Learn New Community Engagement Strategies from the Social Journalism Class of 2020
Join us to learn and get inspired about how this group of journalists is reinventing journalism with listening and service to communities at the heart of their work.
Hear from Social Journalism students at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY discuss how they are reaching and serving communities in new, innovative and impactful ways.
This group of students has had to roll with the punches like no other, coming up with creative approaches to engagement journalism in the middle of a pandemic that constrained their ability to gather with the people they serve.
The class of 2020 will deliver their final presentations on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. ET. Register here:
Students will give a 9-minute presentation about the work they’ve done during the program to listen and serve the communities they’re working with.
Each student has chosen a community to work with throughout the duration of the program. Students have done deep listening to understand the needs of their communities, and have created journalism in a variety of formats (theater, text messaging services, bots, newsletters, events and more) to reach these communities with news, information and support.
Join us!
Here’s a glimpse at communities the class of 2020 has chosen to serve:
Karla Arroyo: Black and brown people who are subject to or have lived experiences of hair discrimination at work, in school or society.
Alexa Beyer: Cancer Alley, an 85-mile stretch in Louisiana where people are dying of cancer due to the petrochemical, oil, and gas facilities located there.
Kayla Boone: People who are currently struggling or have struggled with their mental health and are using music as a vehicle to help overcome
Frank DiFiore: Public defense attorneys and the defendants they represent.
Allison Dikanovic: Homeowners working to preserve and protect their homes in East New York, Brooklyn, and the broader community of those working to protect and stay in their homes during the pandemic.
Terrence Jelani Fraser: Black and Brown renters in Brooklyn, who are facing eviction, lack of repairs, or harassment from their landlord during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Simi Kadirgamar: Kashmiri refugees in New York City.
Victoria Mba-Jonas: Black and brown people in the cannabis industry.
Zee Ngema: Black Trans Femmes in the U.S.
John Philp: People who care about gun violence, particularly victims, survivors and their families.
Michaela Román: Entry-level Latinx journalists.
Jake Wasserman: Underserved voters in West Virginia during the pandemic election.
Rawan Yaghi: Arabic-speaking women who went through extreme dangers and hardships in order to provide a safe living environment for their children.
Additionally, on Thursday, December 17 – after students have given their formal presentations – we’ll host a more relaxed and informal Q+A with members of the Class of 2020.
Hear a bit about each student’s work in their chosen community and come with your curiosity! This group has experimented with a variety of tools and techniques to listen to and engage with communities and have much to share!
Join us for Conversations with the Social Journalism Class of 2020 on Thursday, December 17 at 12:30 p.m. ET. Register here:
Here’s a look back at the Class of 2019’s final presentations:
Here’s the YouTube playlist with presentations from the Class of 2019:
