Journalism Professor Recognized for Diversity Work

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by Liesbeth Powers, student newswriter

WACO, Texas (July 13, 2018) – A nationally known advocate for diversity in journalism, Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D., professor of journalism, graduate program director and director of American studies in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, has been awarded the Lionel Barrow Jr. Award for Distinguished Achievement in Diversity Research and Education by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). The award will be presented at the AEJMC’s conference in Washington, D.C., in August.

“The Barrow legacy is amazing. I’m honored to be the ninth recipient of this prestigious AEJMC award,” Ramirez said. “Winning this award is particularly important to me, as I received a Barrow Scholarship while in graduate school.”

Dr. Lionel C. “Lee” Barrow, Jr. served as an advertising executive and civil rights activist and retired as the dean of 10 years from the Howard University School of Communications in 1985. During his life Barrow chaired various committees and commissions that worked to increase the number of women and minority students in the communications field.

“I had the honor of meeting Dr. Barrow before he passed away in 2009,” Ramirez said. “He had a great passion for students and research on diversity.”

The AEJMC created a graduate scholarship in his name in 1970, and following his death in 2009 the Minorities and Communication Division and the Commission on the Status of Minorities created the Lionel Barrow Jr. Award in order to recognize leadership in diversity efforts and honor Barrow’s lasting impact.

“My life’s work has focused on mass media representation of gender and race,” Ramirez said. “Winning this award is validation that I am making a difference in the academy.”

Ramirez is currently finishing two book projects, “From Blackface to Black Twitter: Reflections on Black Humor, Race, Politics & Gender,” and “Race, Gender & Image Repair Case Studies in the Early 21st Century.” Winning this award is an encouragement to continue focusing on the representations of women and minorities in the mass media, Ramirez said.

“While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done,” Ramirez said. “Scholarly research helps support and bring attention to issues such as racial profiling and police brutality.”

In addition to her own research projects, Ramirez is working on numerous research projects with graduate students with topics ranging from racial conciliation to memes. A daily goal of hers is that her teaching, scholarship and service focus on diversity.

“This award reflects our department’s interest and commitment to diversity,” Ramirez said. “Our chair, Dr. Sara Stone, is always supportive of research in this area and our graduate students have naturally gravitated towards research topics that emphasize underrepresented groups.”

Ramirez serves as the department diversity committee chair and is head of AEJMC’s Minorities and Communication division. She also has served as vice head, research chair and reviewer. At the conference, Ramirez will also be recognized for her selection as one of nine Institute for Diverse Leadership in Journalism and Communication Fellows.

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The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s oldest and largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments and seven academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit www.baylor.edu/artsandsciences.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.