The Colorado Sun is committed to the work of fighting racism, bigotry and exclusion, and to promoting a more just and equitable world. This statement codifies that commitment and provides actionable goals to hold us accountable.

General statement

The Colorado Sun was founded in 2018 with the intent of using the truth-telling power of journalism to contribute to a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado. To accomplish that, our journalism must tell the stories of all of Colorado — meaning we must strive to include diverse voices and experiences, especially those from outside dominant cultural perspectives. We must also be cognizant of the harms media institutions have too often perpetuated against historically disadvantaged communities. We must actively work to break down stereotypes and bigotry.

This is an ongoing effort that the staff of The Colorado Sun will undertake. Just as we cannot expect to solve these issues all at once, we must also never grow complacent in this work. In this way, our goal is to make The Colorado Sun an example for other news organizations to follow by perpetually striving to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization.

Definitions

Our commitment to diversity reflects our acknowledgement of the many identities, experiences and ways of being that exist in the world and are deserving of representation. These may include race, gender identity, sexuality, ability, religion, socioeconomic status, veteran status, nationality, geographic location and other community signifiers.

Our commitment to equity reflects an understanding of the need to create equal opportunity for all, recognizing that what may constitute opportunity for one person may be a barrier to another.

Our commitment to inclusion means we strive to create a workplace and to create journalism in which people of all identities feel welcome, valued, supported and heard.

Our promise

To achieve the goals of this statement, we will:

  • Examine our journalism and work to include more diverse voices and perspectives in story ideas and sources cited. This includes all forms of our journalism, including written articles, podcasts, newsletters, visuals and events.
  • Regularly re-evaluate our style guide — in coordination with community outreach efforts — to ensure we are using inclusive language in our journalism.
  • Develop and sustain a plan to make our journalism accessible regardless of ability level. This includes a comprehensive plan for use of translation services and improvements in digital accessibility.
  • Seek out outside resources, such as informational guides and training, to help our staff achieve our DEI goals.
  • Work to ensure inclusivity in marketing, membership outreach and revenue solicitation.
  • Prioritize staff diversity in recruitment, mentorships, internships and hiring.
  • Foster a workplace that is equitable and inclusive and that provides staff members with the opportunity for growth.
  • Assess our diversity efforts each year and provide an accounting of our DEI work in our annual report.

Notes

This statement borrows and takes inspiration from the diversity statements and policies of Community Radio for Northern Colorado, The Pulitzer Center, ProPublica, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Marshall Project and others. We are grateful for their assistance. We are also grateful to the Maynard Institute for its educational and training programs on diversity, equity and inclusion issues in newsrooms.