Black Boston: Telling Our Stories

Watch a recording and read a recap of Black Boston: Telling Our Stories, held on August 27, 2020.

Recap by Claudia Chiappa

On Thursday, August 27, the Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC), Boston University Diversity & Inclusion, and WBUR CitySpace hosted “Black Boston: Telling Our Stories,” the second installment of Black Boston, a recurring virtual discussion series featuring Black leaders from the Boston area. The four-part series celebrates Black leaders who have transformed their field and, subsequently, helped transform the city.

Moderated by Paris Alston, a producer at WBUR’s Radio Boston, the event featured Michelle Johnson, Associate Professor of Practice of Multimedia Journalism at Boston University; Karen Holmes Ward, Director of Public Affairs and Host of CityLine, WCVB; and Kimberly Atkins, Senior Opinion Writer at the Boston Globe. The panelists discussed the role of Black journalists in the city, and the challenges they face daily in an environment that is striving to become more diverse and inclusive but that at the same time still grapples with division and racism.

A question from the audience started a discussion over the lack of coverage of issues surrounding people of color and their communities. The panelists agreed that it all comes down to who is in leadership. Atkins advocated for the importance of having diversity in management and in higher positions. Having worked at the Globe for several years, she noted how she is now finally in a position where she is able to make editorial decisions that are crucially important when it comes to issues of racial representation.

“The mainstream media is a business,” said Holmes Ward. “That business tries to reach as many viewers and readers as possible… There’s an implicit bias in how mainstream media covers our community.”

This trend, however, has been shifting in recent years. Johnson said that she has been witnessing this “reckoning” driven by young journalists of color who are tired of not being represented.

“As our country becomes browner and cities become browner, television stations and newspapers understand that they have to reach out to those audiences because they will be their customers in the future,” agreed Holmes Ward.

Fair coverage and representation are only some of the issues that people of color face every day in the media industry. As the world reacted loudly to yet another episode of police brutality and as Black Lives Matter protests swept the nation, many people of color found themselves being called upon to become spokespersons and educators in racial equality. This, however, can be an extremely burdening role, according to the panelists.

“While of course we value that and we want that to happen, it is like having another job,” said Atkins. “It’s like asking us to do our job and be fair journalists and also try to solve the problems of a newsroom.”

Johnson agreed, noting that she has experienced the same expectations in the world of academia. While she agrees that the job is “critical,” Johnson said it piles up on top of everything else she already has to do.

“I urge leaders in newsrooms to be careful when they do that, because… it should not be left to the journalists of color to come up with a solution,” said Atkins.

Being a journalist of color, especially in today’s society, also means covering stories that can heavily affect your mental and emotional health. Atkins spoke of her own coping mechanisms, and how for years she put up emotional barriers in order to protect herself. Johnson has also experienced how important it is to teach young reporters to be prepared for how emotional and challenging it can be to make it in the industry.

“It never would have occurred to me years ago that we would have to teach [the students] about basic safety or about mental health issues,” said Johnson. “It’s a whole different world.”

Despite the challenges reporters of color face every day, the panelists all agreed that the world of journalism has brought them significant joy. Being a journalist gives you great access to travel the world, learn new ideas, and meet a lot of different people, said Holmes Ward. For Atkins, it’s also about being a part of a bigger and more important conversation.

“I consider what we do the first draft of history,” said Atkins.

Journalism is not the only passion linking these three women together. They also share a love for Boston, a love that has often been challenged by people who questioned Boston’s safety for people of color. Holmes Ward said that there is a lot going on in Boston that people don’t see and do not have the chance to hear about. This can create the image of a city that is hostile to people of color. Atkins agreed that incidents of racism can—and have—happened in Boston, but she said that her job as a journalist allowed her to get to know the communities, to explore different neighborhoods, and made her realize just how rich and diverse Boston can be.

The panelists wrapped up the event with some advice for the next generation of journalists.“Do not give up,” said Homles Ward. “Do not listen to the word ‘no.’ This is a profession that requires you to be hard headed and persistent. There’s always somebody trying to hold us back, don’t let them do it.”

Other events in the Black Boston Series include “Building Healthy Communities” (held on July 30, 2020), “Changing the Face of Politics” (to be held on September 21, 2020), and “Transforming the Arts.” (to be held on October 13, 2020). Read recaps, learn more, and register for future events at bu.edu/ioc/blackboston.