2020 Anti-Racism Plan

Overview

In June of 2020, faculty and staff at Berkeley Journalism formed an Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG) focusing on five focus areas based on the NABJ’s Action Items and communication from students and alumni.  The working group's goal was to respond with urgency to meet and develop serious and meaningful plans in response to action items and communication , and build on the momentum of this national uprising to make meaningful changes in addressing systemic anti-Black and other forms of racism within Berkeley Journalism. On July 15, 2020, the ARWG submitted recommendations to the Interim Dean Geeta Anand and opportunities for the Berkeley Journalism community to provide feedback and input to the recommendations were created .

In September 2020, Interim Dean Geeta Anand shared with the community How Berkeley Journalism Intends to Address Systemic Racism in Our School and in Our Profession, a plan based on the recommendations and feedback.  The Steering Committee, comprised of the Working Group facilitators as well as alumni and student volunteers, held its first meeting on September 11, 2020, and met regularly throughout the 2020-2021 academic year.  The responsibility of holding the school accountable for implementing this plan has transitioned to the Equity & Inclusion Committee, which includes faculty, lecturers, staff, students and alumni.

As we undertake this work together, we call upon the Berkeley Journalism community to reaffirm the principles of community and dialogue, pledging, among other things, that “we won’t demean, devalue or ‘put down’ people for their experiences, lack of experiences, or differences in interpretation of those experiences."

This site provides information on our plan and progress.  If you have any questions about the information contained in this site, please contact: Amy Utstein - Sr. Assistant Dean of Administration & CAO or Blaine Jones - Sr. Director of Academic & Student Services.