California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber opened the 2023 Ethnic Media Expo & Awards Thursday, Aug, 31 in Sacramento. The event was co-hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media.
Weber, the first ever African American to serve in the position, reminded the audience that at a time when states across the country have gone on the attack against diversity and women’s rights, California is charting a different course.
“We have eight constitutional officers,” Weber noted of the current makeup of California’s top elected officials, “and all of them are either female or people of color” with the exception of Gov. Newsom. “So he is in the minority,” said Weber.
She continued, “You represent what California is,” speaking to the more than 300 media representatives in the audience, from as far south as the Imperial Valley and as far north as Humboldt County, from Los Angeles and San Francisco to the cities of the Central and San Joaquin valleys. “We are in a very unique place… we should be proud of who we are.”
Check out the program guide for more information on the day’s events and click here to the list of winners.
Ethnic Media Services: Ethnic Media Services works to enhance the capacity of ethnic news outlets to inform and engage diverse audiences on broader public issues with the goal of building a more inclusive participatory democracy. Learn more at: ethnicmediaservices.org.
California Black Media: California Black Media is a convener and trusted advocate for more than 30 independent Black-owned-and-operated news publishers, multimedia platforms and broadcasters across California. At the core of our mission is a commitment to “plead our own cause,” a phrase inspired by the words and wisdom of activist, educator, and pioneering journalist Ida B. Wells. Learn more at: cablackmedia.org.
