The Journalism Salute

On The Journalism Salute we interview journalists about who they are and what they do with the intent of showing that journalists are not the enemy. Today we're joined by Alan Tai. Alan just won the Journalism Education Association's Student Journalist of the Year award as a senior at Monta Vista High School in California.Alan talked about his experiences on the student newspaper, El Estoque as an editor-in-chief and also as a writer of features and op-eds. He explained what the school's journalism program is like and how it successfully deals with school administration. He also shared lessons he learned and offered tips to guide future editors-in-chief.This is the 4th straight year we've interviewed the national winner of that award, the first of them was Anushka De, also from Monta Vista High School. Alan's salutes: The Journalism Education Association, Student Press Law Center, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and The News Literacy Project.Story examples:Feature on local residents who were military veteranshttps://elestoque.org/2022/11/11/features/american-heroes/Cheat GPT: Is It Time To Kill The Essay?https://elestoque.org/2023/03/21/opinion/cheatgpt-is-it-time-to-kill-the-essay/Thank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Alexandra Lange. She is a journalist, design critic, author and teacher. She was recently named the 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner in criticism for a series of pieces at Bloomberg CityLab about designing cities for families. The judges wrote:For graceful and genre-expanding writing about public spaces for families, deftly using interviews, observations and analysis to consider the architectural components that allow children and communities to thrive.Her portfolio encompassed 7 pieces in all, spaced out from March to December of 2024. You can find the stories here:https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/22649Alexandra shared her approach to writing these stories, providing multiple examples of the choices she made at different points along the way. She also spoke about the evolution of architectural criticism and how her writing is similar to that which you would see in op-ed pieces written at the high school, college, or professional level. Alexandra's salutes: Critical Minded and also journalism unionsThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by Ayaan Shah. He's the Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year and newly graduated from Emmaus High School in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Ayaan and I live in the same county- Lehigh County.Ayaan talked about his journalism interests. He shared the story of covering Joe Biden's appearance in his town and one interview from that experience that stood out. He also told the story of another highlight, covering governor Josh Shapiro's press conference at his school.Ayaan explained the work he did as editor-in-chief of his school newspaper, The Stinger and what it was like to be a teaching assistant for a journalism class.Ayaan's salutes: Emmaus teachers/advisors Shelby Ramirez, Denise Freeman, and Matthew Shaw, and journalist Mehdi Hasan.ArticlesBiden protest coveragehttps://stingerehs.com/17358/news/biden-visits-emmaus-encounters-protestors/Shapiro press conferencehttps://stingerehs.com/17650/news/pennsylvania-governor-josh-shapiro-visits-emmaus-high-school-to-promote-new-education-budget/Pro-Palestinian Protestshttps://stingerehs.com/17254/features/lehigh-valley-pro-palestinian-movement-echoes-national-trends/Thank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Justin Baxley. Justin is a journalist based in the south who just completed 3 years working as a digital content manager for 13 WMAZ in Macon, Georgia.He is in the process of transitioning to a new journalism job, but we wanted to talk to him now at the suggestion of Kristen Hare, our recent guest from the Poynter Institute. Justin's father Michael was killed in 2017 in what is believed to be a robbery (multiple arrests were made just this February). Justin went through the experience of grieving his father while having to deal with probes from many different media outlets.To give families of victims more control, Justin created the More Than A Number website, whose purpose is "To honor lives lost to violent crime, support their loved ones and promote more empathetic journalism." The project, done as part of a Poynter fellowship, won a national journalism innovation award.We talked to Justin about that project and other notable accomplishments from his journalism career.Justin's salutes: Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News; Kati Kokal, WUWM-Milwaukee.More Than A Number Websitehttps://www.13wmaz.com/more-than-a-numberMore Than A Number YouTube linkhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc8Ny6J4NZVlbJaWRYVdNiXwDmk6IC3ZcThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Roberto Camacho. Roberto is Chicano (an American of Mexican heritage), a freelance journalist who often writes about issues impacting local immigrants, especially Chicanos but touches on other subjects too, like hip hop culture. He is based in San Diego and is a 2017 graduate of Arizona State University.Roberto talked about life as a freelancer, connecting with communities that haven't had good relationships with American journalists in the past, and how he looks for stories about groups that are closest to the harm that's being done. He also shared examples of his writing about groups protecting undocumented people from ICE, pollution in local neighborhoods, and hip hop.Story examplesProtecting Immigrants from Icehttps://boltsmag.org/how-volunteer-patrols-are-working-to-protect-san-diego-immigrant-communities-from-ice/Port Communities Long Fight Against Industrial Pollution Emissions Impacthttps://nextcity.org/features/san-diego-port-communities-long-fight-industrial-pollution-emissions-impactNeighborhood Kids Bring Revolutionary Message To Hip Hophttps://www.calonews.com/featured-topics/culture/the-neighborhood-kids-bring-revolutionary-messages-back-to-hip-hop/article_39a80635-98a3-494b-987b-694e20336338.html Group Documenting Latino People Killed By Policehttps://www.palabranahj.org/archive/the-heavy-toll Roberto's salutes: Ruben Salazar, Shaun King, Brandon Loran Maxwell, Aysha Khan, Abraham Marquez, Ben Camacho, Jeremiah Cothren and all the journalists in Gaza. Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Mollie Simon. Mollie has been a research reporter for ProPublica for the last 5 years, working oftentimes behind the scenes on stories such as ones we've talked to past guests about. She's also been a newspaper reporter in South Carolina and a data researcher for LegiStorm.She is a graduate of the University of Georgia with dual degrees in public affairs journalism and political science. Mollie talked about the skills needed to be a researcher and work behind-the-scenes on stories and projects. She also provided examples of the types of stories she's worked on, including one about a homebuying franchise that was using inappropriate methods to take advantage of seller desperation.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Story example"The ugly truth behind We Buy Ugly Houses"https://www.propublica.org/article/ugly-truth-behind-we-buy-ugly-houses Mollie's salutes: Specialty team members, copy editors, newsroom lawyers, newspapers that invest in investigative reporting, and journalism "ex-pats."Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Tara García Mathewson. Tara is a bilingual reporter covering the intersection of education and technology, particularly the harms within them, both on a national and state level for The Markup and CalMatters.The Markup is a non-profit newsroom that challenges technology to serve the public good. A motto often within its stories is 'report deeply and fix things.' Its stories combine news reporting and data analysis and 'The Markup Method' means they show their work.CalMatters is a non-partisan and non-profit news organization covering California policies and politics to make the government more transparent and accountable.Tara talked about her experience covering artificial intelligence, technological surveillance, and digital censorship in education and the work that went into specific stories. She also spoke about the benefit of getting a background in newspaper reporting before working for non-profit journalism outlets.At the end of the episode, we were joined by Chris Daggett, interim executive director of the New Jersey Information Consortium, which provides funding to online news outlets and students interested in studying journalism. Chris talked about potential budget cuts that would jeopardize what the organization is able to do. You can learn more about it and what you can do to help here.https://njcivicinfo.org/Work examples:Digital Book Banninghttps://themarkup.org/digital-book-banning/2024/04/13/schools-were-just-supposed-to-block-porn-instead-they-sabotaged-homework-and-censored-suicide-prevention-sitesTechnological surveillancehttps://themarkup.org/machine-learning/2023/11/30/he-wanted-privacy-his-college-gave-him-noneArtificial intelligencehttps://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2025/03/school-counselors-ai-chatbots/Tara's salutes: The 74, Caitlin Dickerson (The Atlantic), Hannah Dreier (New York Times)Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com  Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Daniel Newman. Daniel is a digital content producer for Cleveland Jewish News in Cleveland Ohio. He's an early-career journalist who also spent a year as a news reporter for the Tribune Chronicle in Warren, Ohio. He's a native of Youngstown, Ohio and a 2023 graduate of Cleveland State University, where he spent a year as news editor of the student newspaper. Daniel discussed his upbringing and multi-layered racial religious background and what he's enjoying about working for a Jewish media outlet. He walked us through the different elements of his job, gave examples of what he's covered, and shared several other interests he has.Work example: Cleveland Museum of Natural History TransformationDaniel's salute: Chris McBride, Tribune-ChronicleThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com  Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Miranda Green. Miranda is a freelance investigative reporter based in Los Angeles. She was the director of investigations at Floodlight news covering corporations and political interests stalling climate action. She's also previously worked for Newsweek, The Daily Beast, Decode DC, CNN, the Hill, and Huffington Post. She's a graduate of George Washington University.I became interested in talking to Miranda after I found stories she wrote about a specific way in which misinformation about climate science is spreading. We spent much of the episode discussing how she reported on those stories, how those are both individual stories and also a problem for the journalism industry, and advice she has on covering one story that may lead to many more stories. Examples of coverage:Chevron owns a newspaperhttps://mirandacgreen.com/chevron-owns-this-citys-news-site-many-stories-arent-told-2/The North Dakota "newspaper" and a Greenpeace lawsuithttps://www.niemanlab.org/2025/03/a-pipeline-company-is-suing-greenpeace-for-300-million-a-pay-to-play-newspaper-is-accused-of-tainting-the-jury-pool/How an Alabama utility wields influence by financing newshttps://mirandacgreen.com/control-the-narrative-how-an-alabama-utility-wields-influence-by-financing-news/Miranda's salute: Byron Tau, investigative reporter, APThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com  Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On our 221st episode, we're joined by Kristen Hare. Kristen is Poynter Institute's director of craft and local news. She teaches local journalists the skills they need to serve and cover their communities. Previously she covered the people of business and local news for Poynter. She's based near Tampa, Florida. We covered a wide range of topics with Kristen, including what local news looks like in 2025, tips she has for maximizing local news coverage, and how she views the work of college students helping local news thrive and the role of newsletters in covering local news.And she talked about one of her passions- obituary writing (our first obituaries discussion!).Kristen's salute: Justin Baxley, WMAZThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Evan Urquhart. Evan covers anti-transgender propaganda and transgender news issues for Assigned Media (AssignedMedia.org), an organization he founded. He is also the community manager for Slate's comments section and is a freelance writer with many prominent bylines. And he's currently doing a Knight science writing fellowship at MIT.We interviewed Evan, who is transgender, on Trans Day of Visibility (March 31)Evan talked about why he started Assigned Media and the kind of stories it covers. He discussed covering news and writing personal essays. He also explained the kinds of things that mainstream media, like the New York Times, gets wrong when covering transgender issues and the kind of stories that are currently getting overlooked, with all the attention given to whether transgender women should play high school and college sports.Evan's salute: The Trans Journalist AssociationCoverage examples:Stories about the New York Times and its mistakeshttps://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/you-betrayed-us-azeen-parents-of-trans-youth-reeling-after-speaking-to-the-nytThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Lizzy Lawrence. Lizzy covers the Food and Drug Administration for STAT News, a subscription-based part of Boston Globe's media newsroom owned by the Boston Globe that covers the frontiers of health and medicine. As they say- "We take you inside the science labs and hospitals, biotech boardrooms, and political backrooms. We dissect crucial discoveries. We examine controversies and puncture hype. We hold individuals and institutions accountable. We introduce you to the power brokers and personalities who are driving a revolution in human health." Lizzy has been with them for 2 1/2 years and she's been part of stories that have won prominent awards. She's previously covered technology and was editor-in-chief of the University of Michigan's student newspaper. And she's a graduate of my alma mater, Stuyvesant High School in New York City.Lizzy talked about what it's like to cover both breaking news, like the mass firing of thousands of people at the FDA and bigger enterprise stories, like the team coverage on United Healthcare that won a Polk Award for investigative journalism. She shared the biggest lessons she learned and what she feels she's taken from being a journalist.Lizzy's salute: The Association of Health Care JournalistsA detailed interview explaining STAT's coverage of United Healthcarehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0VJGEv5IGwThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Lola Claire. Lola is a student at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas and the editor in chief of Hilltop Views, the student newspaper there. Lola is also the chair of the Title IX Student Advisory Board at the school.Lola is from southern Louisiana. She caught my attention because of something she's working on. Hilltop Views has a grant from the Solutions Journalism Network for its mental health reporting and she spoke about that at the College Media Association national convention.Lola talked about how her love of writing led her to journalism, how her small student staff is able to accomplish a lot, what it's like to be an editor-in-chief, what the newspaper is doing with their solutions journalism initiative, and what it's like to do theatre reviews.Work examplesReview of Macbethhttps://www.hilltopviewsonline.com/29916/life-and-arts-art/review-mary-moody-northen-theatres-production-of-macbeth-takes-the-crown/Op-ed about Elon Muskhttps://www.hilltopviewsonline.com/26293/viewpoints/opinion-elon-musks-vision-for-uncensored-speech-invites-bigotry-contention/Example of solutions journalismhttps://www.hilltopviewsonline.com/30961/viewpoints/solutions-opinion-new-yorks-solution-to-traffic-deserves-consideration-in-texas/Lola's salutes: The Austin Chronicle and Hilltop Views adviser Curt Yowell.