Cover of Odyssey magazine which is an illustration of a black woman with her natural hair, the magazine reads, Black students and faculty at Clarke Central High School have had a variety of experiences regarding their natural hair

By Erinn Harris, MJE, awards chair

The first step in creating an environment of diversity and inclusion, and therefore a publication that focuses on diversity, is honest reflection. Once you engage in such honest reflection, you are better prepared to take actions that will produce significant and meaningful change. 

Scholastic publications hoping to find ways to to use reflection to affect change should look to The Odyssey Media Group and Iliad literary-art magazine, advised by David Ragsdale, CJE, and recipients of the 2022 Diversity Award, as a blueprint for success.

Former Iliad Co-Editor-in-Chief Natalie Ripps recognized that the diversity of the Odyssey staff at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia, was not always reflected in the magazine itself, and as a staff, they took steps to cover content more representative of the entire student body.

“Odyssey is an environment with numerous perspectives from students of different ages and races,” Ripps said. “We recognized, however, that this diversity was not always translated to our magazine. We included stories on the same few white students, reviewed restaurants that were not popular amongst our student body, and we published blurbs on television shows on streaming websites that not everyone could afford. We sat down as a staff and acknowledged that our content was simply not representative of the diverse culture that flourished in our very own hallways.”

These are not one-time conversations, but rather continuous conversations that take place year-to-year, throughout the year and among members across the school community. 

“While the staff’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is strong, we revisit our initiatives to ensure we are meeting the needs of our community through focus groups with students from across grade levels and academic backgrounds,” Ragsdale said. “These candid discussions facilitated by staff leaders offer insight, and while the feedback doesn’t always feel good at the moment, the staff grows from opportunities to better serve our community.”

In addition to creating content representative of their school community, the Odyssey Media Group looks to experts outside of the school building to help the staff learn and grow. For years, the staff has worked with alumni, parents of alumni, and professional journalists to learn about topics that affect the diverse community of Athens. Ranging from awareness of microaggressions, to recruitment and retention of scholars of color in the journalism industry, these experiences allow Odyssey Media Group members an authentic opportunity to understand the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in their own work and beyond.

Staff members take the “beyond” to heart, reaching out to elementary and middle schools for collaboration and mentorship. These outreach efforts are about more than recruiting for the high school staff; it’s about recruiting submissions for publication from feeder schools and inspiring a love for learning early in their academic careers.

This inspired love of writing shines through every page of the program’s publications, made even more powerful by the emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Publications highlight clubs such as Students of Color Achieving and Pursuing Excellence (SCAPE) and Pride Club, community members like Jamaican American restaurateur Rashe Malcom, inequities between male and female athletes, a lack of nonbinary restroom accommodations and Civil Rights Awareness. Alongside their regular beats, the staff has also added a social justice beat to their roster in an effort to further their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the Athens community. 

“David’s passion for inclusivity in his newsroom and focus on diverse coverage amazes me,” Leslie Dennis, director of Scholastic Media at the University of South Carolina, said. “That energy extends to his students.”

It’s an energy that is apparent in everything the Odyssey Media Group produces — an energy fueled by a commitment to honesty, reflection, and awareness of the complete community in which they live.

Lindsay Porter

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