LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Spring 2022 end-of-year-audit results

The State Hornet meets semester goals

Jenelle Lum

The State Hornet compiled the results of our spring 2022 diversity audit. The audit found that each section had over half of its stories focused or centered on underrepresented communities. (Graphic made in Canva by Jenelle Lum).

Keyshawn Davis
August 8, 2022

When I came into the role as the second ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion editor, I knew I had big shoes to fill after previous DEI editor Emma Hall showed me how it was done. I wanted to continue pursuing the goal of having more than 50% of our coverage centered on voices from underrepresented communities, and I’m proud to say through the past year, we’ve continued to do so. 

Overall, every section had a consistent momentum toward that goal since the midway audit. The biggest jump was from Arts & Entertainment, going from 61% to 78%. We can attribute this increase to the work of Arts & Entertainment staffer Jenelle Lum, who has done most of the movie reviews this semester. Lum also has had two stories published the same day, one about the Drag event by UNiQUE and pop singer beabadoobie show at Ace of Spades. 

The multimedia section had 100% of its videos with one or more sources from underrepresented communities this semester. 

The podcast section had 94% DEI focused coverage, news had 77% and sports had 75%. 

I know our publication could have never met our goals without teamwork and the hard work of our editors and staff. DEI stories this semester have been outstanding and I’m so proud of the DEI staff for being eager to tell the stories of the underrepresented communities at Sac State. Meeting our goal is always good, but like I always say: we can do better.

I’m also proud to announce the new DEI editor this fall: Hannah Asuncion. Asuncion has been outstanding as a staffer throughout this semester, covering the LGBTQ+ community. I have the most faith that she’ll continue the great work we’ve done in this section. Asuncion said she would love to have a big staff so there could be coverage for more communities at Sac State.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion final spring report 2022

Goals and Suggestions

 

  • Each section should have more than half of its stories centering around underrepresented voices.
  • The State Hornet sports section this year featured many stories that included diverse voices and I would love to continue doing that in the following semesters.
  • Community coverage in groups such as Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and the LGBTQ+ community coverage has improved from the previous semester. 
  • The State Hornet needs to make better efforts in reaching out and covering the disabled community on Sacramento State’s campus.
  • I would love to see more Latinx/Hispanic coverage out of each section since the publication represents a campus that is a Hispanic serving institution
  • I want a bigger staff in the DEI section to expand coverage in the communities the publication serves.

Note: “Centered sources” are stories that are focused on one or more sources from underrepresented communities; such as DEI reporter Michael Pacheco’s story about 20-year-old criminal justice major Chi Meng Vang who is a Hmong refugee and a peer mentor for the Asian Pacific-Islander and Desi-American community. . Another example would be Andrea Molinar’s story published in March about Black students’ reaction to the anti-racism convocation, which focuses on Black students’ experiences with racism. 

OVERVIEW: A look at our Diversity and Identity section

Coverage on our Black community at Sac State

Strengths:

  • Our story on the Black Alumni president Khalil Ferguson was a strong piece to start off Black History Month. Ferguson has done a lot of activism at Sac State and is now the president of the Black Alumni Chapter. 
  • The story on Melissa Muganzo Murphy was another strong profile focusing on the self-proclaimed “living legend” and CEO of the first Black and Queer entertainment production company based in Sacramento. This story was great for Black students and has an LGBTQ+ angle to it as well. 
  • The Big Sky Conference women’s basketball MVP Lianna Tillman profile was outstanding. One of my own goals as editor was to have more DEI stories in sports. Tillman improved on every aspect of her game when she transferred to Sac State.
  • State Hornet Broadcast: Black History Month Special was perfect coverage for the State Hornet. This broadcast showcased services for Black students like the Cooper-Woodson Center and showcased art from local artist Aliyah Sidqe art gallery “The Babymama Effect.”

Where we need to do better:

  • We need more anti-racism coverage. 
  • We need to produce more profiles on Black students on campus.  
  • We need to continue showcasing Black stories in every section.

