Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At WYSO, creating a culture that embraces diversity, fosters equity, and promotes inclusivity is core to our mission and values. We strive to build authentic and mutually beneficial relationships with the people we serve, and the people we want to serve. We are committed to building a team of professionals that reflects the cultural landscape of the communities we serve and the diversity of our members, listeners, and business partners.
Equity in all we do and create is a top priority. We believe that true equity work is an ongoing practice that requires time, attention, energy, and action. Because of this commitment, equity initiatives are built into our Strategic Plan and are part of every WYSO team member’s annual work plan.
Examples of how WYSO is practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion include:
- Establishing a paid internship program, because fair pay is an integral part of an equitable work environment.
- Defining new hiring practices to include a commitment to securing a diverse pool of applicants for every open position. We want our staff to reflect the same percentages of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) of our listening area.
- Diversifying our pool of content creators working within the news, music, and Center for Community Voices departments (including hosts, journalists, digital content creators, interns, freelancers, staffers, and volunteers). We strive to create a workplace that empowers all contributors to bring their full and authentic selves to the organization.
- Securing more than $5.6 million funding for the HBCU Radio Preservation project, to support radio stations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the country in preserving their legacies and cultural heritage.
- Conducting annual workplace culture surveys to regularly evaluate how well-aligned our culture is with our organizational values.
- Facilitating ongoing conversations among staff around anti-racism through guided readings and discussions to understand the biases within ourselves, in our work, and in the systems we uphold.
If you would like to speak with us regarding our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, please contact WYSO General Manager Luke Dennis at ldennis@wyso.org or 937.769.1379.