FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2020
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has demanded a meeting with the publisher of the Miami Herald. An observed continued pattern of racially insensitive remarks/tweets by sportswriter Armando Salguero is disturbing and unacceptable.
The latest involves a tweet where Salguero wrote: “Ryan Tannehill says the United States of America ‘was founded upon racist ideas…’ I am so sick of the America bashing by people who have never lived and would never live anywhere else.”
After Herald employees and many other journalists of color and Twitter users raised concern about the tweet, Mindy Marques, publisher and executive editor of the Miami Herald, wrote in a tweet: “The right to free expression and a free press are foundational to our democracy. @ArmandoSalguero is a @MiamiHerald sports columnist and unlike reporters, columnists have broad latitude to express their opinions. Those opinions do not reflect the views of the Miami Herald.”
In response, NABJ President Dorothy Tucker commented: “I am concerned a columnist who feels it’s ok to insult the Black community may work in a newsroom where Black people are not valued and Black journalists are not respected. Unacceptable.”
Marques later posted that the Herald was “listening closely and humbly to feedback and we are grateful for these thoughtful responses.”
Although Salguero has since expressed regret for the tweet, the problems at the Miami Herald appear to be much broader than one writer. NABJ supports the efforts and demands of the One Herald Guild, representing many of the employees, calling for immediate systemic actions from the Miami Herald to address a myriad of diversity issues.
We await a response from the publisher regarding a meeting with NABJ to discuss diversity issues.
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Photo courtesy of: Miamiherald.com