On April 23, former Detroit News assistant managing editor and Maynard Institute instructor Walter T. Middlebrook Jr. was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame.

Middlebrook’s long-spanning journalism career includes roles at the Minneapolis Star, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch, New York Newsday, The New York Times, USA Today and two stints at The Detroit News. He is currently the Foster Professor of Practice at Penn State University’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.

At the ceremony, Middlebrook — a 1982 graduate of the Maynard Institute’s Editing Program for Minority Journalists — was lauded for his role in helping to make newsrooms more diverse. After graduating from the editing program, he assisted the Institute for several years as an instructor.

In addition to Middlebrook’s work with the Maynard Institute, he was a former president of the Detroit chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists and a regional director of the National Association of Black Journalists. Middlebrook is a longtime board member of the Detroit-based Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation, an organization that provides scholarships to deserving students who may be unable to afford college otherwise.

In a short biography prepared ahead of the Hall of Fame ceremony, Michigan State University journalism professor Joe Grimm wrote, “Middlebrook has been a champion of diversity with national recognition for identifying, recruiting and developing journalists, particularly people of color, women and others from populations historically underrepresented in newsrooms.”

From 2007-2009, Middlebrook served as The Detroit News’ director of recruiting and community affairs. From 2009-2018, he served as assistant managing editor. Previously, he worked at Newsday, where, among other roles, he was director of Times Mirror Corp.’s Metpro/Editing program that trained minority editing candidates.

Martin G. Reynolds, co-executive director of the Maynard Institute, said he was thrilled to see Middlebrook receive such a high honor. “Walter Middlebook embodies so much of what the Maynard Institute stands for,” Reynolds said. “He’s a true champion for diversity and cares deeply about the craft of journalism. We couldn’t be more proud to see a Maynard alumni and former trainer receive this well-deserved award.”

Maynard Institute’s cultural competency director Felecia D. Henderson met Middlebrook in 1987 when he was an editor at The Detroit News and she was a fellow in the Editing Program for Minority Journalists at the University of Arizona. “To call my instructor ‘colleague’ was a huge blessing when Walter returned to The Detroit News,” says Henderson, a former assistant managing editor at the newspaper. “His leadership was invaluable to the organization during a period of considerable change. Fast-forward a decade, as a member of the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame committee, it was an honor to support Walter’s induction and ensure his journalistic legacy will be lasting.”

Being inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame is the latest honor in Middlebrook’s career. In 2018, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2015, he was recognized with a College of Communication Distinguished Alumni Award from Boston University in 2015. And in 2010, he received the Spirit of Diversity Award from Wayne State University.

More about Maynard Institute Programs

Maynard Institute professional development programs have the goal of fueling the pipeline of journalists of color into the newsrooms of America. One of the Maynard Institute’s core programs, the Maynard 200 Fellowship provides advanced training and mentorship to mid-career journalists of color for promoting their career growth and expanded leadership roles.

We are proud that the staff of the Maynard Institute is committed to advocating for racial equity in journalism and beyond. In addition to their work and service to the Maynard Institute mission, our organization’s team members have a positive impact across the industry and their communities. In this spirit, we congratulate Co-Executive Director, Evelyn Hsu and Maynard 200 Fellowship Program Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley on their recent achievements.

Co-Executive Director Evelyn Hsu elected Vice President of SPJ Foundation Board

The Maynard Institute congratulates Co-Executive Director Evelyn Hsu for her election as Vice President of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Foundation board of directors. The Society of Professional Journalists Foundation (formerly Sigma Delta Chi Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) charity with a mission to perpetuate a free press as a cornerstone of our nation through their educational programs and by supporting other journalism organizations that benefit SPJ members. Hsu was elected Vice President in October for a term beginning in 2023.

Evelyn Hsu was elected Vice President to SPJ Foundation Board in October 2022. Photo by Ray Chavez.

About SPJ Foundation Grants and Programs

The SPJ Foundation grants primarily support advocacy for freedom of the press and SPJ members directly but also provide support to organizations that advance the SPJ mission. Grant requests are first reviewed by the Foundation Grants and Awards Committee and then their recommendations are sent to the SPJ Foundation Board of Directors for their review and selection. Read more about the SPJ Foundation’s signature programs.

Maynard 200 Fellowship Director Odette Alcazaren-Keeley received the SPJ NorCal Unsung Hero Award

On November 21, 2022, the Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California chapter (SPJ NorCal) announced the recipients of their 37th annual Excellence in Journalism Awards. Maynard 200 Fellowship Program Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley received the board award for Unsung Hero. SPJ NorCal has hosted the annual awards banquet every fall for more than three decades to highlight extraordinary contributions of journalists based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and cities and towns throughout the region.

Odette Alcazaren-Keeley received the SPJ NorCal Unsung Hero Award in November 2022. Photo by Michelle Felix.

From the press release:

The board honors Odette Alcazaren-Keeley with the Unsung Hero award. As director of the Maynard 200 Fellowship with the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, she has built one of the most powerful incubators for journalists of color in the country. She is also president and founding partner of the strategic, multicultural media consultancy Global MediaX. Alcazaren-Keeley’s career commitment to lifting all voices is exemplified in her own words, that we can “heal our democracy together, regardless of and respecting each others’ differing beliefs.”

