How well is Broadview meeting its 2025 diversity goals?

This summer roughly marks the midpoint between a goal I set in November 2020 and the deadline for completion. The promise was that one-third of Broadview freelancers, board members and staff would be Black, Indigenous or people of colour (BIPOC) by 2025. In the interest of transparency — and to keep myself on track — I’m pleased to share that we continue to make progress toward achieving our goals.

When we started on this journey, 23 percent of print and 10 percent of online contributors were BIPOC. In 2022, 34 percent of all Broadview freelancers were racialized. Among the writers of longform features — Broadview’s most challenging freelance assignments — 43 percent were BIPOC.

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Under the leadership of Rev. Murray Pruden, who is Cree, we worked with Indigenous writers, photographers and illustrators to create a superb Indigenous-focused edition of the magazine. Pruden wrote a beautiful editorial, sharing that guest-editing Broadview was a way to celebrate his Indigenous identity and help others to be proud of who they are, too. The “Indigenous Vision” issue has received a National Magazine Award nomination.

When it comes to the board, there’s more good news. By the time you read this in June, we’ll be officially welcoming Pruden to the group, and 27 percent of board members will be racialized. That’s not quite a third, but we’re closing in on our goal.

And finally, among staff, 27 percent are also now BIPOC. Staff positions don’t frequently come open, but when they do, we will continue to diligently seek applicants with diverse backgrounds. Broadview’s editorial staff work as a team to select stories for print and online. The more perspectives we have in the room, the more inclusive and thoughtful our content will be.

I’m mindful that the work of building a more representative Broadview only begins with diversity goals. Equity and inclusion are the other two pieces of the puzzle. Equity means ensuring equal treatment, opportunity and advancement; inclusion means creating a workplace where people feel an authentic sense of belonging. These categories are harder to measure. They require a close examination of systems, power structures, inherent bias and more.

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Diversity, equity and inclusion matter to me because I want Broadview readers, staff, board members and contributors from all walks of life to be not just represented but heard, engaged and supported. I want this to be a publication where people from all backgrounds can learn from one another. Like many of you, I’m still learning to be a strong ally and actively anti-racist. I strive to nurture workspaces where we can openly dialogue, hear truths and hold each other accountable, even when that’s uncomfortable. Perhaps especially when that’s uncomfortable.

I think and I hope that we’re on the right path, but the road is long and there is always room for improvement. I look forward to continuing the journey toward 2025.

Jocelyn Bell is Broadview’s editor and publisher.

This story first appeared in Broadview’s July/August 2023 issue with the title, “Diversity Matters.”