KERA’s Commitment To Diversity, Equity, Inclusion And Belonging
Public media belongs to you. All of you. KERA is committed to representing and celebrating our entire community.
We believe in DEIB — diversity, equity , inclusion and belonging — in all aspects of our organization, including our service to audiences, the makeup of our staff and the communities represented in our programming. This is a core priority that is infused in every action we take. As a public service, KERA holds a responsibility to engage the communities we reach equitably – to serve the underserved and create opportunities for those who have been overlooked.
Our goal is to provide a culture of belonging – on the air, online and in the halls of our facilities, and our interactions with the community – that includes diversity of ethnicity, race, gender and gender identity, people with disabilities, age, language, sexual orientation and socioeconomic background, all of which are important to our work.
Click each section below to expand it and learn more.
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DEIB goals
In pursuit of its commitment to diversity throughout the organization, KERA has established the following goals:– For all audiences to find representation of their culture and identity in KERA’s programming.
– For KERA’s staff to reflect the diversity of the community it serves – including in positions of leadership.
– For KERA’s Board of Directors and Community Advisory Board to include representation that expresses our commitment to DEIB.
– For KERA’s news and public affairs content to include a diversity of experiences, identities and perspectives – and for this content to reflect equitable and inclusive representation of the voices it amplifies.
– For KERA to build and maintain strong, engaged relationships with communities across North Texas that rely on programming that is free, educational and accessible to all.
– For KERA to cultivate and actively maintain a sense of belonging throughout the organization.
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Practices and policies to promote DEIB
▸ DEIB in KERA’s Content
Effective storytelling relies on a wide variety of experiences on both sides of the microphone and throughout our digital platforms. We are dedicated to being more participatory in terms of who is doing the storytelling. We are committed to amplifying the voices of communities that have been historically marginalized and misrepresented. This includes active steps towards reaching audiences we haven’t engaged with before through different platforms which includes performing multicultural audience research to inform programming and event choices. We strive to earn trust by representing communities authentically and elevating stories throughout the region we serve.
▸ DEI Advisory CouncilKERA maintains an internal DEI Advisory Council tasked with advancing our goals in this area and providing ongoing accountability. The council includes employees across multiple departments, and senior managers do not serve as members in order to encourage open dialogue and provide leadership opportunities for staff.
▸ Hiring and HR ProceduresWe are committed to providing employment and promotion opportunities to individuals of all backgrounds, experiences and identities. This includes focused recruitment in diverse spaces to identify talented candidates who may not be represented in legacy applicant pools. Our hiring processes are structured to include diverse representation on hiring panels. We also believe in supporting long-term career development to prepare diverse talent for leadership roles within the organization.
Further, KERA offers paid internship and fellowship opportunities to cultivate the next generation of public media professionals. We are committed to equity and transparency in compensation among our staff.
More information about our employment recruitment sources and efforts can be found in our annual FCC EEO Recruitment Report.
▸ Diversity DemographicsKERA believes that attracting and retaining diverse staff is crucial to serving our community and fulfilling our mission to serve North Texans through public television, radio and multimedia resources that educate, engage, inspire and entertain. KERA’s workforce has a wealth of diversity in race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability and socio-economic status. KERA is an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to building a culturally and ethnically diverse staff and creating a working environment that promotes racial equity and inclusiveness.
KERA’s staff and governance reflect our commitment to diversity in all its forms. We employ a wide variety of people who reflect both our community and our nation.
Our employee population in June 2023 was 132 full-time employees, which proves consistent growth from the 120 in June 2022 and 102 employees in June 2021. In 2023, 42% of KERA’s employees identified as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and 62% of KERA’s employees identified as female. The percentage of KERA employees who identify as BIPOC was consistent with prior years, at 42% in 2022 and grew from 36% in 2021. The percentage of KERA employees who identify as female has remained steady with prior years of 2022 and 2021. Our employees are multigenerational, having been born from 1949 to 2001.
