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The Maynard Blog

The Mirror Awards

by Maynard Institute Staff

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026 the Maynard Institute was honored to receive the Lorraine Branham Award from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. Named for former Newhouse dean and Maynard alum Lorraine Branham, who attended the Summer Program for Minority Journalists in 1977 before the Institute received its first official name, the award “recognizes a media organization that has worked to promote inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in the news media over the previous year.”

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Rebuilding local news: A community imperative

By Celeste Barker Bright for Nonprofit Megaphone 

Local news is where communities learn what’s happening in their own back yards, from school board decisions to public safety updates. Across the country, these essential sources of information are disappearing, creating news deserts that leave many Americans in the dark. This article explains why rebuilding a strong, sustainable news industry ecosystem is critical for every state.

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“A Calling:” Interviews with faculty and staff, Maynard Regional Training in Chicago, June 4-5

by Alice Finno, Maynard Institute reporting intern 

The Maynard Institute will host a free training for entry- and mid-level editors and managers in Chicago, Illinois, on June 4 through 5, as part of its regional training series.

“I’m really hoping that the Chicago training can be a really good opportunity for Northwestern’s network and broader community.”

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Maynard Regional Training Series, Detroit, 2025. Photo by Montez Miller.

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The inaugural class of the Summer Program for Minority Journalists at UC Berkeley in 1976.

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What people say about the Maynard Institute

Fault Lines training has been invaluable in helping our newsroom have honest conversations on topics that can be fraught if people don’t share a common vernacular.
Joel Christopher, Executive Vice President, Knoxville News Sentinel
Maynard provided me with the tools, the support, and the inspiration to become a better journalist and a more impactful force for change.
Allison Jing Yang, Senior Editor – Partnerships & Initiatives, Initium Media
With Bob Maynard’s pioneering spirit, it’s important to remember history and how far we’ve come. This program helped shape my career as one of the most important experiences of my life.
Kevin Merida, Former Executive Editor, Los Angeles Times and Former Maynard Board Member, Graduate, Maynard Media Academy
The Maynard 200 experience is unlike any other. It’s training tailor-made for editors like me from underrepresented communities, and true fellowship centered around our voices.
Fernanda Santos, Managing Editor, The 19th
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