California Ethnic Media Conference Highlights Value of Diverse Voices In Combating Racism

By Sterling Davies | OBSERVER Staff WriterBeing a photographer in communities across Los Angeles, Charles Jackson knew he needed to capture the light he saw within the people he encountered.“I have been doing photography all my life,” Jackson notes, and as he covered events in schools, churches, and the streets, he saw a side of communities many don’t capture. “I saw a lot of good things in the community that showed a lot of pride,” Jackson recalls. “They were proud of where they came from.”This sparked him to create City Pride, a Los Angeles-based magazine focusing on the positives in Black and Latino communities.City Pride was one of many ethnic media outlets at California’s 26th Ethnic Media Conference, Expo, and Awards. The conference, presented by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services, brought together news sites and magazines throughout the state that serve minority communities, including Black, AAPI, Latino, Native American, Middle Eastern, Afghan, Afro-Caribbean, Eastern European, and LGBTQ+. Through various experts, panels, and workshops, the two-day event highlighted the power behind the trust and sense of connection ethnic media creates within its communities.Tony Thurmond, California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and the conference’s keynote speaker, shared the impact he’s witnessed...