Hanging above my desk is a piece of paper that reads: “Health is for everybody and every body — regardless of your background, gender, age, size, shape, or race.” Those words are a guiding force for everything we do at Greatist. But it’s become increasingly clear that we, as editors, have not fully committed to these words through action.
Our action starts now.
We have covered Black perspectives on beauty, body image, mental health, sexuality, and sexual trauma. But we know we need to do much more on a more frequent basis. We will.
We’re openly admitting that we don’t understand the reality of what it means to be Black in the world, and we’re committed to educating ourselves about what it means to be anti-racist, especially if it means getting uncomfortable. We will hold ourselves accountable for what we write, commission, edit, and promote and how this process impacts the wellness of our Black co-workers, writers, and readers.
Moving forward, we will dedicate new content every month to Black stories and works commissioned from Black writers. On our site and social channels and in our newsletters, we will share resources designed to help everyone, regardless of means, move beyond words into change-based action. We will continue to do this not just this week or this month but long after the news cycles fizzle and the front pages repopulate.
As editors, as humans, it’s on us to acknowledge that racism is a killer and a barrier to health and well-being. It’s on us to do the hard, uncomfortable work to change that.
Rita Mauceri, editor-in-chief, and the Greatist team
