Six early-career and journalism-curious storytellers will learn the ins and outs of reporting on underserved communities this spring in Windy City Times and E3 Radio’s second-annual Our Stories, Our Power program.
The paid, six-week seminar will equip storytellers with foundational reporting skills and cover every step of the community newswriting process, beginning with pitching story ideas and culminating in a published piece on Windy City Times’ website.
This year’s participants include:
- Patience Hurston, a recent graduate from Columbia College Chicago, where they served as managing editor of the Columbia Chronicle.
- Tyris Manney, a mental health advocate and founder of skincare line Tyris Manney Beauty.
- Jordan “J.Ro” Ordoñez, a public health pharmacist turned artist with ties to Chicago’s street dance community.
- Jasmine Rodriguez, a queer Chicana editor and poet and student at Northeastern Illinois University.
- Rahmya Trewern, a graduate from Michigan State University, where she studied journalism and digital storytelling.
- Milani Varela, an Afro-Latinx drag queen and activist who serves at CALOR, an affiliate of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Throughout the program, participants will receive hands-on training in key community journalism practices, including non-extractive interviewing techniques, building trust and other best-practices when covering underserved communities.
The course is specifically designed to lower the barriers for entry for new and community-based reporters—especially those from BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other underrepresented communities.
This year’s cohort is made possible with support from Columbia College Chicago and a grant from Press Forward National, a funder collaborative led by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation that is dedicated to strengthening and sustaining local news.
“Last year’s cohort was a transformational experience for both the students and instructors,” said Jake Wittich, managing editor of Windy City Times. “We’re thrilled to partner with Columbia College Chicago and for Press Forward National’s support to grow the program even further.”
Wittich will co-teach the course with Anna DeShawn, founder and CEO of E3 Radio and writer of Windy City Times’ BLACKlines newsletter.
“I’m excited to embark on our second year of the cohort,” DeShawn said. “We will incorporate more audio this time around, and I look forward to sharing my knowledge with the next generation of storytellers.”