The senior team has also seen some growth from 5 senior team members in 2021 to 9 members in 2022 and 2023 to meet the demands of the growing employee population. In 2023 and 2022, 44% of the senior team identified as BIPOC versus 20% in 2021, the difference being directly related to the senior team members being added in support of the growing population. 78% of the senior team identified as female in 2023 which increased from 67% in 2022 and 60% in 2021.
Our diversity goals extend to our Board of Directors and our Community Advisory Board. KERA’s Board of Directors is comprised of 41 voting members, 51% of whom identify as women and 41% of whom are BIPOC. The BIPOC Board members have remained steady from 41% in 2022 and 39% in 2021. The female Board membership has remained strong with a little more than half identifying as female for the last three years. KERA’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) has 53 members in 2023, 59% of whom identify as women and 72% as BIPOC. The CAB’s female and BIPOC membership has remained constant for the last three years. Both KERA’s Board of Directors and CAB members are multigenerational and represent a variety of professional and life experiences.
▸ Staff TrainingAll employees attend training to promote greater awareness of issues related to DEIB. Managers complete additional training related to the role of DEIB in their supervisory relationships. KERA also added a Leadership Development Series to help develop and train our management team.
Additionally, we are committed to providing opportunities for staff to deepen their engagement in DEIB work, including workshops and professional development sessions. All staff attended a “Can We Talk” series which included KERA’s racial equity policy and theory of change. This series introduced brave conversations and helped give team members a common language and definitions to use.
▸ DEIB in Performance ManagementWe believe enhancing DEIB is a shared responsibility that relies on every member of our staff and board. Therefore, all employees include personal goals related to DEIB in their annual performance management. These individual goals reflect each person’s role in advancing our overall commitment to DEIB. Our progress in this area is evaluated and shared quarterly in the president’s reports to the Board of Directors.
▸ Public Media for AllWe are proud to support the mission of Public Media for All, a nationwide coalition of public broadcasting workers, led by people of color. This initiative unites KERA with stations that share these values and are committed to specific actions. Learn more.
▸ DEIB at Work
KERA strives to create an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging that shapes how work gets accomplished with everyone’s contribution. In FY2023 we formally integrated belonging into our DEI culture to ensure that everyone is included in all aspects of the workplace. We did this by launching a weekly People and Culture newsletter, the creation of our intranet to streamline internal communications, an annual Team Appreciation Day, new onboarding procedures, a half-day new hire orientation called “About KERA Day” and KERA connect week. DEIB is a core priority that is infused into every action we take.
KERA also introduced “Three guiding principles for working together right now” that establishes the framework for how all employees are to work together to fulfill KERA’s mission. The guiding principles include seeking growth organizationally and individually, effective collaboration, and welcoming new opportunities to grow and succeed working together.
▸ Video Collection: Stories & Cultures within the United States
KERA’s curated video collection highlights the stories and cultures of different racial and ethnic groups across America. Through these videos, we want to amplify the voices of our community and foster a greater sense of understanding and connection. Learn even more with additional public media resources located at the bottom of this collection.
Click on one of the collection links below to be taken to the video collection that interests you. - +
DEIB growth plans
KERA is committed to continuing its growth in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for the Organization as a whole. To meet this goal, in the next year we plan to:– Continue to develop the audience development and engagement plan that is based on the findings of a multicultural audience research study to help identify gaps in our coverage as well as opportunities to authentically connect and engage with diverse communities.
– Create an annual DEIB report.
– Full launch and execution of Employee Resource Groups
– Continue to assess KERA’s workplace culture through regular pulse surveys of staff.
– Continue staff training on topics such as cultural competency and responsiveness, racial and cultural trauma, and allyship.
– Create a vendor/supplier diversity tracking system where FY2024 will be the baseline for data gathering.
– Plan for the next phase of KERA’s culture of belonging as we begin an ambitious capital project.
– Continue and expand the Leadership Development Series.
– Launch pilot program of growth plans/learning journeys to support each individual’s growth towards their professional goals.
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DEIB report
To honor our commitments to Public Media 4 All, we offer this annual DEIB report to make our progress public and to hold ourselves accountable.
UPDATED OCTOBER 25, 2023
Photo: Tim Mossholder
