From the editor: A more diverse newsroom means a better StarNews

In recent years, the StarNews has taken steps to ensure our newsroom staff is more representative of the communities we cover. Today, we are releasing our diversity census to show you our newsroom’s gender and racial makeup. 

Why does the diversity of our newsroom matter? Because not every story is breaking news. Reporters and editors at the StarNews make decisions every day about which stories to write or which events to cover.  

We are often informed by our personal experiences and the communities we live in. Having a diverse staff provides more voices and insight into what’s important to our readers. And I believe it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate our differences. 

Overall, our Wilmington coverage area, which includes New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties, is 13.1% Black, 9.1% Hispanic, 1.4% Asian and 72% white. Our newsroom is 14.3% Black, 4.8% Hispanic and 76.2% white. Meanwhile, 52.4% of our newsroom employees are women, which closely mirrors the area's population.

More:StarNews committed to inclusive, diverse workplace

More:Gannett newsrooms making steady progress in overall diversity

More:Meet the StarNews staff members bringing you local news every day

Our reporting is stronger when our newsroom more closely corresponds with the communities we cover. For instance, the StarNews devoted months to producing two in-depth stories already this year that explore racial issues in Wilmington. 

• School segregation: In April, we published an in-depth package of stories exploring the issue of racial segregation in local schools. For 15 years, New Hanover County Schools has used a "neighborhood schools" policy to assign students to the school closest to their home. The policy aims to keep students closer to home and give communities a sense of ownership of the schools within their neighborhoods. But community advocates, education experts and local leaders all agree that the policy has re-segregated the school district and opened up massive equity and achievement gaps within the system. Under the policy, a student's race and where they live heavily influence what kind of education they get. For more than eight months, StarNews education and health reporter Sydney Hoover, regional investigative reporter Matthew Prensky and Wilmington and New Hanover County reporter Emma Dill investigated the racial segregation and inequality within New Hanover County Schools.  
• Northside gentrification: The Northside of Wilmington was founded by newly freed African Americans and immigrants in the years after the Civil War. Some residents today can trace their ancestries back for generations. The Northside, however, is changing rapidly. And the future of this place may not look like its past. As developers invest millions in the neighborhood, the Northside is becoming whiter and wealthier, and the cost of living is on the rise. A 10-month-long investigation by reporter Matthew Prensky used thousands of records and interviews with dozens of people to examine how gentrification is erasing the history of what used to be North Carolina's most prosperous Black community.  

More:A return to segregation: Neighborhood schools policy fuels inequities, erases New Hanover's progress

More:Her family has called the Northside home for 150 years. Now that history is disappearing.

We’re also seeking out diverse voices for stories on a daily basis and evolving our content to seek a deeper understanding of the communities and people we cover. 

For example, you’ve probably noticed that we’ve shifted how we cover crime and public safety. We are publishing fewer mugshots, providing context in our reporting of crimes and publishing follow-up stories that offer readers more information beyond what you’ll find in a police report. 

We want to build trust and relationships to provide better coverage. I know we’ll continue to make progress in reporting on diverse communities and issues because we’re always learning and growing as journalists. 

Sherry Jones is Gannett's NC East Group executive editor. You can reach her at sjones1@gannett.com.