Editors, papers & publications (student run ones too) arent ready to have the convo about how the rule “dont share ure opinions on ure personal platforms bc it undermines the paper” is SUCH a great way to limit Black & brown journalists & allow others to avoid taking any action

It never made any sense to me even when I worked w/ @dailytarheel. On the one hand I understand explicitly writing ure views in an article is bad unless it’s an opinion piece. But how is commentary on social & cultural issues in ure own life & society damaging ure credibility?

The number of times I was scared to comment on issues that directly affected my campus life (Silent Sam, confeds on campus, actions by UNC) & how many times I almost quit bc of it. It forces you to choose between ure humanity & protecting an org & that doesnt sit right with me.

If I’m attending a protest as me and not as a photojournalist, If I’m speaking out on my experiences of policies on my personal accounts, If I’m saying these are my views and not my companies, what’s wrong with that?

Alternatively, when I’m on assignment & I’m having convos w/ story partners, I’m doing everything in my power 2 listen to all sides & really understand. If anything my experiences as a person being able to respond to issues w/out fear of being fired makes me a stronger journalist

We exist in two spheres: one as humans and one as journalists. These two are NOT mutually exclusive and we NEED to stop thinking they can only operate individually.

They need each other.

Additionally the issues listed in news org rule books to not comment on or to stay away from are issues regarding race or issues that have direct/indirect connections to race which happens to be very convenient to white editors & journalists & harmful to Black & brown journalists

This fear was so rooted in me, for the LONGEST time, I was convinced that I would have to choose between following my passion of storytelling w/the guilt of silence or exist fully as a Black woman in the world but not doing what I love

And THAT’S what that rule does to us.

I almost didn’t apply to @dailytarheel bc of that rule & I know so many other peers who didn’t apply bc they didn’t want to sacrifice their right to comment on issues that affected them. Thankfully, my photo desk editors listened to my grievances & I was able to speak my truth.

Again, let me be clear, I’m not saying we start infusing our personal beliefs into the stories we produce & to take that away from this thread is missing my point entirely

But I do think there is a relationship between these rules and the disconnect w/media & communities

This is a convo that needs to happen and again, it all roots back to our need to re-evaluate what neutrality & objectivity really means & who that actually serves.

@camanpour says it best: “I believe in being truthful, not neutral.”

And being truthful is rooted in our humanity

So to all the editors who are “kindly reminding” their staff to not make personal comments or partake in activities outside of when they are working & refrain from sharing their views, I kindly urge y’all to think about who on ure staff ure suppressing & who ure protecting.

Also this is unrelated but another tangentially relavent quote by @camanpour:

“When a journalist is not truthful and does not recognize what is staring them in the face, then that journalist can be an accomplice to a very negative impact on our world and on our lives.”

Anyway, thank you for coming to my ted talk and have a safe night