Virginia Lora Email & Phone Number

Miami, Fl, Us

Utilize interviewing, reporting, research, writing & fact-checking skills to produce compelling and accurate stories, often with a social-justice vein. Projects include reporting on grassroots political organizing in immigrant communities (for PRI’s The World), an audio feature about a family navigating the child welfare system (for PRX’s Latino USA), an ongoing series exploring hard conversations (abuse, trauma, sexual violence, etc) within immigrant families (for LWC). Clients include media companies, nonprofit news/public media, nonprofit/community orgs.

Collaborate closely with founder/executive director, producers, and clients, as an integral member of a growing and dynamic media production company. Projects include original and client shows with a strong storytelling/narrative components and a social justice vein.

Led the editorial team at nonprofit news and training organization in the producing of a limited run multimedia online magazine series documenting about the intersection of politics with the lives of immigrants in the U.S. Curated and edited a collection of digital/print and audio stories, recruited contributing reporters and writers, conducted fact-checking, supervised/mentored interns. Worked closely with management team to create a safety plan to protect reporters and staff against online abuse and harassment when publishing sensitive stories.

Miami, Fl

Produce monthly local live storytelling show. Supervise volunteers and crew. Offer pep-talk to storytellers when needed. Flag stories to HQ for potential broadcast purposes.

Remote

Technopolis is a podcast from CityLab, about how urban technology impacts our lives. Responsible for recording, cutting, assembling tape while balancing multiple episodes in production at the same time. Working as part of a small team, I was involved on all levels of production, from brainstorming guest ideas, to booking and prepping interviews, scriptwriting and giving editorial feedback on scripts and audio drafts. Offered feedback to ensure show included views and considered experiences of a large cross-section of communities impacted by urban tech, with an ear for economic, racial, ethnic, age, and gender diversity.

New York, Ny

Reported and produced feature story about an immigrant family navigating the child welfare system. Participated in editorial meetings & group edits, supported Futuro staff with the production of weekly radio show (fact-checking, copy-editing, social media copy, etc).

Miami, Florida, United States

AI Justice is a nonprofit nonpartisan organization that provides legal representation to individuals in immigration proceedings. During my time there, I supported different departments through various transition periods, and learned a tremendous amount about the immigration legal system, and the experiences of Special Immigrant Juveniles, unaccompanied minors, asylum-seekers, and survivors of domestic violence or abuse. I also gained insight into the general public's understanding (and sometimes lack thereof) of the immigration system, and the government and community stakeholders involved.

Miami, Florida, United States

Lotus House provides shelter and comprehensive support services for women, youth and children experiencing homelessness. At Lotus House, I wore many hats and managed multiple projects while meeting challenging deadlines, always adapting to a rapidly changing work environment. My main role was as in-house writer, developing grant proposal and reports, interviewing Lotus House guests to learn about their experience, all of which allowed me to gain insight into the problem of homelessness in South Florida and the way the local community and local governments are responding.

Or, Wa, Co, Ca, Tx, Ak, In, Mi, Il, Va, Sc, Etc

StoryCorp's is a national nonprofit organization that documents the experiences of everyday people via a traveling recording studio (aka, the "Mobile Booth"). While at StoryCorps, I lived for a month at a time in a different town or city, leading a small team of rotating team of Facilitators as we interviewed general audiences and local luminaries for the nontraditional oral history project. I oversaw logistical, staffing and recording needs, while coordinated community engagement efforts with internal departments. Worked closely with the executive team to streamline processes and improve inefficiencies. Trained, inspired, and supervised Mobile Facilitators.

Miami, New Orleans, Dayton, Chicago, La Crosse, Trenton, Knoxville, Waco

As a Bilingual Interview Facilitator for StoryCorp's Mobile Booth, I traveled all over the country living for a month at a time in a different town or city, and conducting non-traditional oral-history interviews with people from all walks of life. I worked extensively with StoryCorps' Historias initiative, which documented the stories and life experiences of U.S. Latinos. All in all, I conducted 414 interviews, resulting in 5 national radio broadcast on NPR's Morning Edition, and one animated short on PBS's POV.

Radio Production And And Narrative Storytelling

I trained in radio at Transom, a 9-week program in narrative audio storytelling, in the Fall of 2016. I produced a radio story.

B.A., History, French, Latin American & Latino Studies

Activities and Societies: La Causa, The Amherst Student Newspaper, The Indicator