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Denise Watson. Denise is an editor at WHRO Public Media in Norfolk, Virginia. For more than 30 years she was an award-winning writer and features and education editor for the Virginian-Pilot. She often writes about race and history.Additionally, she is a journalist in residence at William & Mary, teaching a masterclass there. And she is a fellow at the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.Denise shared many lessons that she applied to her work, including what it means to "vacuum a scene," how to interview people about their past, and how to do research for a story about a prominent historical event, local or otherwise. She also shared what her classes are like at William & Mary and explained why history is so important to her.Story LinksStory about a woman's search for her Japanese grandfather who never returned from an internment camp during World War IIhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1r14mRphohLD9AIClzEqy4niITfD-txL43i563D3OYIE/edit?usp=sharing17 Students Break Through Color Barrier (50th anniversary in Norfolk)https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IPT1xhekYGl2SqV5Dm9kSoceCeOjsobGFdBNCPQTtgU/edit?usp=sharingDenise's salutes: The Maynard Institute, Maria Carrillo, Kris WorrellThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Leanne Yoon. Leanne is the co-editor in chief of the Jets Flyover, the student news website of Daegu International School in South Korea, where she's in her junior year.Leanne also just started writing a column for Nutgraf News, a student journalism newsletter, and she founded High School Press Central, whose goal is to make student journalism accessible to all by connecting high school journalists across the world to share ideas, resources, and practices.Leanne discussed her diverse living experiences and interests (which include music and public speaking), how she handles her leadership role, challenges related to press freedom limitations, and why she considers it important to leave a legacy.Interested students can e-mail Leanne at hspresscentral@gmail.comNotable LinksJets Flyoverhttp://jetsflyover.comHigh School Press Centralhttps://www.hspresscentral.com/Her story about a notable fencerhttps://jetsflyover.com/15488/features/under-the-mask-of-azul-rivera-a-young-fencers-leap-of-faith/Her story about high school dropoutshttps://jetsflyover.com/16503/features/high-school-dropouts-find-detours-in-purported-dead-ends/Her co-authored story about deepfakeshttps://jetsflyover.com/14471/opinions/unmasking-the-truths-of-stolen-faces/Leanne's salutes: The staff at Jets Flyover, advisor Jefferson Lipsky, the American School in London, and the Columbia Scholastic Press AssociationThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by eight students who attended the College Media Association convention a series of mini-interviews that ran 2 to 3 minutes each. The students come from schools in Boston, Virginia, Ohio, and CaliforniaIn these interviews we talked about some of their early-career highlights, important lessons they learned, and how being a journalist impacted them as a person.Students interviewed and their salutes:Maeve Bauer (VCU) – Virginia Walker, Woodgrove High SchoolMaren Halpin (Suffolk University) – practitioner in residence Charles St. AmandRanjini Shank (Ohio University) – Andrea Lewis, director of student mediaAva Jelepis (Ohio) – The staff of The New PoliticalJoseph Dimino (Suffolk) – Charles St. AhmandMichael Najarian  (Suffolk) – former Suffolk Journal editors J.D. Conte and Jamie TarisBrooklyn Leighton (Suffolk) – Shealagh Sullivan and Sally RooneyNikki Yunker (El Camino College) – Gary Kohatsu, Kate McLaughlin, Stephanie FrithThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Nada Hassanein. Nada is a staff writer and health care reporter for Stateline, covering state policy decisions with a focus on inequities. She's been with them for a year and a half. She has previously covered social issues for the Tallahassee Democrat and was also USA Today's national environmental and health inequities reporter. She is a 2015 graduate of the University of Central Florida.Stateline provides free coverage of health care, education, the environment, and other issues that shape lives. It was formerly part of The Pew Charitable Trusts and is now part of States Newsroom.Nada shared how her background as a Middle Eastern North African immigrant influenced her path into journalism and her interest in representing diverse communities. She shared impactful stories such as interviewing Syrian refugee families and a comprehensive series on health deserts affecting minority mothers. She also talked about her writing process, how she gets impactful quotes, and her commitment to holding power accountable.Nada's salute: Her colleagues at Stateline and also CPJ (The Committee to Protect Journalists)Work exampleshttps://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2018/03/09/grateful-but-grieving-syrian-refugee-family-grapples-uprooting/99227598/https://mainemorningstar.com/2024/04/22/census-change-will-lead-to-more-data-on-health-of-middle-eastern-north-african-people-in-us/https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/health/2022/08/11/maternal-health-care-disparities-people-of-color-rural-america/10086706002/https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/health/2022/08/11/rural-native-americans-suffer-lack-maternal-health-care-access/10084897002/Our Interview with Sarah Spicer, CPJhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/50jyuAPi3oIUhpkQ4NyzQh?autoplay=trueThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

It's Scholastic Journalism Week - On this episode we're joined by Del Ellerton. Del is a journalism teacher at Midtown High School, formerly Grady High School, in Atlanta, where he's also the school's track and field coach (he previously coached football too) for a school that has won a bunch of city and region championships.Del is a Mississippi native whose experience includes 10 years as a journalist at places including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Bloomberg News and 22 years as a teacher. He's advised student media since 2008. Del is a grad of Grady himself as well as the University of Georgia College of Business with a masters in journalism from Columbia.Del talked about becoming a teacher, how he teaches his classes, balancing teaching and coaching, and the stories his students report on.Read the work of Del's students in The Southernerhttps://thesoutherneronline.com/Del's salutes:William Raspberry, Byron Pitts, Robin Roberts, John Blake, Monica Pierce Kaufman and Max RobinsonThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, we're joined by Damaso Reyes. Damaso is both the executive and investigative editor at New York Amsterdam News, one of the oldest Black weeklies in the United States.Damaso has nearly 30 years of experience in journalism. Last year, he won the National Association of Black Journalists Ida B Wells Award. That's given to someone providing distinguished leadership in increasing access and opportunities for Black journalists and improving the coverage of communities of color in American media.Damaso discussed his early newspaper influences from growing up in Brooklyn, particularly in how he felt his neighborhood was not covered fairly. He shared his interest and history with photojournalism and international news coverage.He also explained the formation of Amsterdam News' investigative unit, Blacklight, and talked about series he'd worked on related to the aftermath of gun violence and also to bail reform. He spoke about the challenges of covering the city and his desire to affect change.Damaso's salute: Ida B. Wells and the NABJ.