As a media executive, Sandra Clark advocates for Diversity in the field of journalism and strives to open doors for others. She is the Vice President for News and Civic Dialogue at WHYY in Philadelphia, overseeing news across all platforms and developing engagement events with the public.
Clark joined the station in 2016 and is leading a team focused on audience diversification. She previously served as managing editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Under her leadership, the Inquirer won a Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 2014 and launched two of the company’s most successful reader-engagement initiatives: “My Daughter’s Kitchen,” a healthy-meals cooking program and “Black History: What I Wish I Knew.”
Clark currently serves on the boards of the Associated Press Media Editors and the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, and on the advisory boards of the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity and Public Communication and the Temple University Lew Klein College of Media and Communication. She has been a life-skills curriculum consultant for the education nonprofit, Foundations, Inc. and currently advises the Arcadia University student blog. Clark earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Kansas and an MBA from the School of Global Business at Arcadia University.
Clark was recruited to Philadelphia by Acel Moore, the Inquirer’s legendary reporter and columnist. After 10 years at the Inquirer, she left for six years to
work with the Peace Corps in GuineaBissau and Cape Verde, West Africa, as an education volunteer and cross cultural trainer.
As a language consultant for Peace Corps post service, she wrote two training manuals, “Crioulo of GuineaBissau” and “Pular of Guinea-Bissau.” Clark later worked as a microenterprise training consultant for Africare/ Guinea-Bissau, a U.S. development agency, and as acting country representative and administrator for Africare/Mozambique before returning to the Inquirer.
In a recent interview, Clark told FunTimes that “One of my most defining moments was when legendary columnist Acel Moore recruited me to Philadelphia out of the University of Kansas. I rose from copy editor to managing editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer. A little over a year ago I thought of leaving journalism. In that period of reflection and researching other professions, I realized my work was not done. I am privileged to be a journalist and to be in a position to effect change. “There are entirely too many communities not adequately covered. Acel laid the path for me and so [did] many others to fight for diversity and better journalism, to mentor and to open doors.
“A highlight of my career was receiving the Impact Award last year from the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. There is nothing more gratifying than to know you had an impact on someone’s life or career. The most defining moment of my life was the birth of my daughter, Moremi. Setting an example for her inspires me to work hard, to live a purpose-driven life and one of fortitude and gratitude.
“Speaking of challenges, I’m one of few Black female media executives in the
country and diversity in journalism remains pathetic. As a woman of color, I knew from the time I was young that I had to work harder and be better. But we can’t let that stick in our heads. There was a time when I didn’t have much confidence and I felt beaten down. But once I started defining and articulating my own worth, everything changed. I became courageous; I created my own opportunities and opened my own doors. Yes, I have many horror stories, but adversity has led me to the best places in my personal and professional life.
“I can’t speak to a singular project but at WHYY, a public media station, it is baked in our mission to serve the public. We do that through providing news on 90.9 FM, Channel 12 and WHYY.org. I’ve intentionally partnered with diverse organizations to convene events and conversations at WHYY and in the community around important issues of the day – race, gentrification, education, fake news. We also offer video and audio production classes for youth and adults. We are a public media station and the public must be front and center. We are currently partnering with NewCore and others on MLK Legacy Conversations across the Philadelphia area, leading up to April 4 – the 50 anniversary of Dr. King’s death. Next month we will screen Stanley Nelson’s film about HBCU’s Tell Them We Are Rising at WHYY, Cheyney and Delaware State.
“Bridging the gap among African Americans, Africans and Caribbean people is about education, understanding our histories and connections, meaningful exposure to each other and building relationships. That starts in our families, schools and communities.
“I’m married to a Nigerian and my daughter was born in South Africa. The entire time I was in Africa, I was never considered Black or Brown. I was Red or Yellow in Guinea-Bissau, White or Yellow in Mozambique and White or Colored in South Africa.
How we see ourselves and how to categorize each other is sown by boundaries in which division was created and enforced. We have to work hard and fight for love and respect within the Diaspora and against ignorance among ourselves”.
Women Of Influence 2018 In This Issue
