Lately, Black women have been continuously making historic strides in media.
Krissah Thompson, a seasoned editor and reporter with nearly 20 years of journalistic experience, has been named managing editor for diversity and inclusion at The Washington Post, making her the first Black woman to hold this position at the publication firm, the Grio reports.
According to The Washington Post, Thompson’s new senior position, as well as a dozen others, come as a result of a major reckoning in media calling for publications to resolve racial disparities within their staff.
“A diverse staff makes our reporting better,” Thompson said in an interview with The Washington Post on Monday. “We’re better when we have more perspectives and we can cover communities as deeply and widely as possible.”
Diversity in journalism is a hot topic currently as many Black journalists have come forward sharing stories of discrimination, harassment, and toxic work environments in numerous newsrooms over the past few weeks.
Media outlets like The Washington Post are stepping up to make the shift in media as the fight against racial injustice continues. Thompson’s promotion presents another stepping stone for other aspiring journalists to follow in her footsteps.
“Krissah will be in charge of ensuring significant, consistent progress on diversity and inclusiveness in everything we do – our coverage of race, ethnicity and identity as well as improved recruitment, retention and career advancement for journalists of color,” Executive Editor Marty Baron said in an official statement.
“Today, after two decades in our newsroom, she is among its most trusted voices,” Baron continued. “Krissah is also a generous listener, and you can expect her to move quickly to hear your aspirations for both The Post and your own professional development.”
While many publications are making efforts to promote more diversity in their senior leadership teams, the hope is for all outlets to eventually implement stronger initiatives for diversity and inclusion for their entire staff.
