Today, CHRC's Executive Director, Dr. Ericka King-Betts, participated in Panel Discussion "Lunch with Pros" at the University of Cincinnati

The Topic was the "Aftermath of Ferguson: Media Coverage and Race". Opinions of the media coverage of this event and similar events, where race plays a significant role in how stories are covered in the mainstream media & how limited diversity in newsroom staffs affects coverage of major news events, like this one, that involve community and police conflict, particularly when race is an important factor in the story were shared. As part of the discussion, they reflected on how Cincinnati's 2001 riots, which were fueled by the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Timothy Thomas by Cincinnati Police Officer Stephen Roach, were frequently referenced in the media coverage of the unrest in Ferguson. This panel discussion was part of the weekly Career Explorations in Journalism course, which is for mostly freshmen who are interested in studying journalism. 

Panelists included Bowdeya Tweh, reporter with The Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati SPJ board member; Clyde Gray, former anchor with WCPO; Dr. Ericka King-Betts, executive director of the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission; and Melvin Grier, Cincinnati photojournalist.