Progress, but work to be done on Herald-Mail Media's diversity goals

As The Herald-Mail aims to recruit a diverse newsroom staff that reflects the communities of Hagerstown, Washington County and the surrounding area, a self-assessment shows we have much work to do.

Building a diverse workforce is a process that requires time and dedication, and it's a process that frankly will never end as we see the natural turnover of positions. However, we know the continuous effort will improve our ability to look out for the interests of the broader community by introducing new perspectives to the reporting, editing and photography that we do.

From Gannett's news division leader:Newsrooms making steady progress in overall diversity

We also know that we can continue to improve our coverage in the meantime by spending more time in the neighborhoods of Hagerstown and some of the areas of the county that we don't visit often enough. We can continue to search for more diverse sources to report more comprehensive stories, and uncover a broader range of local news.

After focusing on this coverage goal for the last year, we've made progress, but it's clear we've yet to tap into the fruitful well of untold stories in our communities. We remain committed to the task. Finding and reporting these stories will deepen our understanding of our neighbors, our shared history and the decisions that shape our future locally.

More:Herald-Mail updates newsroom diversity census for 2022

Anyone with a story idea to share may send an email to news@herald-mail.com. Editors monitor that email address for news tips.

We also welcome an array of views in the form of letters to the editor on the Sunday opinion pages of The Herald-Mail. Writers may send an email to opinion@herald-mail.com. Letters should be no more than 300 words, and writers should include their full name, town of residence and a daytime phone number.

Jake Womer is executive editor of Herald-Mail Media.