A wakeup call that comes when you least expect it is the most alarming -- even frightening.

I received one recently, and it's making me take a closer look at my responsibilities and accountability as an African-American journalist.

I was compiling a list of colleagues in my market on whom I could call to participate in an upcoming journalism workshop. I specifically wanted African-American reporters and anchors to work with students of color, but as I looked at my list there were few names. I thought of the people who had left the market and realized that their replacements were not people of color, and it hit me: The number of African-Americans seen on television in the Kansas City market is dwindling.

This was happening right before my eyes, and no one seemed to either notice, speak up or worse -- care.

When I started in this market, African-American representation was surprisingly good compared with other places. However, as management changes occurred and people moved on, somehow the minority representation slipped.

Now I wonder who should make sure it comes back.

The answer, I know, lies with me and with help from all of us to ensure that people of color don't get left out of this television news market. We have to pay attention to personnel changes and speak up to make sure people of color are properly represented.

We need to make sure that other qualified minorities are given a chance and that we recommend those individuals for job openings. I'm not advocating hiring a minority just because that person is a minority.

But we need to make sure people of color get the same opportunities as non-minorities who are given a chance with less experience and aren't as qualified. We need to make sure African-Americans and other minorities are represented in our newsrooms. If we don't act, the news suffers. The stories of African-Americans and other people of color will likely go untold. What is presented could be far from an accurate depiction of the individuals and the events.

We have to remember the Kerner Commission report after the 1968 riots, which accurately pointed out that the media did not have people of color on newsroom staffs. The culturally challenged stories that the white news media produced impaired the public's ability to see the problems that led to the riots in many cities across the United States -- including Kansas City. That situation cannot be allowed to happen again.

So no matter how comfortable I may feel in my position, I have the responsibility not to be complacent, but to be aware of the changes and willing to say we need more minority representation in the newsroom.

True diversity won't happen in our newsrooms if we are complacent.