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November 2006 - Posts

Thursday, November 30, 2006 7:30 PM

Diversity and AIDS

December first is World AIDS Day.It will be a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate diversity in your newsroom.My ex-lover of 13-years, Robert Zelmer, Jr. of San Diego, is a long-term survivor of AIDS. He was first diagnosed nearly 20 years ago. He’s at
posted by LeoLaurence | 1 Comments
Thursday, November 30, 2006 4:03 PM

Beyond Michael Richards

Greetings from the San Francisco Bay Area, where I’ve been watching the Michael Richards controversy with great interest. Media—particularly new media--has played a central role in the development of this story. First off, if Richards, the former
posted by AndreaLewis | 2 Comments
Wednesday, November 29, 2006 5:18 PM

Assignment Editors: Think Diversity

By Leo E. LaurenceMember, National Committee of DiversityBoard member, San Diego Pro chapterThe SPJ board in San Diego is white. But, when it was putting together a panel for one of its monthly programs, the list of potential panelists included an African-American
posted by LeoLaurence | 2 Comments
Monday, November 27, 2006 2:08 AM

"Oriental" or Asian-American???

By Leo E. Laurence    Member, National Committee of Diversity    Board member, San Diego “Pro” chapter    leopowerhere@msn.com  tel: (619) 757-4909  cell 24/7   Where I grew up in New York, there were
posted by LeoLaurence | 3 Comments
Saturday, November 25, 2006 10:18 AM

Words That Can Hurt Latinos

Recent TV news coverage in San Diego of a confrontation between the controversial — and some say very racist — Minutemen and Latino migrant workers revealed unprofessional use of words that diversity trainers would discourage.Using the highly-charged
posted by LeoLaurence | 1 Comments
Thursday, November 23, 2006 2:03 AM

When Diversity Help is "Needed"

By Leo E. Laurence    Member, National Committee of Diversity    Board member, San Diego “Pro” chapter    leopowerhere@msn.com  tel: (619) 757-4909  cell 24/7        Diversity means
posted by LeoLaurence | 1 Comments
Sunday, November 19, 2006 10:08 PM

FOIA Help for Spanish Media in the U.S. and in Mexico

Helping The Spanish media get government documents in the U.S. or in Mexico will be the focus of an unprecedented SPJ/CCNMA program in San Diego produced in Spanish — with English transla-tors — by the National Committee on Diversity on February 15, 2007
posted by LeoLaurence | 1 Comments
Saturday, November 18, 2006 6:10 PM

Latinos Need Diversity Protection

While serving as a bombero (Mexican firefighter) in Tijuana for many years in the mid-90’s, my captain once introduced me to a police captain this way: “Leo nacio un Americano, pero in su cori-zon, es un Mexicano.” Translation: Leo was born an American,
posted by LeoLaurence | 1 Comments
Thursday, November 16, 2006 7:57 PM

Without Diversity, I Got Fired

Back in ’68, I was an “out” gay man off-duty, but closeted in the newsroom at ABC-KGO in San Francisco. Then I listened to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and thought, if Black-is-Beautiful, then Gay-is-Good.The Gay Community then was totally closeted,
posted by LeoLaurence | 0 Comments
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 12:30 PM

An Expansive View on DIversity

     Traditionally, when referring to diversity issues, people often think in terms of people-of-color. But, the SPJ has a much more “expansive” view of diversity, according to our president, Christine Tatum.     
posted by LeoLaurence | 1 Comments
Thursday, November 09, 2006 4:42 PM

Entertainment reporting and disability issues

Disability rights activists used to complain that only rarely did images of people with disabilities appear in entertainment media and when they did, they perpetuated a negative stereotype or were played by non-disabled actors. But that is beginning to
posted by BethHaller | 2 Comments
Wednesday, November 08, 2006 4:24 PM

Learn about Universal Design and Visitability

A number of resources on universal design or visitability are available to journalists who cover the construction/building industry or real estate. A free booklet called The Basic Access Toolbox: Residential Design Criteria for Builders and Home Buyers,
posted by BethHaller | 29 Comments
Tuesday, November 07, 2006 9:04 AM

Significant disability story emerges with proposed changes in Medicare reimbursement

A major government change affecting people who use power wheelchairs may occur when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services new fee schedule goes into effect Nov. 15, 2006. The new fee schedule could reduce reimbursement for power wheelchairs
posted by BethHaller | 0 Comments
Sunday, November 05, 2006 3:47 PM

Checking on Web accessibility can be a good story topic

On September 7, 2006, a federal district court judge ruled that Target Corp. could be sued if its Web site is inaccessible to blind and visually impaired people.  The National Federation of the Blind brought the lawsuit against Target Corp. (Northern
posted by BethHaller | 1 Comments
Saturday, November 04, 2006 4:28 PM

Try to avoid "inspirational" stereotypes

Journalists need to develop self-awareness about potential biases they might have so that they can report stories fully, fairly, accurately, and honestly. Journalists who don’t understand a culture, disability, religion, or another aspect of someone's
posted by BethHaller | 130 Comments
Friday, November 03, 2006 9:22 AM

Disability topics are everywhere

Almost any story has a disability angle. When the local school district builds a new elementary school or when the local hotel renovates, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that both be accessible to people with disabilities. Journalists
posted by BethHaller | 2 Comments
Thursday, November 02, 2006 9:22 AM

Become familiar with important disability legislation

Several significant pieces of federal legislation have resulted from the advocacy of groups focused on disability issues. Journalists covering disability, health care, education, or government issues should become familiar with this legislation:
posted by BethHaller | 1 Comments