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, we are joined by Jada Vassar, Human Resources Manager for the State News at Michigan State University and host of the award-winning podcast 'All Shades of Chocolate'. Jada discussed her journey into journalism, the impact of her family and upbringing in Detroit, and her various roles at the State News, with an emphasis on her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and her current role, which she created. She also shared her experiences with the New York Times Student Corps, her internship at Planet Detroit, and her aspirations in journalism. Jada highlighted the importance of representation and advocacy for marginalized communities and detailed her efforts to foster diversity and support within her newsroom.Jada's salutes: Outlier Media, SaMya Overall, and Ida B. Wells  Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Eda Uzunlar. Eda is the arts and culture reporter and a news anchor for WSHU Public Radio, an NPR affiliate in Connecticut that covers both that state and Long Island, New York.Eda is a first generation Turkish-American who grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In addition to radio and print work, she's also done illustrations, graphics, and comics journalism. Eda is a graduate of Yale UniversityEda talked about her having a curious nature from a very early age, as well as her early interest in radio. She explained the importance of being an emotive speaker in her reporting and anchoring work and someone who tries to make her stories as easy to understand as possible.Eda also discussed how she manages her passions for print, audio, and illustrative journalism. She shared how she comes up with story ideas and how she relates to interview subjects.Examples of her workThe local teen with a technology museumhttps://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2024-08-12/ct-teen-westport-tech-museum-historic-innovationsIllustrative piece on maternal health care challengeshttps://wyofile.com/saras-story-one-womans-birthing-trials-underscores-broader-challenges/The evil eye (nazar) and what it means in different cultureshttps://www.instagram.com/washingtonpost/p/CyJUKOUMjMN/?img_index=4Eda's salutes: Tennessee Watson (Wyofile) and Fatma Tanis and Jasmine Garsd (NPR)Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by DorMiya Vance. DorMiya is a multimedia reporter for WABE, the NPR and PBS affiliate serving Atlanta, Georgia. She's been with them for almost 3 years.DorMiya is a graduate of an HBCU, Fayetteville State University with a masters from Georgia State. She's part of Report for America, a non-profit that provides and helps pay the salaries of journalists at newsrooms across the country.DorMiya talked about taking on a radio job without having experience in radio and how she learned what to do on the job. She gave examples of the reporting she did and explained how she gets her story ideas. And she talked about the value of both an HBCU education and of working with Report for America.DorMiya's salutes: Journalists of Color at WABE (including Marlon Hyde, Julien Virgin, Rahul Bali, Jasmine Robinson) and also Ethel Payne, The First Lady of the Black PressStory examplesBlighted properties in South Dekalbhttps://www.wabe.org/whos-responsible-for-south-dekalbs-blighted-properties/Atlanta's LGBTQ rappers and hip hop artistshttps://www.wabe.org/queering-the-mic-lack-of-representation-in-hip-hop-creates-challenges-for-lgbtq-atlanta-rappers/Atlanta's transgender basketball leaguehttps://www.wabe.org/how-a-transgender-basketball-league-is-creating-space-for-trans-people-in-atlanta/Black Women Mayor's Roundtablehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS95Xnhdio4Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Katelyn Vue. Katelyn is a reporter for the non-profit newsroom Sahan Journal in Minnesota covering the immigration and housing beats. She's been with them for a little over 2 years. In 2024 she shared the Young Journalist of the Year award from the Minnesota branch of the Society of Professional Journalists.Katelyn is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. She's our 2nd Hmong guest to appear, joining tv news anchor Chenue Her.Katelyn is a product of Report for America, a non-profit that helps pay the salaries of journalists across the country. Applications to join the next Report for America corps of reporters are due on February 3.Katelyn talked about the importance of building trust with sources and recounted notable stories, including those on housing issues and different cultural communities. She also reflected on the challenges and rewards of her work, the impact of Report for America on her career, and the importance of maintaining mental health as a journalist.Notable articlesYou live day by day': Language, cultural stigma add to barriers for unhoused Hmonghttps://sahanjournal.com/housing/hmong-homeless-st-paul-minnesota-encampmentsThe funeral with 400 Whopper Juniorshttps://sahanjournal.com/immigration/burger-king-whopper-jr-400-burgers-hmong-funeral/The West Side Flats Displacementhttps://sahanjournal.com/housing/st-paul-west-side-flats-displacement-report-apology-reparations/ Lebanese Community Response To Israeli Attackshttps://sahanjournal.com/immigration/lebanon-minnesota-community-response-israeli-attacks/Katelyn's Salutes: Susan Du, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Chao Xiong, Sahan JournalThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Jennifer Berry Hawes. Jennifer is a reporter for the non-profit ProPublica focusing on criminal justice, religion, race, and the welfare of women and children in the southern part of the United States.Prior to ProPublica, Jennifer was a longtime Watchdog and Public Service reporter for The Charleston Post and Courier. She was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2015 for Public Service for a series about South Carolina's failure to protect women from domestic violence. She's won several other prominent awards. Her book- Grace Will Lead Us Home- about a mass shooting in a South Carolina church was published in 2019. Jennifer discussed her work on stories about domestic violence, segregation academies, human trafficking, and the challenges of reporting on emotionally taxing topics, while emphasizing the importance of empathy, detailed storytelling, and teamwork in journalism. This episode abounds with lessons for aspiring journalists in how to excel at longform reporting.Jennifer's salute: Asheville WatchdogThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by student journalists Poojasai Kona and Nico Fischer. They are wrapping up their time as this season's hosts for On Our Minds: Election 2024, a podcast run by the PBS News Hour Student Reporting Labs. Poojasai is an 11th grader at Frisco High School in Texas. Nico is an 11th grader at Santa Clara High School in California.You'll also hear from Christine Zirneklis, the organization's director of communication and partnerships and Briget Ganske, youth media producer and lead podcast producer for Student Reporting Labs.The two students, who come from vastly different backgrounds, share insights into the skills they've gained from working on the podcast (particularly the importance of gaining self-confidence), the need for diverse youth perspectives in media, and stories of their triumphs and rejections. They also talk about balancing school and their outside activities and managing their mental health.Christine and Briget share some background on the program, what is so impressive about the students who work on it, and how other students can get involved. Both students saluted Student Reporting Labs, as well as ...Poojasai's salutes: Neha Madhira, New VoicesNico's salutes: Amanda Vigil, digital producer and youth specialist at KQED Public