The John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship is a prestigious program that supports innovative leaders in journalism. It fosters collaboration and creativity among diverse media professionals, allowing each fellow to explore solutions to pressing issues in journalism.As part of this program, I am also a Joint Fellow with the Institute for Advancing Just Societies at Stanford, which brings together researchers and practitioners both inside and outside of the university. This newly launched program aims to apply the latest research and academic insights to real-world solutions, in service of a more just and equitable world.

City Bureau is an award-winning civic journalism lab based in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. Our work has been published in local and national outlets including the New York Times, The Atlantic, Marshall Project, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Reader, WBEZ and many more.Described alternately as “a J-school of the streets,” “the future of local news,” and “a beautiful brain meld,” City Bureau works at the intersection of journalism and civic engagement. As we widen pathways into the journalism field and build the city’s most diverse newsroom, we also work to ensure everyone—not just the privileged few—has access to the tools and resources to create change in their communities.

• Oversee Associates Board fundraising and mentoring efforts, raising close to $8,000 in one year for low-income students in Chicago Public Schools• Recruit board members; network with donors and other nonprofit professionals• Serve as adviser to Supplies for Dreams marketing director and committee• Develop strategic growth plan to ensure sustainability of student-run nonprofit organization

• Oversee special reports: Create concept, recruit writers, edit stories and produce final Web package• Write stories for PSmag.com, including news coverage of the latest social science research and longer reported features• Create content, analyze data and manage ads for all social media accounts• Curate email newsletters; increased frequency of emails while expanding mailing list

• Oversee all editorial direction of syndicated publications HomeStyle (quarterly and weekly), Real Estate Weekly, Life Planning Guide and Holiday Decorating• Develop issue outlines and budgets; assign and edit stories; assist with art direction• Recruit and manage group of freelance writers• Design special issues for CTW, including tabloid magazines and broadsheet weekly pages• CTW Marketing Committee: Develop and implement email and snail mail marketing campaigns, social media and client engagement strategies. Maintain company blog and newsletter

• Review, choose and write profiles for winners of the Top 40 Under 40 contest• Fact-check and copyedit Product of the Year entries• Liaise with freelance writers and contributors to commission articles• Work directly with art director and editors to finalize magazine pages

• Created concept for award-winning viral video, “How far can a backpack take you?”• Developed and helped to implement three social media campaigns; doubled Facebook page fans and received 5,000 page impressions for one campaign• Wrote press releases; negotiated media partnership with Make It Better magazine• Designed logos, flyers and posters for special programs

• Led committee of six people to plan a college exploration and workshop day for underserved high school students• Arranged necessary permits and paperwork through Chicago Public Schools• Recruited 50 mentors to guide and teach participants about college life• Oversaw fundraising, programming and budget

• Covered crime, health and education at The Star, a city newspaper with 840,000 readers per issue• Met deadlines for the newspaper’s six editions per day• Wrote more than 40 daily news items, including two front page lead stories