Second letter in response to the Society of Editors
On Thursday (15 July) the Society of Editors announced the winners of its annual awards which were postponed after widespread dismay and anger over its statement denying the existence of racism and bigotry in the UK press in its response to Oprah Winfrey’s interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
We are pleased that the nominees have finally been able to receive their awards but deplore the fact that the Society of Editors has not used the interim period or the event of the awards to show genuine commitment to atoning for its insulting and ham-fisted blanket denial of racism.
Without admitting that racism exists and retracting their previous missive, the Society of Editors are denying the lived experiences of journalists of colour as well as those who have had unfavourable media coverage purely because of the colour of their skin.
Instead the society seems to have taken a stance of offering a few crumbs in the hope that it will douse the anger it provoked.
The society’s diversity initiatives are welcome but inadequate. It does not have the power to solve the longstanding industry-wide issues of inequality and lack of coverage. However, what it can and should do is offer moral leadership. By its silence, it is singularly failing to do so.
We, the undersigned journalists of colour, cannot have faith in an organisation that is so detached from our reality and we would urge its member organisations to consider their continued participation in the group.
- Grace Shutti, Journalist, The Guardian
- Ore Agbaje-Williams, Editor
- Yassmin Abdel-Magied, writer, broadcaster
- Jason Okundaye Writer, Freelance
- Julia Carrie Wong, Journalist, Guardian US
- Aditya Chakrabortty, Senior economics commentator, The Guardian
- Lou Mensah, Broadcaster, Shade Podcast
- Nikhita Chulani, Editor, The Guardian
- Afua Adom, Journalist and broadcaster, Freelance
- Halima Ali, Journalist, The Guardian
- Kurt Barling, Professor of Journalism and fmr BBC Special Correspondent, Middlesex University
- Shona Ghosh, Senior editor, Insider
- Leone Ross, Writer/Editor, Freelance
- Joseph Harker, Journalist, The Guardian
- David Olusoga, Filmmaker/writer, Freelance
- Zita Holbourne, Writer and Author, BARAC UK
- Maya Wolfe-Robinson, Reporter, The Guardian
- Jeevan Ravindran, Journalist
- Keme Nzerem, correspondent, nzerem limited
- K Biswas, Critic, Editor of Representology
- Désirée Reynolds, Writer/Journalist, Freelance
- Mythili Rao, journalist, The Guardian
- Shaista Aziz, Journalist, Freelance
- Nosheen Iqbal, Journalist, The Guardian
- Marcus Ryder, Journalist, Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity
- Marverine Cole, Journalist & Broadcaster, Freelance
- Marvyn Harrison, Executive Editor, Dope Black Thought
- Suchandrika Chakrabarti, Writer, Freelance
- Ellen E Jones, Film and TV journalist, Freelance
- Preeti Jha, Journalist, Freelance
- Tara Srinivasan, Editor, The Guardian
- Shanthy Milne, Writer, journalist, documentary maker, Freelance
- Lola Okolosie, Writer, Freelance
- Germaine Slater-Arnold, Sub-editor, The Times and Sunday Times
- Mehreen Khan, Journalist, Financial Times
- Moya Lothian-Mclean, Editor, Gal-dem
- Zoe Daniel, Journalist, Freelance
- Josh Toussaint-Strauss, Journalist/producer, The Guardian
- Hibaq Farah, Journalist, City Journalism
- Holly Henry-Long, Producer, Freelance
- Kemi Alemoru, Journalist, gal-dem
- Annalisa Toccara, Journalist, Freelance
- Tchiyiwe Chihana, Journalist, African Voices Platform
- Priya Elan, Journalist, The Guardian
