Philosophy of Diversity Statement

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to my teaching, learning, and community-building approach. A diverse blog and podcast enriches the learning experience for all audiences and prepares them to thrive in an interconnected and complex world. As an educator, I am committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment that celebrates and respects the diversity of my audience.

To achieve this goal, I strive to incorporate EDI principles into all aspects of my teaching practice, including pedagogy, assessment, and engagement. I am mindful of how my identity and positionality may influence my content. My content promotes a culture of openness, empathy, and self-reflection. Diversity encompasses multiple dimensions: race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, age, religion, and socioeconomic status. Therefore, I am committed to creating a creative environment that is inclusive and accessible to all audiences, regardless of their background or identity.

My content aims to foster a sense of belonging and mutual respect among all audiences. I encourage active, collaborative learning that promotes critical thinking, creativity, and empathy. I incorporate various teaching methods and resources that reflect the diversity of perspectives and experiences within and outside the content I create. I also recognize the importance of ongoing assessment and feedback to ensure that my content is responsive to my listeners’ and readers’ needs and goals.

Finally, diversity and inclusion are ongoing and evolving processes that require continuous learning and engagement. Therefore, I am committed to ongoing professional development, collaboration with colleagues, and engagement with the broader community to advance EDI principles and create positive change in our world. I am excited to contribute to the vibrant and diverse community of podcasting and blogging to learn from and with my audience.

Code of Conduct

I wish to be transparent about how I create content and my compensation

Journalism Ethics

I follow the general rules of journalism ethics, but I do want to stress the following:

I strive to be open, independent, and critical towards myself and avoid hidden agendas.
I always try to use facts as fairly and accurately as possible.
If I accuse any party of wrongdoing, I will try to explain the facts and include the accused party’s explanation.
I write my blog as balanced as possible and not to make too sensational headlines, so my content lives up to the promise in the headline.
I acknowledge the individual’s rights to be respected personally and maintain their privacy.
I make sure that the sources who wish to be anonymous, are anonymous – also after the content is publicized – as long as I know the true identity of the person and the motives behind the wish to be anonymous.

Sourcing

I credit my sources by their names and, when possible, a direct link or social media post to their commentary. In other words, I do not plagiarize. I do not use other’s work and pretend it is my own. I declare my sources and explain who they are and what they do for a living, making it easier to judge my sources’ motives.

Any statement made by people who come on to this podcast are their own, and we are providing them with the space and means to speak freely. To that end, we will not condone slander and gossip out of context.

Compensation

Artkive and the College of the Canyons employ me. Other revenues come from Freelance filmmaking, where I am a cinematographer and writer.
I don’t buy or own shares or stocks in companies I write about.
A financial institution administers my pension and savings. I have no knowledge or influence on their choice of securities. No one pays me to say – or not say – certain things on my blog or other media platforms – be they words, sounds, pictures, or videos.
I don’t accept money, free products, discounts, free trips, or anything of value from the companies I write about. I don’t engage with their boards or advisory boards. I will accept a T-shirt or item of small value – less than $80.
If I am to review a product, I will borrow it for the allotted time. If I make an exception to these rules, I will disclose it fully. The company whose product is being reviewed will not get final copy approval and will see the review when my general audience sees it.

Special thanks to Pernille Tranberg, author of TrustMark for News – Why Non-Biased Digital Content Needs Transparency, for providing the template from which this disclosure has been adapted.