Guidelines for the journalistic treatment free of discrimination and xenophobia against Asian communities

Autores y autoras: Matías Mora, Hellen Castillo, Ruben F. Román García, Andrea Solano Ulloa, Eledith Díaz Jiménez

Translated into english by Leah Ann Durst-Lee

In recent years, and more specifically in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the development and application of discriminatory discourses in the various media have fuelled racist and xenophobic attitudes that have led to an increase in incidents of hate around the world. The normalization of these messages has been one of the main drivers of change in societies against Asian communities.

Hate is a feeling that crosses borders, seas, ideologies and nations. It is a phenomenon that divides us as humanity, if it affects and undermines our social coexistence based on peace and respect.

In the face of this, racism and violence are never the answer. In this sense, this communication project is committed to the development of a practical tool to be used in journalism editorial offices in the search for a tool that will allow them to measure their informative quality and news productivity. It is therefore a practical editorial manual for humanistic, critical, and quality journalism; one that promotes an idea of news and information that, instead of harming people's dignity, fosters changes in human behavior in the service of equality, justice and the common good.

Authors' Short Bios

Matías Mora: I am Matías Mora, a young man of coffee, poetry and languages. I graduated in Political Science and currently study Data Science Engineering. I identify with researching and studying about inequality and democracy as a fundamental pillar for decision making and societal change. I have collaborated in the legislative, diplomatic and academic fields and in community projects in favor of mobility and urban planning.

Hellen Castillo: Master in Conflict Resolution, Peace and Development from the University for Peace (UPEACE), Bachelor in Communication Sciences from la Universidad Centroamericana (the Central American University) (UCA), Nicaraguan researcher, her topics of interest are memory, gender and youth(s). She has worked as a scriptwriter, director and audio-visual and audio-visual producer in projects aimed at the political reflection on the social sciences, gender coloniality, communitarian plots and the role of culture(s) in the construction of peace and territorial development.

Ruben F. Román García: Comunicador de 25 años con un profundo interés y fascinación por el papel que juegan los medios de comunicación en nuestra sociedad. Durante los últimos ocho años, he vivido lejos de mi ciudad natal en lugares como India, Cuba y EE. UU. con el fin de fortalecer mis conocimientos y habilidades como comunicador. Paralelamente a mis estudios, también he adquirido conocimientos y habilidades técnicas mientras he trabajado en diferentes sets de películas, comerciales y videos musicales como director, director de fotografía, y editor.  Actualmente trabajo como productor multimedia para La Voz de Guanacaste.

Andrea Solano Ulloa: International development and business communication consultant, Costa Rican businesswoman, graduate of the University of Shixin Taiwan in Television Arts and Production and the la Universidad de las Americas (International University of the Americas) in social communication. She has been dedicated to working on projects that enable business linkages between China and Latin America, served as Minister-Counselor and Consul General of Costa Rica in the People's Republic of China, and is currently a consultant for FLACSO's Contemporary China Chair.

Eledith Díaz Jiménez: I am a graduate of la Universidad Federada San Judas Tadeo (the Federated University of St. Jude Thaddeus), with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in Communication. I have worked throughout my life in many places, but at the journalistic level I have worked in magazines, newspapers and have had the opportunity to direct a local newscast. For five years I have worked for Fundacion Mujer (Women's Foundation) as Logistics and Communication Assessor, an organization that assists women entrepreneurs, and now the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which assists the refugee population and provides them with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. I also collaborate as a journalist with the El Guardian News Group. I like written journalism very much, in fact, I am in the process of opening my own magazine that will tell chronicles and stories that inspire, including a blog on gastronomy. I am a very studious person and I am always updating my knowledge on different topics that have to do with communication.