"It's a tough time to be mayor."
 | By Nayeema Raza Senior Editor, Opinion |
Last summer we reached an inflection point after the killing of George Floyd. We were all made to confront the role that race plays in American life. |
The national conversation that ensued also led to more public discussion about the racial composition of newsrooms. So it was interesting when Lori Lightfoot, Chicago's first Black female mayor and its first openly gay mayor, waded into the media diversity debate in the spring. |
The Wall Street Journal's editorial board compared Lightfoot to "the racists of the Jim Crow South." Tucker Carlson called her "a bigot" and "a monster," while decrying the plight of white journalists who could "no longer do their jobs, purely because of how they were born." A reporter for the Daily Caller sued. |
But the criticism of Lightfoot extended beyond the usual suspects. The National Association of Black Journalists noted that while the organization applauded the mayor's sensitivity to the lack of diversity, it could not support the "tactic." Gregory Pratt, a Latino reporter at The Chicago Tribune, protested by canceling a scheduled interview with the mayor and tweeting that "politicians don't get to choose who covers them." |
On "Sway," the host Kara Swisher asks Lightfoot about whether this was a stunt, as some have said. The mayor doesn't retreat. She doubles down, saying, "I would absolutely do it again. And I'm unapologetic." |
Lightfoot also dives into her motivations, saying, "It's about systemic racism. It's about calling it like I see it and challenging the heads of the media companies here in town to do a better job of bringing journalists of color — women — into the fray." |
What do you think? Even if you agree with Lightfoot's end goal, do you think it was the right approach? Listen to the episode to hear more, and see if it convinces you one way or the other. |
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