Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a commitment we make to our colleagues and our community.

To fulfill our mission at Chicago Public Media, we have made a commitment to creating a more equitable, diverse and inclusive organization – reflected in the work we produce, the policies we practice and the culture we perpetuate.

This vision of a diverse, equitable and inclusive future requires us to prioritize the hard work that must be done, with a commitment to openness and transparency. To lead us on our DEI journey, we have formed a DEI Council representing many voices at Chicago Public Media across many dimensions – roles, departments, gender, age, race, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ status – to ensure we take a holistic view of our organization.

Our purpose statement: The DEI Council is a staff-led, leadership-supported advisory and resource group that will create a comprehensive DEI strategy and action plan for Chicago Public Media. The council will partner with CPM leadership to oversee the implementation of that strategy, hold management accountable for transparent and measurable progress, and provide additional recommendations to create a more equitable, diverse and rich culture at Chicago Public Media.

Our DEI Council has identified three pillars to focus our work:

1. Recruiting, hiring and retaining a diverse staff at all levels → Increasing staff diversity through improved hiring and retention policies will contribute to the organization’s goals of reaching diverse audiences and helping facilitate community conversations.
   
2. Cultivating a culture of inclusivity and opportunity → Ensuring our values are put into action in our everyday workplace experience as we strive to understand, reach and reflect our audience and strengthen our organization. ​
   
3. Aligning our content and audience with the demographics of our coverage area → By expanding the relevance, reach and impact of our service, we will demonstrate our long-term commitment to the ethnic and racial communities we have historically underserved.​
   

As part of a broader commitment to DEI in the public media system, Chicago Public Media joined Public Media for All in 2021. Our participation in this coalition is an aspect of accountability for our DEI efforts and to gain knowledge and insights from colleagues at other participating organizations who also are undertaking this important work in public media.

For more information about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at WBEZ, please contact our DEI Council via email at DEIcouncil@wbez.org.