The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) were awarded a $200,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to launch “Diverse and Inclusive: News of the Heartland,” a project to address the lack of news coverage of minorities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities in Nebraska.

The idea to implement the one-year program stemmed from a study of existing news coverage. AAJA and National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association(NLGJA) conducted an analysis of November 2012 news coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and LGBT communities — and the issues of domestic violence and immigration reform — in four states including Nebraska. In addition, AAJA and NLGJA leaders spoke with community leaders in two states, including Nebraska, about coverage of LGBTs and other minorities.