Coverage on our Latino/Hispanic community at Sac State:

Strengths: 

  • DEI reporter Alexis Perales wrote a feature on Mujeres Ayudando La Raza. MAR incorporates different aspects of Latinx culture by participating in community service events while also forming new friendshin Mujeres Ayudando La Razaps and bonds, third-year anthropology major and club co-coordinator Lexi Bravo said. 
  • The  Mujeres Ayudando La Raza club also won the vote for best club in the Best of Sac State polls which Perales did audio story telling for. 

Where we need to do better: 

  • The Latino community has not been covered as much as I’d like this semester and that needs to change.  
  • Sac State is a Hispanic serving institution, so we should have more stories out to reflect that. 

Coverage on our Asian American and Pacific Islander community at Sac State:

Strengths: 

  • DEI reporter Michael Pacheco wrote a story on Sac State’s Asian Pacific Islander and Desi Americans the “model minority,” focused on APIDA students sharing their stories of discrimination and adversity. 
  • I loved learning about International third-year student Maanvee Mehrotra who came from India in 2018 and struggled with the culture shock of being independent and away from home for so long.
  • Pacheco also wrote a story on criminal justice major Chi Meng Vang, an international refugee and peer leader for the Asian Pacific-Islander and Desi-American campus community.
  • Pacheco had another international student story on APIDA peer leader Maanvee Mehrotra. Mehrotra, a 21-year-old business administration major from India. 

Where we can do better:

  • Overall coverage needs to increase.
  • We should establish that it’s more than Asian Americans and Pacific Islander. There’s also Desi Americans. Also, Asia includes India, Pakistan, Iran, etc. We should be looking into those communities as well. 
  • Continue telling stories about international students!

Coverage on our Native American and Indigenous community at Sac State:

Strengths: 

  • DEI staffer Hannah Asuncion wrote a story on queer Indigenous student Rosalba Gomez-Bautista. Gomez-Bautista is native to Ñuú Saví and Ñuú Snuviko. Gomez-Bautista is hoping to amplify student voices and advocate for their community. Having multi-intersectional identities make them feel empowered as a student advocate at Sac State.

Where need to do better:

  • There needs to be more coverage in this community.
  • Last fall Emma Hall did a great job making sure the Native American community at Sac State was being covered.
  • This community had better coverage, especially during Native American Heritage Month.
  • There are also Indigenous students from different countries as well, it would be nice to have more stories in that community.

Coverage on our LGBTQ+ community at Sac State:

Strengths:

  • DEI reporter Hannah Asuncion has been doing a great job covering the LGBTQ+ community at Sac State. So far, Asuncion has written two feature stories centered around the LGBTQ+ community such as her coverage of the Pride Society. The Pride Society is a new student organization at Sac State that talks about resources they offer for LGBTQ+ students like connecting and planning events with the Pride Center. 
  • Asuncion also wrote a feature story on the first non-binary Asian Pacific Islander Pride Center coordinator Tranh Pham. Pham’s job as the Pride Center Coordinator is to provide a welcoming space that allows LGBTQ+ students to be themselves. I love Pham’s anecdote of what they have described as their dream job – doing what they love for a community they said they care deeply for with an amazing team by their side.

Where need to do better:

  • Overall coverage for the entire section needs to increase.

Coverage on our disabled community at Sac State:

Strengths: N/A

Where need to do better:

Stories The State Hornet Published spring 2022

Podcasts: There were 54 podcasts this semester. 51 of those stories are centered on voices from underrepresented communities: 94%. Which Podcasts? : 

Video: 16 videos this semester, all centered on voices from underrepresented communities or are about underrepresented communities from underrepresented communities: 100%.
Which videos?: 

News: There are 48 news stories. 37 of those stories are focused on or centered on voices from underrepresented communities: 77%.

Which stories?: 

Sports: There were 86 stories from sports this semester. 65 of them focused on or centered voices from or are about underrepresented communities: 75%.

Which stories?: 

Arts and entertainment: 23 stories from Arts & entertainment. 18 of those stories focused on or centered voices from underrepresented communities or are about underrepresented communities: 78%.

Which stories?:

Additional Contribution: Hannah Asuncion