Why Diversity Really Matters

 Dylan Westmeyer

dw330019@ohio.edu

Courtesy Elsevier

As a minority, what does it mean to be an American? For the most part, it means the same as for everyone being proud of their heritage and where they live, but also having roots in another culture and being incredibly proud of that. Being proud of multiple roots should not be a reason to be attacked but should be celebrated. 

That matters because the media, whether written journalism or even broadcast media, comprises the majority of white men. That matters so greatly because a white man can rarely truly understand the plight of an African American woman or even a Latin American man. 

That can lead to misrepresentation or even completely ignoring what happened to minority populations throughout the United States. Unfortunately, that was put into the limelight when 22 people were killed in El Paso, Texas. Now, this is a big deal but what makes it worse is that the media coverage of the event focused on what President Donald Trump and to say while not acknowledging the fact that the people who were killed were of Latin origin. 

It's not just that Latin community but also with Asian Americans, as told by Edmund Lee where his Asian American family was mistreated at a restaurant just for being Asian. That matters because his family stood up to the management. They may not have gone to the media to get their story out, but that rarely happens with minority families since they are afraid. 

That also shows that the media needs to feel more open to minorities, and the best way to do that is to show that everyone is represented in the media. People usually feel more comfortable talking to someone who understands them, looks like them, and has lived through similar life experiences. 

With proper representation from the media, the change we would see in our everyday lives would be immense. People would be held accountable for their wrongs. Those in the minority would no longer need to be afraid of the media targeting them as bad guys or generalizing a minority.  

This change cannot be made overnight and will take time. Still, with the proper steps being taken and plans already being put into motion by many large media organizations, the media will improve for the better. With this improvement, the trust could grow as people feel appropriately represented and understood.