UDAR CREATIVE

“In all coverage …. strive to accurately represent the world, or a particular community, and its diversity through the people you quote and depict in all formats. Omissions and lack of inclusion can render people invisible and cause anguish.” — AP Stylebook Online

This bias-free guide is an ever-evolving resource that aims to accurately and thoughtfully refer to different audiences as they wish to be represented. Never apply terms to others without their consent. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact .

Both terms are acceptable and can be used interchangeably in longer pieces. Ask individuals which indicator they prefer. Capitalize Black as the term conveys an essential and shared sense of history, identity, and community.

Use the gender-neutral term alum/alums whenever possible. In some cases, you may need to use alumna, alumnae, alumnus, or alumni if these terms are part of a formal name.

• Alumni and Parents Weekend at Homecoming
• University Development and Alumni Relations
• Cal Alumni Association

There is no bias-free option for emerita or emeritus.

Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders may be mentioned alone.

• The Asian American Affinity Group at UDAR meets once a month.
• The Pacific Islander Festival is held every year in San Diego.

The two communities are sometimes mentioned together. If used in a piece only once, use Asian American and Pacific Islanders with no acronym. If referring to this group of communities more than once, use Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) on first reference and AAPI in remaining instances.

If quoting people or citing the name of an organization, spell out the term as soon as it makes sense later in the piece:

• Stop AAPI Hate tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders nationwide.

If mentioned only once, use Black, Indigenous, and people of color with no acronym. If used more than once, spell it out on first reference and use BIPOC thereafter.

If quoting people — and they use the acronym — or citing the name of an organization, spell out the term as soon as it makes sense later in the piece.

• “We want to ensure all BIPOC students feel supported and connected to the Cal community,” said Isabel Sanford, technology resources manager. To achieve that goal, Sanford became a driving force in establishing the Multicultural Collaboration Hub for students who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

Spelling out the term within a quote can appear clunky or take away from the feeling and immediacy.

These are accepted gender-neutral terms for people of Mexican American and Latin American cultural or ethnic identity in the United States. Ask individuals what indicators they prefer. Latinx is used most universally at UC Berkeley. Some people prefer Chicano, Latino, Chicano, or Latina.

When referring to general class years, use first-year instead of freshman, second-year instead of sophomore, and so on. Some institutional collateral may use freshman/ freshmen.

Do not presume maleness in constructing a sentence, and be mindful of words that use –ess to denote femaleness, such as hostess. Use gender-neutral terms whenever possible.

• chair, chairperson, police officer

Recasting in the plural if possible is a way to stay gender-neutral.

• Donors may pay by credit card if they so choose.

Be careful not to mix singular and plural.

• Incorrect: Every student has their preference.
• Correct: All students have their preferences.

People often make assumptions about gender based on the other person’s appearance or name. Even if correct, assumptions can send the message that people have to look a certain way to demonstrate the gender they are or are not. Using someone’s correct pronouns shows respect and helps create an inclusive environment.

Ask people how they should be referenced (male, female, man, woman, transgender, gender fluid, nonbinary, etc.) and what pronouns to use (he/him/ his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs, or other terms). Also ask if there are any terms that should not be used.

If a person identifies as neither male nor female or asks not to be referred to as he/she/him/her, use the person’s name in place of a pronoun.

They/them/there is acceptable as a gender-neutral pronoun. Use the person’s name to avoid confusion, or explain that the person uses (not prefers) a gender-neutral pronoun.

To learn more about pronouns, visit pronouns.org.

Avoid this term if possible, as well as related terms such as vulnerable and at-risk.

This is acceptable in internal communications. For donor communications, it may be necessary to specify that this term includes African American, Latinx, LGBTQ+, Native Americans, women, and others. Do not overuse the term in one piece of collateral.

Berkeley News uses all these terms. Use the term(s) preferred by an individual or group being profiled/ referenced.

Capitalize Indigenous in reference to original inhabitants of a place and to align with the capitalization of Asian American, Native American, Latinx, and other racial and ethnic identifiers.

UC Berkeley’s Office of Strategic Communications uses LGBTQ+ in its general coverage. Other outlets use longer terms with additional letters or symbols.

If writing about a specific organization, use its correct name.

• Thank you for your gifts to the LGBTQIA+ Science Students Fund.
• The National LGBTQ Task Force is dedicated to achieving freedom and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer people, and their families.

This is acceptable. Instead of saying low-income students say students from low-income backgrounds.

AP uses Native American to refer to Indigenous peoples of the United States and its territories. Ask people which indicator they use.

Both terms are acceptable. Provide context instead of simply using this descriptor. Don’t say persons of color, as it’s too formal.

Do not refer to a disability or condition unless it is crucial to your subject or audience.

When in doubt about how to portray someone, ask them. Don’t assume they want to highlight a disability. For example: “John, I know you are passionate about helping students with autism such as yourself. How do you want me to refer to you in this piece?”

Always use people-first language. Don’t emphasize a disability:

• People with visual impairments or students with disabilities, not blind people or disabled students

Use a positive expression of ability.

• Ravi is partially sighted, not Ravi is partially blind.

Avoid labeling people and putting them in categories, as in the disabled or the deaf. Again, emphasize people:

• a person who has multiple sclerosis, people with hearing impairments

You may use the term for internal audiences. Try to avoid it for donors and other external audiences, and do not use the acronym URM. Refer specifically to people and communities:

• We need to support our Black and Indigenous graduate students whose diverse perspectives and brilliance deepen the intellectual vitality at UC Berkeley.

Avoid these terms. They are too general.

UC Berkeley does not use this term officially. While there are many valid and important reasons people may use the word to describe themselves, it can be problematic if it is ascribed to trans women or nonbinary people without their consent. Never apply this or any other term to others without their consent.

Associated Press Stylebook

Berkeley News

The California State University Diversity/Inclusivity Style Guide

Diversity Style Guide

pronouns.org