The Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association (MMCA) launched the #DefinitelyEarnedIt campaign to reframe the term “DEI” at the organization’s ninth annual correspondents’ dinner in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 21.
In addition to serving on the ASJA board, I chair the board of MMCA, a bipartisan group of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) media stakeholders, advocates, and allies that seek to fix the diversity problem in media and encourage DEI in the community.
MMCA’s #DefinitelyEarnedIt campaign encourages diverse Americans and allies to challenge harmful stereotypes, such as being labeled “just a DEI hire,” which undermines hard-earned achievements.
The campaign calls on leaders across private and public sectors to reject the notion that employees or students of color are mere diversity statistics. BIPOC hires are trailblazers, innovators, and leaders who bring valuable perspectives that drive creativity and inclusion. Find more information at definitelyearnedit.org.
Diversity in Media Initiatives and ASJA Allyship
At the Oct. 21 dinner at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., MMCA updated attendees on other initiatives the organization is leading to strengthen diverse media representation and economic inclusivity. These include running the Narrative Change Internship Program, which includes working with HBCU journalism students, and negotiating with diverse media companies to raise financing for BIPOC media companies, such as the Baltimore Times. In a time of heightened political and social challenges, the MMCA continues to lead efforts that galvanize support for media diversity and empower voices across the nation.
My fellow ASJA members attended the MMCA dinner to show their support for media diversity and the organization, including ASJA President Emily Paulsen, board member Lisa Rabasca Roepe, and Gabrielle Gayagoy Gonzalez, ASJA’s DEAI committee co-chair.
The 2024 MMCA correspondents’ dinner honored Hyunju “Juju” Chang, recipient of the 2024 Broadcast Journalist Award. Chang is a television journalist for ABC News, and an anchor of “Nightline.”
The dinner also featured a moderated discussion about the presidential transition process between members of the Biden 2020 and Trump 2016 presidential transition teams. The discussion aimed to shine a light on an often-overlooked but essential process that is critical for ensuring a smooth and effective transfer of power.
During the discussion, journalism students asked the transition team speakers questions, highlighting the #DefinitelyEarnedIt spirit of the night.
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Olga Lucia Torres is an ASJA board member, and a member of the organization’s DEAI, Membership, and Advocacy committees. Her freelance work on health care, disability rights, and diversity issues has been published in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Next Avenue, and other publications. She attended her first ASJA conference in 2022 as a scholarship recipient.
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