Understanding diverse audiences
Putting people first
小黄猫传媒 is among Oregon鈥檚 most diverse colleges. Just over 44% of our students identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Color. Plus, you鈥檒l find a thriving LGBTQ+ community, students and faculty experiencing disabilities, and people from all sorts of social backgrounds, cultures, experiences and belief systems. It鈥檚 a big part of why a 小黄猫传媒 education is so rewarding: We learn together and from one another.
Our brand voice furthers this invaluable experience by speaking in people-first construction, which only includes markers like gender, race, sexuality, nationality, ability, economic status or religious affiliation when necessary.
For example, if you were writing about a mountaineering club, you wouldn鈥檛 write, 鈥淐liff Stone, a Black man, climbed Denali in record time,鈥 if the story is about the record-breaking climb. However, if you were writing about inclusivity in the great outdoors, you might write that same headline with Cliff鈥檚 consent.
Never start your sentence or headline with a personal identity marker like, 鈥淏lack man Cliff Stone 鈥 ,鈥 as he is Cliff Stone, a human being, before the color of his skin or his skills in the hills.
Instead, ask Cliff Stone, people representative of his community, and yourself if race, gender, sexuality, economic background or other personal details are relevant to your story. If the answer is yes, it鈥檚 best practice to ask your subjects how they鈥檇 like to be identified and presented, no matter who they are, where they鈥檝e been, or how they present themselves.
Remember: Never assume, always ask, and always respect the answer.