Radio and Washington Post reporter Arelis HernándezNotable LinksWhere to find On Our Minds Election 2024 (select your app of choice)https://studentreportinglabs.org/on-our-minds/Teen Vogue article referenced by Nico about conspiracy theories aimed at Latino menhttps://www.teenvogue.com/story/conspiracy-theories-young-latino-men-gaming-sports-sitesThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Tony Bartelme. Tony is the senior projects reporter for the Charleston Post and Courier, for whom he has worked for 35 years. He's a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist with one designation in four different categories (explanatory, breaking, feature, and local reporting).He's also the author of 4 books, most recently A Surgeon in the Village, an American Doctor Teaches Brain Surgery in Africa in 2017. And he's done other recent reporting in both Greenland and Africa as well, as relates to the origin of hurricanes that have hit South Carolina.Tony shared how his reporting on hurricanes came together, how an Elvis impersonator helped him explain what happened as they watched glaciers met, what goes into writing cinematically, and how an angeltree played a pivotal role in his career. He also discussed the evolving mission of local newspapers amid current media dynamics. Tony's salute: The Pulitzer CenterThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Diego Mendoza-Moyers. Diego is a reporter covering energy and the environment in western Texas for El Paso Matters for the last 2 years. He's previously worked for papers in San Antonio, Phoenix, and Albany N.Y. He's a graduate of Arizona State University.El Paso Matters is a non-profit news website covering El Paso and the surrounding area in western Texas.Diego discussed his approach to storytelling, how he sources his stories, and provided examples of stories he covers on his beat. He explained what makes El Paso such an interesting city to cover and shared how he's still learning as a journalist.Diego's salutes: Houston Landing, Source New Mexico, Texas MonthlyArticle examples:An Ode to El PasoStory about rare earth depositsImpact of Trump TariffsThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Isabella Ramírez. Isabella just completed her tenure as editor in chief of the Columbia Daily Spectator at Columbia University and President of Spectator Publishing Company. She is the first Latina to hold that position. She just received the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Student of the Year award.One of the people who nominated her for the award said Isabella's leadership changed her campus.Isabella led a staff covering protests against the Israel-Hamas War and the university's investments in Israel. That included a Gaza Solidarity encampment in April, the takeover of a campus building, Hamilton Hall, the subsequent arrests of hundreds of protesters by the NYPD, and the resignation of the school president. The protests at Columbia were a catalyst for other collegiate protests across the country. Isabella also represented The Spectator in national and international interviews.Isabella discussed her journalistic leadership during campus protests, her approach to storytelling, managing, and teaching, and the significant internal and external challenges faced by The Spectator during her tenure. She also reflected on her heritage, how she manages her mental health, and her aspirations within journalism.Isabella's salute: National Association of Hispanic Journalists.An oral history of the protests written by Columbia students for New York Magazinehttps://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/columbia-university-protests-israel-gaza-campus.htmlAn interview with Isabella on how the staff managed its mental healthhttps://mindsitenews.org/2024/05/08/a-student-journalist-on-how-her-team-coped-with-the-stress-of-covering-a-campus-under-siege/ Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by North Carolina State University student journalist Erin Ferrare. Erin is a junior majoring in science, technology, and society with a specialization in science and technical writing.She's also a sports writer for Technician, the school newspaper at NC State. She recently wrote a piece 'The Invisible Girl on Press Row' about the contrast in experiences between male and female writers in covering college sports and the Carolina Hurricanes.And she's also written about how men's sports at her school have been more highlighted at her school than on social media.Erin has also worked in science communication both at her school and at Yale.I learned of Erin through Melissa Ludtke's newsletter, Let's Row Together – Melissa is a pioneer among women in sports journalism.We talked to Erin about both her sportswriting and science writing experiences (an example of the latter, here), how she views her purpose as a journalist, and more.Erin's salutes: Any woman pushing boundaries in women's sports and also research communication lead Matt Shipman.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, Mark Simon interviews science journalist and NYU grad student Humberto Basilio, who covers stories about science globally, with an emphasis on Latin America. Humberto's stories touch on climate change, biodiversity, and vulnerable communities across the globe, as well as many other topics.Humberto discussed one example of his approach to a story, a piece about desert racers in Chile destroying ancient art that ran in The New York Times and a story about the future of science in Venezuela.He also shared insights into his featured essay in 'The Craft of Science Writing' (edited by past podcast guest Siri Carpenter) and his methods for pitching stories to major outlets. Humberto revealed the challenges and rewards of being a freelance journalist and emphasized the impact of journalism on personal perspective.Humberto's salutes: Science writer Alexa Robles Gil and The Mexican Network of Science Journalists.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Tamika Smith. Tamika is the local host of All Things Considered on WAMU in Washington D.C. She has been with the station since 2014. She's worked in radio as a host, producer, and reporter. She also worked in print journalism as a managing editor for Patch.Tamika discussed her passion for storytelling, her Caribbean heritage's impact, and the empathy she brings to her work. The conversation touches on lessons from her career, how a show is put together, her significant investigative series on sickle cell disease, and the importance of diversity and careful language in journalism. Tamika's salute: NPR's Michel MartinThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we talk to students who attended the Journalism Education Association's national convention in Philadelphia, November 7-10. We got their perspective on how they view journalism and why it's important to them, as well as their take on the president-elect calling journalists the enemy.Student Journalists we spoke to:* Sophie Nguyen, Granite Bay High School, California (1:21)* Ghost Taylor, Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kansas (12:38)* Linus Bossardt, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Los Angeles (15:29)* Jenny Marquez, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Los Angeles (18:29)* Hannah Berk, Pulitzer Center (21:28)* Allesandra Tremulis, Carlmont High School, Carlmont California (23:00)* C.J. Getting, Naperville High, Naperville, Illinois (33:55)* Vivian Kumpf, Delaware Hayes High, Delaware, Ohio (35:41)* Juliana Yao, Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Pennsylvania (39:07)* Anna Herr Lake Central High School, St. John, Indiana (41:57)* Oskar Doepke (44:12), American School in London* Sophia Bateman (47:19), American School in London* Rena Felde (49:18), Redondo Union High School, Los Angeles* Student newspaper tribute (37:19)- The Spoke- Conestoga High, Berwyn, PA- Comet- Lake Central High School, St. John, Indiana- The Dispatch- James Bowie High School, Austin Tx- Eastside- Cherry Hill East, Cherry Hill, NJ- The Nexus- Westview High School, San Diego, CA- The Redwood Bark- Redwood High School, Larkspur, CAAdvisors saluted- Julie Francesconi, Granite Bay High School, Granite Bay, California- Adriana Chavira, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Los Angeles- Lindsey Skaggs, Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kansas- Cyndi Hyatt, former advisor, Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Pennsylvania- Kristina Collard, Lake Central High School, St. John, Indiana- Keith Carlson, Naperville High School, Naperville, Illinois- Julianne McLain, Delaware Hayes High School, Delaware, Ohio- Louisa Avery, American School in London, London, England- Justin Raisner, Carlmont High School, Carlmont, CaliforniaAlso saluted- Journalist Kitty Felde- Washington Post reporter, Arelis Hernández- Sophia Bassi, student, Columbia University Articles of note- Why Does Wellness Notify My Parents by Sophie Nguyenhttps://granitebaytoday.org/why-does-wellness-notify-my-parents/- Hidden Narratives, Individual Realities of Student Drug Dealing by Allesandra Tremulishttps://scotscoop.com/hidden-narratives-individual-realities-of-student-drug-dealing/Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, Mark Simon is joined by Ben Kaplan, a VP in the sports and entertainment industry and a former Division III basketball player, who is the co-author of 'Pipelines to the Pros: How D3 Small College Nobodies Rose to Rule the NBA' with Danny Parkins. Ben wanted to talk about how a non-journalist learns journalism on the fly for the purpose of writing a book, so that's what we did! We look at the lessons he learned along the way about how a book needs a throughline, how to interview prominent people (like former NBA head coaches Jeff Van Gundy and Stan Van Gundy) and dig for anecdotes they haven't shared before, and how to fight through the struggles of being a first-time author.Ben's salutes: Chris Herring, Mirin Fader, Chris Ballard, Jeff Pearlman, and Jeff PassanThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Stella Mackler. Stella is a junior at Davidson College in North Carolina. Stella was co-editor in chief of her college's newspaper, The Davidsonian, this past year and spent considerable time reporting on student reaction to the war in Gaza. Additionally, she's done an independent reporting podcast project on the Jewish community in Moldova, written a freelance piece for The Forward, and spent several months as a researcher on a book about the history of Sesame Street.Stella is double majoring in environmental studies and Arab studies. She lives in Atlanta and is currently studying abroad in Cambodia.Stella's salute: WABE, 90.1 FM – Atlanta's NPR affiliate.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

This week's episode is a special presentation from The Nutgraf- Campus To Campaign- Student Media's Role in Election Coverage- hosted by The Journalism Salute's Mark Simon.Our guests were Peggy Dodd, editor-in-chief of OU Daily at the University of Oklahoma, Lily Alexander, editor-in-chief of The Daily Lobo at the University of New Mexico, and Sarah Hutter, executive producer of E2024 at The LA Loyolan at Loyola Marymount University.The three of them share their journeys into journalism, their reporting strategies and team coverage of the election, the challenges unique to student journalists, the value of diverse perspectives, how they're handling misinformation, and much more.The Nutgraf covers student journalism and is edited and published by Chatwan Mongkol. We highly recommend subscribing to his newsletter, nutgrafnews.substack.comThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, Mark Simon is joined by Michelle Pera-McGhee, a senior journalist-engineer at The Pudding. (Pudding.cool)Michelle discussed her unique career path and projects and her original pursuit being computer science. The conversation covers various projects including data-driven analyses of crossword puzzles for inclusivity, the rhythmic influence of hip-hop producer J Dilla, a recent collaboration with sportswriter Neil Paine on baseball lineup strategies, and an analysis of how famous National Anthems compare in terms of a "diva score." Michelle elaborated on the technical and creative process behind her work, her views on journalism's state and her role within it, along with advice for aspiring journalists seeking to innovate through personal passion projects.Michelle's salute: XOXO FestThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.comShow summary written with the help of Descript AI

In this episode, Mark Simon talks to Esmy Jimenez, who shares her unconventional journey into journalism, discussing her work at the Boston Globe covering the racial wealth gap in New England. She reflects on her career's turning points, including her time working in radio and at the Seattle Times, and the influence of DACA on her life and ability to work in the United StatesEsmy offers insights into covering complex beats such as immigration and mental health, and highlights the importance of community engagement, mindful interviewing practices, and mental health awareness for journalists.She also shares stories of impactful reporting, like an explanatory piece on Family Self Sufficiency home ownership programs, her investigation on Ron DeSantis' controversial flights of migrants to Martha's Vineyard, and how Latino voters are often misunderstood, as well as one in which she covered 23 weddings in one town on one day.Esmy's Salutes: Latino USA, Reveal, and small-town journalistsThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comShow notes written with help of Descript AI Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, Mark Simon talks to Kimberly Cortez, editor-in-chief of The Beacon, the University of Portland's school newspaper. Kimberly (pronouns: she/they) is a social work major who is the child of Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants. She explained the importance of their cultural heritage to her work covering diverse stories, including one on the transgender students at Portland, a Catholic university. Her approach emphasizes passion, empathy, and resilience.She also shared the impactful role of The Beacon in her career, their time as a New York Times student corps member (with a bylined story covering a Pro-Palestinian protest), and the work she's doing for Portland's weekly newspaper, Street Roots.And she explained her deep interest in journalism, the challenges she faces as a young journalist of color, and their unwavering hope for the future of the industry. Through personal anecdotes and valuable advice, Cortez provides a poignant perspective on the evolving landscape of journalism and the importance of staying true to one's values.Kimberly's salute: Underscore News and all journalists from marginalized backgroundsOur salute: I'm doing a salute as well. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Asaka Park.If you just listen to the podcast, you don't know Asaka, but if you have read our newsletter in the last year, you know her as someone who wrote articles to supplement episodes of the podcast for about 6 months.Asaka had a distinct journalism voice. She was passionate and courageous and a strong voice for college students and for people with disabilities.I never met Asaka in person but we connected over Zoom when I spoke to a journalism class at The College of New Jersey. She wasn't afraid to critique the podcast in pretty strong terms. A few months later, she reached out to ask about interning and I told her I knew exactly who she was and I appreciated her critique. She laughed nervously but I assured her that she'd done well. And she did well by this podcast with her writing. Asaka died over the weekend of the 28th from complications of Vascular Ehlers-Danlos, an extremely rare genetic condition. You can learn more about it at marfan.org.Thank you Asaka. We salute you for your journalism excellence. 

