Diversity Diaries: David Lawrence
By David Lawrence
Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, Miami
11.28.01
When I arrived as executive editor of the Detroit Free Press back in 1978, we had exactly four minorities on our newsroom professional staff — a completely unacceptable display of commitment, especially in a community where minorities were in the majority.
Meanwhile, we had the usual landscape of "liberal" editors saying they were so very eager to hire and promote minorities, but couldn't find any! Couldn't "find any," I was told, because "they" didn't want to be in Detroit, didn't meet "our standards," and we couldn't pay enough. "Hogwash" would have been my understated response.
Things had to change, and they did change.
Commitment must come from the top. I never insisted that openings be filled with anyone of any particular race or color or gender. (No one wants to be hired or advanced because he or she is a "minority.") I did insist that there be candidates of genuine diversity for every opening. Amazing. We found wonderful people, able to hold their own with anyone in the newsroom.
The paper was the better for that; so, of course, were the readers.