Inclusivity & Diversity Policy

The Runner aims to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for staff and contributors. We strive to create an environment where everyone can feel accepted and have a sense of belonging. The unjust killings of innocent people — George Floyd, Chantel Moore, and Breonna Taylor to name only a few — must be stopped, but we need collective and forthright action from those in positions of power. As the representatives of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s student-funded and led newspaper, we recognize that we are in positions capable of fostering positive systemic change, and we must act responsibly.

As a result, we are tasked with doing everything we can to identify and dismantle racist, homophobic, or otherwise discriminatory ideologies both in ourselves and in one another. We can only achieve this goal by ensuring that The Runner is transparent and accountable.

This newspaper has existed for over 10 years. In that time, three cis-women have held the lead editorial position, and two had diverse backgrounds. The rest of our team has historically been more diverse, as has our contributor pool. However, we must acknowledge that The Runner does not have a history of being led by diverse people in editorial positions.

While our workplace has changed to prioritize having people of diverse backgrounds on our team, our anti-oppression work is nowhere near done. We will continue laying the groundwork for an inclusive and representative workplace, and are committed to encouraging and promoting diversity and inclusivity among our team members and contributors.

In recognition of this, we will:

  • Encourage and support self-criticism and self-improvement among all members of our team

  • Treat anyone in our work environment with utmost respect, dignity, and empathy

  • Continue to hold monthly Inclusivity and Diversity meetings, in which we discuss ways to improve our reporting on marginalized communities, and educate ourselves about systemic challenges they face

  • Address and expose racism, discrimination, and systemic inequalities on the basis of (but not limited to) race, gender, sexuality, and gender identity

  • Refuse to publish or indirectly support anything which could constitute as hate speech, racism, homophobia, transphobia, or otherwise discriminatory content

  • Research and undertake initiatives, such as workshops, that aim to educate participants about inclusive and diverse approaches to work and life

  • Provide opportunities for racialized and discriminate journalists to thrive and advance within The Runner

  • Accept, review, and address public criticism about The Runner