On this episode we're joined by Arifa Akbar. Arifa is the chief theatre critic for the British newspaper, The Guardian, a newspaper that has been in existence since 1821.Arifa shares insights on the preparation involved in reviewing plays and the importance of honest criticism. She also touched upon the influence of her upbringing, the legacy of her predecessors, and her views on inclusivity in the arts.Arifa is the cousin of Aisha Sultan, the columnist for the St. Louis Post Dispatch, whom we recently interviewed.Articles- Review of The Years- When a critic changes their mind upon 2nd viewingArifa's salutes: Margo Jefferson (New York Times), longtime critic Michael Billington (The Guardian), and investigative journalists at The Guardian.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Jeff Singer. Jeff is managing editor of The Downballot, a reader-supported newsletter that covers thousands of elections other than the presidency- everything from senate to legislature to attorney general and secretary of state, district attorney and city council. It also calculates the results of the presidential election in every congressional district and produces data sets so people can evaluate elections themselves.Jeff was a writer and editor at Daily Kos, a progressive news site, for 10 years prior to this. He's a graduate of Tulane University.Jeff talked about The Downballot's function in the journalistic ecosphere, why he loves covering elections, no matter the type, and shared other resources that are important to following election coverage.Jeff's Salute: Inside Elections and NOLA.com for election coverage.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Miles Griffis. Miles is the co-founder of The Sick Times, a non-profit website chronicling the Long Covid crisis. He knows the impact of the disease firsthand. As is written on The Sick Times website“We report on the common, life-changing disease following COVID-19 infection that affects over 400 million people worldwide and can be fatal. Our coverage spans related infection-associated chronic conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, dysautonomia, mast cell activation syndrome, and more. Unlike many outlets, we continue to report on the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. No denial, minimizing, or gaslighting here.Join us as we investigate injustices, challenge powerful institutions, wade through the latest research, assess COVID-19 data, and offer a platform for those most affected by the crisis.”Miles also writes about nature, science and about LGBTQ+ culture. Among his regular outlets for writing is High Country News.Miles talked about the origin of The Sick Times, the different types of stories he covers, and why he does what he does.Examples of stories- How to Live and Die with Long Covid- Drag Artists and Organizers Making Spaces More Covid Safe- COVID-19 a Threat To Wildland FirefightersMiles' salute: The Palestinian journalists killed during the war in Gaza.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by Vivienne Serret, a student at the University of Florida who has been covering the resignation of president Ben Sasse and other notable stories for The Alligator, an independent newspaper covering the school, and Fresh Take Florida, a wire service.Vivienne talked about what went into her reporting on Sasse, discussed other stories she's covered, explained essays she's written about the pressure of being a first-generation Latina and also the difficulty of covering the trauma of others while dealing with her own trauma. She discussed the fearlessness required to be an investigative reporter, how she views her place in journalism, and how being a journalist has shaped her worldview.Vivienne's salutes: Professors Ted Bridis, Brandon Meyer, Harrison Hove, reporter Garrett Shanley and the staff of Fresh Take FloridaThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Théoden Janes. Théoden is an award-winning features and entertainment reporter for the Charlotte Observer, for whom he's worked for more than 18 years. He previously worked at The Washington Post, Arizona Republic, and Bergen Record. He's a 1996 grad of the University of Arizona.Théoden talked about the different types of stories he writes, including one about a trip to South Korea to find his birth family (he was adopted at 9 months old), an obituary for a well-known local woman who had a special garden, and a variety of concert reviews that encompass a large part of his entertainment work. He explained how he comes up with his story ideas and he shared how his parents influenced his work.Théoden's salute: David Leonhardt and the staff of The Morning at The New York TimesThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode we're joined by Alice Scott. Alice is this year's Journalism Education Association Student Journalist of the Year. Alice was co-editor of The Shield, the student newspaper at McCallum High School in Austin, Texas. It was not her first national award. She also won Student Broadcaster of the Year in 2022 from the National Scholastic Press Association.Alice talked about how her interests evolved from theatre to journalism, shared the story that most influenced her desire to be a journalist, explained how her approach to journalism is centered around listening, gave examples of the work she did, and shared her journalism aspirationsAlice's Salute: Student journalists from around the countryNotable links:- Student Journalist of the Year Announcement- Her journalism portfolio- PBS story on transgender students- Story on students assisting refugees- School shootings editorial- 1st person account of caretaking for grandfatherThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode, we're joined by Aisha Sultan. Aisha (@AishaS) is an award-winning writer and columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, whose column is also nationally syndicated.Aisha is Pakistani-American Muslim, a wife and mom of 2 who writes to help people feel seen or heard and to provide perspectives people may not have heard before.(Wednesday, August 14 is Independence Day of Pakistan)One day she's writing a commentary on J.D. Vance's comments about “childless cat ladies” and the presidential election, another she's writing about a college faculty vote regarding the war in Gaza. Another, she's writing about a roaming cat that captured the hearts of the people in its community and another about the winners of the paper's father-child lookalike contest. She's a journalist and story-collector who likes and believes in people.Aisha talked about the different types of writing she's done, her evolution as a writer, and her foray into filmmaking. She gave examples of the work she's done and how she handled reporting those stories or columns.Aisha's salute: Journalists who have died in Gaza and the Committee to Protect Journalists.