’s role in community impact.

A newsroom built for justice: Inside Prism’s movement journalism

Prism, an award-winning independent nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of color, takes a transformative approach to reporting. Its mission is to “tell stories from the ground up: to disrupt harmful narratives and to inform movements for justice.” The team of 15 staffers and freelancers based all around the country realize this vision through movement journalism.

Beyond the byline: How AAJA supports, trains, and advocates for AAPI journalists

For more than four decades, the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) has been a driving force for diversity, representation, and integrity in American journalism. Under the leadership of Nicole Dungca, an investigative reporter at The Washington Post and AAJA Board President, the organization continues to empower Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) journalists through advocacy, training, and leadership programs.

Navigating culture, crisis, and community: The Haitian Times at the forefront of Haitian American journalism

The nation of Haiti is more than its headlines, and to know Haiti is to know its people. The Haitian Times knows its people. Thrust into the spotlight by presidential and vice-presidential candidates Donald Trump and J.D. Vance over debunked claims about eating pets, Haitians living in America are under intense pressure. They’re leaning on The Haitian Times perhaps more than ever before.

Serving immigrant communities with Chinese-language news

One of Jin Ding's first actions as CEO of Initium was moving its headquarters from Hong Kong — where it had been since it was founded nine years ago — to Singapore. Despite the move, Initium still reports on Hong Kong and mainland China with a network of trusted freelancers. This Chinese-language digital news site also is seeking to expand its reach and serve the growing number of Millennial and GenZ Chinese who have made their way to the U.S. over the past decade.

The Pivot Fund: Expanding to explore community-driven journalism in the Midwest

An ambitious research project by The Pivot Fund is focused on the Great Lake states. The project aims to better understand the news landscape in the region and help identify news and information sources that have specifically earned the trust of communities of color. Pivot began its Midwest survey in Minnesota in early 2024, and it should be completed this month. The project also includes news ecosystem studies in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.

NLGJA’s ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ journalists: Progress, challenges and a vision for the future

The DEI movement continues to face many challenges, including deep-seated fears, prejudices and unwarranted barriers. The LGBTQ+ community has experienced significant progress but remains diligent and proactive. Increasing positive coverage in news and media and more LGBTQ+ journalists in many newsrooms have been central to that effort.

Borealis Philanthropy’s bold plan: Investing billions to support BIPOC journalism

E&P got an early preview of the study Alicia Bell launched as part of her work as the director of the Racial Equity in Journalism (REJ) Fund at Borealis Philanthropy. Titled “Repair, Reimagine, and Rebuild: Modeling the Future of News For and By Black, Brown, and Indigenous Communities,” the report proposes it will take somewhere between $380 million to $7.1 billion annually to truly fund BIPOC journalism across the U.S.

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In 2019, the Sahan Journal was established as a nonprofit media operation led by veteran journalist Mukhtar M. Ibrahim. The mission was to provide news to communities of color in and around Minneapolis. By October of last year, it had secured $7.4 million from funders and raised another $2 million from advertising and individual donations. It’s funding a newsroom staffed with people from diverse backgrounds.
Data from Medill School of Journalism’s often-cited annual study, which examines the health of local news nationwide, explains the motivation for launching Press Forward last September. The initiative aims to rally major national foundations to reverse the trend of a shrinking news landscape.
Over the past year, Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, president of the Society of Professional Journalists; LaSharah Bunting, CEO and executive director of the Online News Association; and Karen Rundlet, CEO and executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), have stepped into the lead role at three of the most influential news associations, each as the first Black woman to hold the post. In interviews with E&P, they spoke about their new roles, how they got there and how they hope to advance their individual organizations and journalism writ large.
If you visit the web page of The Intersection Magazine, you’ll notice something unique. The subject titles contain pairings: “PG Politics + Religion” and “Health + Politics.” This is intentional, said its founder, Delonte Harrod: “As a Black reporter trained in the  Black press, that is how Black people live their lives. I will say I think it’s universally how people live their lives.”
Over the last few years, news leaders have discussed diversity at conferences and launched initiatives to address historical disparities in their reporting and their ranks. However, a recent study shows little traction in making actual change in the most elite sector of newsrooms.
Industry News on Diversity
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) has released its updated Cultural Competence Handbook, a practical, in-depth resource to help journalists improve accuracy, fairness and inclusivity in coverage of Latino communities and other diverse populations.
Spanish-language giant TelevisaUnivision said it had to rely on trimming expenses to boost second-quarter profit as the company faces a decline in overall ad revenue as well as monies from subscriptions and licensing.
Despite years of pledges to diversify their ranks, major publishers are making barely perceptible progress, and in some cases — none at all. 
Gray Media and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers are proud to announce a first — a new partnership that will bring all three Panthers preseason games live in Spanish to Gray’s Telemundo audience across the Carolinas.
In advance of what will likely be a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in the U.S. v. Skrmetti case, the Trans Journalists Association offers guidance to reporters, newsrooms and others responding to the ruling.