Following Attiah’s Reinstatement Ruling, NABJ Urges The Post to Address Ongoing Concerns About Black Journalists and Newsroom Culture
COLLEGE PARK, Md., Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) welcomes the arbitrator’s ruling in favor of Karen Attiah, finding that The Washington Post did not have “good and sufficient cause” to terminate her employment and ordering her reinstatement with back pay.
Attiah was dismissed last year after raising concerns about the treatment of Black journalists and the broader direction of the newsroom. NABJ raised serious concerns about her firing when it happened, including what her termination signaled about the treatment, retention and protection of Black journalists inside one of the nation’s most influential news organizations. The arbitrator’s ruling reinforces why those concerns warranted serious scrutiny.
It also comes one week after NABJ presented The Washington Post with a 2026 Thumbs Down Award, recognizing the organization for decisions and practices that have undermined Black journalists, diversity in the newsroom and public trust in journalism.
“When NABJ raises concerns about the treatment of Black journalists, we do so because the decisions news organizations make have real consequences for our members, our profession and the communities we serve,” said NABJ President Errin Haines. “Karen Attiah deserved a fair process, and she showed tremendous courage in pushing back, standing up for herself and fighting for what she believed was right. This ruling affirms that the serious questions surrounding her termination were warranted. The Washington Post now has an opportunity to listen, learn and demonstrate through its actions what meaningful accountability looks like.”
“The Washington Association of Black Journalists was proud to support Karen Attiah throughout this process. We hope this landmark decision sends a message to newsrooms everywhere: Black journalists deserve to work in environments where we are free from attempts to silence our voices,” said WABJ President Phil Lewis. “Organizations like WABJ and NABJ will continue to advocate for our members.”
The Thumbs Down Award is not about punishment. It is a call for institutions with tremendous influence over our profession to examine their decisions, listen to the journalists affected by them and make meaningful changes when they fall short.
NABJ will continue to advocate for Black journalists across the country. Today, we renew our call for The Washington Post to engage seriously with the concerns we have raised about Black representation, retention, newsroom culture and the treatment of Black journalists.
This moment presents an opportunity for The Post to demonstrate that accountability can lead to change. NABJ stands ready to have that conversation.
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ABOUT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS
Founded in 1975, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is the world’s largest organization of journalists of color. NABJ advocates for diversity in newsrooms, supports Black journalists at every stage of their careers, and works to ensure fair, accurate, and inclusive coverage of communities of color. For more information, visit www.nabjonline.org.
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SOURCE National Association of Black Journalists
