Addressing Race and Inequities Through Communications: The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) developed Affirm, Counter, Transform (ACT), a best practice framework to help guide the creation of race-related communications.
AFFIRM
Begin by affirming core values that your listener or audience shares with this effort. Reinforce the idea that we're all in this together.
COUNTER
Explain the challenge, focusing on the institutional and structural drivers that have created and maintained racial inequity. Be explicit about race, contrasting reality with the vision and values you've shared. Use facts and stories to persuade your listener of the reality and importance of the problem.
TRANSFORM
Start with heart, reiterate that we're all in this together, and offer your audience or listener a concrete step they can take or we can take together to transform our current reality into the vision we share.
Source: Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE)
The following resources are provided to help communicators navigate race and equity issues in communications.
Editorial Style References for Writing Race-Related Content
Please reference UCSF's Editorial Style Guide for general terms, punctuation, and style.
AP Style Article on Writing Race-Related Content
Asian American Journalists Association Guide to Covering Asia and Asian Americans
Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) Communications Guide
"Let's Talk About Race" Article from GARE
National Association of Black Journalists Style Guide
National Association of Hispanic Journalists Cultural Competence Handbook
Native American Journalists Association Guide to Indigenous Terminology
San Francisco State University Diversity Style Guide
Guide to Writing and Teaching About Slavery
The Social Justice Phrase Guide
Translation Resources
Interpreter Services through UCSF Health offers a variety of services in various languages.
Other Race-Related References
Chancellor's Messages on Race-Related Incidents
Office of Diversity and Outreach
Journal Article: Making diversity "everyone's business": A discourse analysis of institutional responses to student activism for equity and inclusion