- Sachin Nakrani, Writer & Editor, The Guardian
- Homa Khaleeli, Journalist, The Guardian
- Mariel Richards, CEO, gal-dem
- Aasha Kimpton, Writer, Freelance
- Joshua Surtees, Writer/Journalist, The Guardian
- Marc Deanie, Journalist, DC Thomson
- Basit Mahmood, Co-editor, Left Foot Forward
- Tineka Smith, Author and writer
- Suyin Haynes, Editor in Chief, gal-dem
- Alice Xin Liu Writer, translator, editor, Freelance
- Rianna Walcott Writer, researcher, King’s College London/freelance
- Tara Joshi, Writer and music editor, gal-dem and freelance
- Anita Chaudhuri, Associate editor, Psychologies magazine
- Steve Rose, Writer, Freelance
- Anita Bhagwandas, Journalist, Freelance
- Radhika Holmstrom, Journalist, Freelance
- Mildred Talabi, Ex Journalist, Self-Employed
- Nina lakhani, Journalist, The Guardian
- Anita Sethi, Writer and journalist, author of ‘I Belong Here: a Journey Along the Backbone of Britain’ (Bloomsbury) Author, I Belong Here (Bloomsbury)
- Kuba Shand-Baptiste, Assistant Opinion Editor, The i
- Kyra Ho, Audio journalist, Freelance
- Micha Frazer-Carroll, Columnist, the Independent
- Sakhr Al-Makhadhi, Journalist
- Aaron Walawalkar, Journalist
- Laura Smith, Managing Editor, Speak Media
- Khaleda Rahman, Journalist, Newsweek
- Ian Wang, Culture writer, Freelance
- Shanthy Milne, Writer, journalist, documentary maker, Freelance
- Faima Bakar, Journalist, Freelance
- Maaiysa Valli, Journalist
- Rajitha Rebecca Ratnam, Content Designer, DVSA, Civil Service
- Zing Tsjeng, Editor, VICE UK
- Afshan D’souza-Lodhi, Writer
- Lucy Fulford, Journalist, Freelance
- Shirley May, Writer, freelance
- Abbianca, Journalist
- Coco Khan, Columnist, The Guardian
- Poppy Noor, Features editor, Guardian US
- Tania Branigan, Journalist, The Guardian
- Ammar Kalia, Journalist, The Guardian
- Hannah J Davies, Writer and editor, The Guardian
- Sam Phan, Writer, Freelance
- Angela Foster, Journalist, The Guardian
- Diana Evans, Writer, freelance
- Randeep Ramesh, Journalist, The Guardian
- Oliver Laughland, Journalist, The Guardian
- Malik Meer, Editor, Guardian US
- Devika Bhat, Journalist, The Guardian
- Nesrine Malik, Columnist
- Josh Lee Commissioning, Editor and writer, The Guardian + various
- Aisha Riaz, Production editor, GNM
- Nimra Shahid, Journalist, Freelance
- Lanre Bakare, Arts and culture correspondent, The Guardian
- Courtney Yusuf, Audio Producer, The Guardian
- Madeleine Coffey, Coordinator, Netflix
- Tumaini Carayol, Journalist, The Guardian
- Mona Chalabi, Editor, The Guardian
- Dr Omega Douglas, Academic, journalist, writer, Goldsmiths College, University of London
- Christine Ochefu, Journalist and editor, Freelance
- Elizabeth Pears, News editor, FT
- Haroon Siddique, Journalist, The Guardian
- Hajra Rahim, Journalist
- Victoria Ibitoye, Senior Correspondent, MLex
- Enjoli Liston, news editor, The Guardian, US
- Merve Logman, Writer
- Raffy Rauter Production Coordinator Netflix
- Nadia Khomami, Journalist, The Guardian
- Mirza Waheed, Writer
- Saba Salman, Journalist, Freelance/The Guardian
- Rasheda Malcolm ,Author, Journalist, The WILDE Foundation
- Amerley Ollennu, Journalist, Freelance
- Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi, Journalist Shine A Light (co-editor) and Freelance
- Emmanuel Akinwotu, Journalist, The Guardian
- Sudip Roy, Journalist, Refinitiv
- Samira Shackle Journalist, Freelance
- Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, Editor
- Desree Gumbs-Carty Writer, Freelance
- Farah Jassat, Journalist & Head of Podcasts, Intelligence Squared
- Nina Robinson, CEO, Soundtruism Productions