WHO: Who’s missing from the story?
WHAT: What’s the context for the story?
WHERE: Where can we go for more information?
WHEN: When do we use racial or ethnic identification?
WHY: Why are we including or excluding certain information?
Making Connections: A Strategy for Connecting with Diverse Communities
Online Sites, Publications, Broadcasts
Search out online sites that focus on issues of diversity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disabilities, and other diverse specialties. Read publications, watch television/cable TV, listen to radio owned by or oriented toward diverse groups.
Specialists
Contact diversity and/or race relations specialists. Check universities, institutes, diversity consulting firms, companies known for diversity efforts. Meet with diversity committees or diverse people in your own organization.
Organizations
Contact organizations that represent diverse groups, i.e. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, African-American Coalition, Asian-American Association, The Deaf Center. Your own company may have its own versions of these groups as well.
Leaders
Ask everyone you meet who they respect as knowledgeable people in their communities. Seek out unofficial leaders.
List
Create a list of people you can turn to in diverse communities who represent different perspectives within their groups.
Visits
Visit online sites and communities different from your own. Eat at ethnic restaurants. Shop at ethnic stores. Meet the owners.
Contact
Remain in regular contact with people on your diversity list. E-mail them. Meet them for coffee, tea, breakfast, or lunch in their communities.
