Diversity, equity and inclusion at WITF
We pledge to embrace and amplify the marginalized voices of our neighbors by providing a civil forum to share experiences and struggles. We recognize our influence in the content we produce and promote as well as the people who make those decisions. We will devote energy to revealing policies and institutions that perpetuate inequality and discrimination.
Over decades, WITF has stood for the ideals of equality and inclusion. But we have not done enough to counter the systemic disparities that cripple our communities and our country.
Change takes time, but we will be persistent in our mission to help build and serve strong and healthy communities.
View WITF’s full 2023 Diversity Statement or read the overview below.
Resources and projects
Toward Racial Justice is a biweekly series of virtual community conversations addressing systemic racism and injustice in Central Pennsylvania and beyond. Series moderator is Charles Ellison, executive producer & host of “Reality Check” on WURD in Philadelphia — the only Black-owned talk radio station in Pennsylvania.
One of WITF’s core missions is to engage our community and invite diverse voices to tell their stories. We believe in cultivating and developing ongoing relationships with members in the community itself.
WITF & Sankofa African American Theatre Company present virtual film festival
News Media Literacy
WITF, in cooperation with York City School District, has developed this program to train educators in York City School District’s STEAM Academy to support students in becoming media literate and confident, critical thinkers.
India Garnett
On March 4, 1966, Reuben Garnett Jr. was killed by enemy fire while rushing to help his platoon leader in Vietnam. His sister, India Garnett, spent 53 years fighting to have her brother honored for his service and sacrifice. WITF shared their story, and in 2019, a bridge was named in Reuben’s honor.
News coverage
The Latino community in the commonwealth have grown to the milestone number of 1 million people, according to 2020 U.S. Census. Latinos across the state are evaluating their political power and influence in a state that is becoming increasingly diverse. A summit in the Latino-majority city of Reading brought Latino issues to the forefront. Also in Berks, voter misinformation threatened to invalidate the votes of possibly thousands of Spanish-speaking voters. WITF ensured those voters had the correct information at their disposal through Spanish-language coverage of the issue.
WITF has also consistently tracked COVID-19 and prevention efforts in the Latino community, cutting through the stats to make sense of what is happening on the ground. Developments in topics such as immigrant detention around the state, initiatives to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses and cultural moments that play a hand in defining communities are regular components to our coverage.
More articles:
This is a sampling, not an exhaustive list, of WITF’s reporting on communities and individuals typically under-represented in news media.
- What is critical race theory? Here’s a look behind the protests and how racial issues are taught in Pa.
- Latino political power, health, future examined at statewide convention
- Family of those buried in York’s historic Black cemetery want to expand preservation efforts
- Latinos surpass non-Latinos in COVID-19 vaccination in Pa., but devil’s in the details
- ‘It just feels surreal’: Family reunites after father’s detention at York County Prison
- For Muslim and Arab immigrants in Pennsylvania, September 11, 2001, forever changed their lives
- Central York students protest school board’s ban on anti-racist teaching materials
- FBI data: Pa. hate crimes hit 14-year high in 2020
- For advocates, ‘a sense of relief’ with Chambersburg law banning discrimination against LGBTQ people
Short videos, documentaries and discussions
Justice in Chester
An in-depth history of the grassroots struggle to stop the clustering of commercial waste facilities in Chester, Pennsylvania — a predominately poor African American community.
Panel discussion on Antisemitism
After the screening of the documentary “Viral: Antisemitism in Four Mutations,” WITF Senior Advisor Mike Greenwald moderated a discussion with the film’s Producer and Editor (and Pennsylvania native) Diana Robinson and an interfaith panel of regional experts.
Ready Set Music!
Feelings can be hard for children to talk about. Helping children use words to describe what is happening inside them is an important part of Social and Emotional Learning.
PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE BLACK CHURCH
Local experts explore the history of the Black church in Central Pennsylvania and how it continues to shape our community today.
i go home
For years, children with intellectual disability were not allowed in public schools. It was not until the late 1960s that a television expose shed light on what was happening inside the walls of institutions. It was that knowledge that fueled parents and the public to ignite change.
Going Home
Imagine living somewhere you didn’t choose. Being told you can’t love or leave. For decades, that was reality for people with intellectual disabilities living in state institutions. Today, most people with intellectual disabilities are living in the community. But, does living in the community mean you’re truly a part of it?
The Path to Kindergarten Starts Here
An early learning resource website for families with children ages 0 – 5 years old. WITF created an integrated marketing campaign and English/Spanish site to assist caregivers in finding the help they need.
PANEL DISCUSSION ON PUSHOUT: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF BLACK GIRLS IN SCHOOLS
Following a virtual sneak preview of the documentary film Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools, a panel of experts Central PA discussed the film along with the film’s executive producer & writer.