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com,Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode Mark Simon is joined by Mesfin Fekadu. Mesfin is the senior editor for music at The Hollywood Reporter, which he's done the last 2 years. Previously he had a 13-year run that included time as senior journalist and music editor for The Associated Press. In between, he spent a year and a half in the communications department at Netflix.Additionally, he's a vice president at the Society for Features Journalism, which just announced its annual award winners.The discussion covered the intersection of music with current events, such as Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, and the influence of celebrities in politics. Mesfin delves into his career journey, memorable interviews with stars like Dolly Parton and Adele, and actors/actresses from Abbott Elementary, as well as a story about racism in country music. He also talked about hosting one of Hollywood Reporter's famous celebrity roundtables.Additionally, he discusses his involvement with the Society for Features Journalism and the importance of independent storytelling in traditional and digital media.Mesfin's salutes: Nekesa Mumbi Moody, co-editor-in-chief, The Hollywood ReporterFatima Shaik, former journalism professor, Saint Peter's UniversityThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com, Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, Jim Morris, executive director and editor-in-chief of Public Health Watch, discusses his career in journalism and the significant environmental and public health reporting done by his organization with Mark Simon. The conversation gets into Public Health Watch's role in shedding light on environmental injustices, particularly through their 'Toxic Texas Air' series, which was a runner-up for The Collier Prize, a prestigious investigative journalism award. The series examines the severe impact of petrochemical pollution in Texas. Jim shares his journalism journey, the importance of investigative journalism, and the tangible impacts their reporting has had, including within the Texas legislature. Jim also talked about his new book, The Cancer Factory. The episode also highlights the challenges and the need for earning community trust while reporting on complex environmental and public health issues. Jim's salute: Ana Bueno, Univision Houston Find the Toxic Texas Air series at - https://publichealthwatch.org/category/environment/toxic-texas-air/ Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com,Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod.Subscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, we're joined by Lev Gringauz, associate editor for Jewfolk.Lev delves into his journey to becoming a specialized journalist covering Jewish communities in Minnesota and Cincinnati. Lev shares insights into his reporting process, including his motivations and challenges in tackling diverse stories. The two do a thorough look at an 18,000-word investigative story Lev did on the planned closure of the Hebrew Union College rabbinical school in Cincinnati. Lev also talked about the complexities of reporting on sensitive issues, like the Israel-Hamas war. He also shared what it's been like to cover visits by teachers to prominent sites connected to the Holocaust. Lev's story on the college closinghttps://cincyjewfolk.com/2024/04/19/how-to-close-a-campus-huc-jir-bleeds-money-while-cincinnati-pays-the-price/Lev's salute: Tovah Lazoroff, The Jerusalem PostThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com, Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpodSubscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

In this episode, Mark Simon is joined by Mira Fox, a staff writer for The Forward, who discusses her work covering Jewish culture. Mira talked about her diverse writing topics, from serious issues like student protests and anti-Semitism to lighter pieces and reader advice columns. Mira shared her winding journey to journalism, her upbringing, education, and the impact of her personal experiences on her work. She also provided insights into her writing process, especially as to how it pertained to an 8,000-word piece about BYU's production of Fiddler On The Roof. Story examples- Fiddler on the Roof- The Talmud and Kristi Noem- Odd places the war has been referenced- Brown University encampments- Bintel Brief advice column Mira's salute: Andrew Silverstein, freelance writer Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com,Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod.Subscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode Mark Simon is joined by Michael Anguille, a journalist and the executive director of the Stillwater Awards, which are given by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Prison Journalism Project for excellence in journalism within the incarcerated community.(Thanks to Michael Koretzky at Florida Atlantic University, (whom Michael saluted) for his help in coordinating this interview. He is well aware of my desire to have a diverse guest base in every respect.)Michael is a professional journalist who has dealt with drug and alcohol abuse issues and served 8 1/2 years in prison in Florida for a drunk driving car accident that happened in 2014. Prior to that he was managing editor of the school newspaper at Florida Atlantic and managing editor of the South Florida Gay News. He currently writes for a variety of outlets, including BestColleges.com and is currently applying to law schools.Michael talked candidly about his life, what led to his incarceration, and what he did in prison that kept him moving towards a path of writing and journalism. He also went through some of the highlights from the winners of the Stillwater Awards and explained the importance of elevating prison journalism and prison journalists.Stillwater Awards winners: https://www.spj.org/stillwater-2024.aspMichael's salutes: Prison Journalism Project and The Marshall ProjectThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com,Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod.Subscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com

On this episode Mark Simon is joined by Sarah Conway, a senior reporter at City Bureau and Trina Reynolds-Tyler, the data director for The Invisible Institute. They just won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting for their 2-year investigation, Missing in Chicago. You can find it at ChicagoMissingPersons.com.Their 7-part investigative series revealed how Chicago police violated state law and police procedure, delaying and mishandling missing person cases. The series revealed a racial bias that disproportionately impacts Black women and girls and how poor police data is making the problem harder to solve.The interview explores how the project began, challenges faced during the investigation, personal experiences that shaped their journalism journeys, the importance of accurate data, and the value of community involvement in journalism. The conversation also highlights the duo's personal mental health strategies while working on this emotionally taxing project.Sarah's Salutes: Chicago photojournalist & reporter Sebastian HidalgoTrina's Salutes: Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Block Club ChicagoAbout City Bureau:City Bureau is a Chicago-based nonprofit journalism lab reimagining local media: how we make it, who can make it, and how it can better reflect people's priorities and needs. We do this by equipping people with skills and resources, engaging in critical public conversations, and producing information that directly addresses people's needs. Our programs equip people with skills, resources, and connections, creating pathways for a more participatory democracy. Drawing from our work in Chicago, we aim to equip every community with the tools it needs to eliminate information inequity to further liberation, justice and self-determination To learn more about City Bureau, listen to our interview with its co-founder, Bettina Chang About Invisible Institute:The Invisible Institute is a nonprofit journalism production company on the South Side of Chicago. We work to enhance the capacity of citizens to hold public institutions accountable. As we address the racial inequities that deform our society, we also work to alter the asymmetrical power dynamic within journalism by creating the conditions for people to drive their own narratives, putting our craft at the service of their experience. Our work is organized around a central principle: we have co-responsibility with the government for maintaining respect for human rights and, when abuses occur, for demanding redress.Thank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com,Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod.Subscribe to our newsletter- journalismsalute.substack.com