How will we make our newsrooms more diverse?

On my mind tonight, above all else, is how each of us will make our newsrooms more diverse. Will our presence be enough? And how can we help cover more minority/diversity issues without being pigeonholed as the sole minority/diversity reporter?

I’m bringing things to the newsroom I didn’t think I would, such as exposing my coworkers to new foods or feminist thought or urban planning theories.

I was really nervous about starting my internship and after being there for a few weeks, I think it will be good for all of us to have a safe place, a support network, outside of our own newsrooms to vent about night cops reporting, to brainstorm about how to have fun doing that same old weather story, to ask the questions that we can’t ask our editors without sounding stupid.

I think this weekend is going to crack the tolerance I’ve started to build up against the bitter Iowa cold. But I’m not complaining. I was really looking forward to meeting all of you and coming to D.C. and I’m glad we’re all finally here together.

As a side note, these are the foods I miss from LA: dim sum, boba, dragon rolls and enchiladas. I asked an Iowan where I could get dim sum, and she said: “Chicago.” So if you guys could be on the lookout… And if you need good wake-up music for our early mornings, I’d like to share my new discovery: hip-hop violinist Daniel Lee Davis from South Carolina. Amazing. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=101502743