LAist’s mission is to strengthen the civic and cultural bonds that unite Southern California’s diverse communities. We do this by producing news and information that is impactful, equitable, and responsible to the public.
In the summer of 2020, LAist formed an independent diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) task force. The remit was to independently assess where we were as an organization in terms of DEI, engage with the organization to understand where issues and opportunities for change existed, and, finally, to make recommendations to the executive team and the board of trustees on how to move our organization forward. In March 2021, the task force delivered 44 recommended actions, and an overview of the implementation plan that was designed can be viewed here.
Members of LAist’s senior leadership team partnered with the organization’s employee resource group in Summer 2023 to host a series of virtual and in-person employee gatherings to surface opportunities for a second implementation plan. More than 70% of staff participated.
What follows are the six things we believe LAist must get right to cement DEI as a long-term commitment within the organization. They represent themes that surfaced repeatedly during staff engagement.
- Formalize DEI structure, resources, and communication in the organization.
- Further standardize the onboarding process.
- Develop and communicate a plan on supporting a work environment that is accessible and optimized for all employees.
- Take clear and communicated measures to prevent and address burnout.
- Facilitate a sharper understanding of how LAist works—from content practices and framing to budgets and pay equity studies—in order to ensure a more level playing field for all employees.
- Take and apply appropriate learnings from employee exit interviews.
Within each theme are actions that are led by a member of the executive team and to be delivered within a 6-, 12-, or 18-month period. These actions have been shared across our organization, and progress will be tracked quarterly by the board.
Diversity Report
As part of our DEI implementation plan, Southern California Public Radio has committed to publishing annual public-facing staff demographic reports.
2022 Diversity Report
2023 Diversity Report
2024 Diversity Report
Third-Party Content Audit
Our newsroom has partnered with Impact Architects (IA) to conduct annual content audits of journalism produced in audio formats for broadcast on LAist 89.3 (formerly known as KPCC 89.3), digital stories for LAist.com, and newsletter content.
Style Guide
Language is messy. It can be inconsistent, nuanced, and have a lot of stigmas. Every word has the power to shape how communities see us and feel seen. So starting in May 2021, our newsroom launched Dialogue, an initiative from Southern California Public Radio to redesign its style guide informed by the desires of our communities and staff. (Here's how we did this and why it's important.)
Third-Party DEI Report
When Southern California Public Radio concluded the first 18 months of the DEI implementation plan, we engaged journalist Elaine Woo to produce a third-party reflection on the progress to date and areas for continued improvement.
Live Events Statement
In alignment with the values and beliefs that inform the work of Southern California Public Radio, the live events team seeks to produce and present virtual and in-person events and experiences that:
- Reflect the diverse people and experiences of our region and foster a sense of belonging.
- Provide an accessible and equitable space for curious and caring participation through a respectful exchange of ideas.
- Support our journalistic values by promoting transparency, credibility, accuracy, fairness, relevancy, and trust.
- Offer a range of unique programmatic experiences that lead to greater understanding and inspire positive and productive civic and cultural engagement.
Read the complete Values, Commitments, and Code of Conduct statement.
Land Acknowledgment
We believe systemic inequities, including racism, exist. We have an obligation to combat that.
Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) operates within the homelands of the Gabrieleno Tongva people. SCPR facilities are located specifically within their ancestral village of Hahamog’na. We recognize the painful history of displacement, settler colonialism, and erasure of the People, their language, including place names, and their sovereignty. This land acknowledgment is a step to enact our commitment to developing a process of engagement and relationship with the stewards of this land, the Gabrieleno Tongva.