Our commitment

At The Local Journalism Foundation (LJF) and NowKalamazoo, we believe journalism is a public good — one that must reflect and serve the full breadth of our community with honesty, empathy, and integrity. We recognize that the stories we tell, the people we feature, and the language we use shape how our community sees itself and how it is seen by others.

We acknowledge journalism’s complex and, at times, harmful history in perpetuating stereotypes, excluding marginalized voices, and failing to hold power to account — especially in coverage of communities of color, Indigenous peoples, people living in poverty, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and others who have historically been misrepresented or ignored by mainstream media.

As a public-serving institution, we embrace our responsibility to do better. We commit to practicing journalism that builds trust, centers equity, and reflects the rich diversity of the Kalamazoo region. We aim to serve our entire community — especially those who have been excluded from civic conversations and local power structures — by listening deeply, reporting responsibly, and amplifying voices that too often go unheard.

Guiding principles

Intentional representation

We will ensure our journalism reflects the diversity of people who live, work, and play in Kalamazoo County. This means actively seeking sources across racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, religious, and geographic lines — not only when diversity is the focus of a story.

Ethical storytelling

We commit to telling stories with accuracy, context, and care. We will challenge narratives that reinforce harm or bias and avoid framing that sensationalizes trauma, pathologizes poverty, or exoticizes difference. Every person and community deserves to be seen in their full humanity — with agency, complexity, and dignity.

Community accountability

We will build feedback loops into our reporting processes, inviting community members to critique our coverage, respond to errors or omissions, and suggest new or better ways to cover their lives and concerns. We will respond with transparency, humility, and action.

Source audits and data transparency

NowKalamazoo will regularly audit the sources quoted or cited in our stories to ensure inclusivity and representation across identities and communities. We will use these findings to ensure journalistic balance and encourage other publishers in the region to adopt similar practices as a standard of accountable journalism. 

Internal diversity and inclusion

We will cultivate an inclusive workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. This includes recruitment and hiring practices that ensure equal opportunity and aim to broaden applicant pools, ongoing training around bias and equity, and an organizational culture where every team member is heard and empowered.

Equity-centered philanthropy

The Local Journalism Foundation will prioritize funding approaches that expand access to news for underserved communities and support newsrooms led by and serving people from underrepresented groups. We will work to dismantle financial, linguistic, and cultural barriers to participation in public discourse.

A core program: Diversifying Media

Through our flagship program, Diversifying Media, the LJF is building a new pipeline of journalist talent in Kalamazoo County that actively encourages participation from historically underrepresented groups, which, non-exclusively, may include, but is not limited to, diversity across race, ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic background, and more. This initiative supports local training, mentorship, and job placement for emerging journalists from all communities.

As part of this work, LJF will audit diversity across all publishing ventures in the county — from legacy outlets to hyperlocal newsletters — and will publish findings to raise awareness and drive systemic change. We will support participating organizations in strengthening their internal DEI practices, expanding who tells our stories and how they are told.

Accountability and implementation

We will develop and regularly update a diversity, equity, and inclusion action plan aligned with this policy, with clear goals, timelines, and evaluation metrics. We will publish annual progress reports and solicit feedback from our board, staff, community advisors, and the public.

This policy will guide editorial decision-making, grantmaking, hiring, partnerships, and organizational strategy. We are committed to learning, evolving, and holding ourselves accountable — because journalism that does not reflect its people cannot truly serve them.