Join us in Celebrating the Maynard Family Impact

We often use the term Maynard Family to refer to our extended network of founders, program alumni, staff, faculty, and supporters. Hsu and Alcazaren-Keeley are not the only industry leaders affiliated with the Maynard Institute recognized by professional membership associations. Many of our board members and staff are doing important work that aligns with the institute’s core values.

You can read more about the backgrounds and work of the Maynard Institute staff and board members on our website. For the latest Maynard Family updates, be sure to check out our blog and subscribe to our newsletter. Join the Maynard Family and Donate today!

The Maynard Institute has trained journalists of color for over 45 years, so there are always alumni promotions and wins to celebrate! Check out the latest alumni updates from the summer and fall of 2022.

Brianna Tucker (Maynard 200 Fellowship 2022) becomes deputy politics editor at the Washington Post

In her new role, Tucker will help drive campaign and congressional coverage aimed at engaging the next generation of Post readers and subscribers. She has worked at the Washington Post on the newsletter team since 2021. She is in the Frontline Editors and Managers track of the Maynard 200 Fellowship.

Delonte Harrod (Maynard 200 Fellowship 2021) and The Intersection Magazine join Black Headline News

The Intersection Magazine, joined Black Headline News, a partnership of Black-owned media outlets, as founding member. Harrod, a Maynard 200 Felloship entrepreneur track alumni, founded the digital publication in 2020.
“The Black Headline News (BHN) channel is a collaborative movement, highlighting the importance of disseminating valuable information to communities across the nation from a Black perspective. The collective effort gives Black-owned media outlets a free, unified, safe, platform to connect with online readers, viewers, and listeners nationwide, sharing content across the world diaspora, expanding their reach, brand, and audience,” says the BNC’s call to action.

Lottie Joiner becomes the New Verite Managing Editor (Maynard 200 Fellowship 2021)

Joiner, an award-winning journalist with more than two decades of experience covering issues that impact underserved and marginalized communities, is joining Verite’s newsroom leadership team as assistant managing editor. Lottie was a Maynard 200 Fellow with a focus on executive leadership and a 2021 participant in the Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Media program.

Robin Turner (Editing Program 1985) becomes new VP, Training, Culture and Community at Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal

The longtime diversity, equity and inclusion executive was most recently the Director of Editorial Diversity Initiatives at Politico, before joining the the team at Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal, where she will focus on Dow Jones newsrooms, as well as working with leaders and others across company verticals to drive DEI strategy into all aspects of our global business. She helped to found the Politico Journalism Institute (PJI), an initiative to advance young journalists of color, in 2014, with guidance from Dori Maynard and Evelyn Hsu of the Maynard Institute of Journalism.

Media venture by Michael Tennant (Maynard 200 Fellowship 2022) is featured on Good Morning America

Tennant is the founder of Curiosity Lab, a movement to spread empathy. Actually Curious, the empathy card game created by Curiosity Lab, was recently featured on a segment for Good Morning America. The Maynard 200 2022 Fellow focusing on entrepreneurship, describes the deck as “a conversation card game that uses the science and psychology of trust-building and emotional connection to bring people closer together.”

Teresa Frontado (Multimedia Editing Program 2012) joined WAMU as executive editor

With over 20 years of experience working as a bilingual journalist and editor for media organizations in the United States and Latin America, Frontado joins the NPR affiliate in Washington, DC, WAMU 88.5. She most recently worked as the executive editor for the NPR affiliate in Austin, Texas for over 2 years.

Leroy Adams (Maynard 200 Fellow 2019) receives capital investment for his Black travel magazine, The Buddy Pass

Adams founded The Buddy Pass in 2018 based on a mission to promote, celebrate, and encourage Black travel. The 2019 Maynard 200 Fellowship alum received capital investment, multi-year content partnership from the yet-unnamed entity. Adams commented that, “Everything I learned from Maynard–from the business model canvas to the practice pitch sessions–helped me get here.”

About the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education

For 45 years, the Maynard Institute has fought to push back against the systemic lack of diversity in the news industry through training, collaborations and convenings. Founded by Robert C. Maynard, the Institute promotes diversity and antiracism in the news media through improved coverage, hiring and business practices. We are creating better representation in U.S. newsrooms through our programs , which gives media professionals of color the tools to become skilled storytellers, empowered executives and inspired entrepreneurs. Visit the Maynard Institute website to learn more.

Are you an alumni with exciting professional news?

Contact Community Engagement Manager, Ava Macha, at amacha@mije.org to be featured in our next Maynard Family Update.

Photo by Henry Fuhrmann via Twitter.

We at the Maynard Institute were shocked and deeply saddened to learn of Henry Fuhrmann’s sudden passing on September 14, 2022. His staunch allyship serves as enduring inspiration for us all. We are humbled by Fuhrmann’s support of the institute’s programs to further diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in journalism. We were fortunate to spend time with Henry at the institute’s networking reception at the 2022 Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) convention. At the news of his death, AAJA announced Fuhrmann would receive the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award for “his lifelong dedication to excellence in journalism, his leadership through humble service, his generous mentorship of future generations, and commitment to AAJA.”

(L-R) Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, Pete Camarillo, Henry Fuhrmann at the AAJA 2022 Convention

Beloved USC Professor and Mentor

Fuhrmann’s mentorship has transformed the path of many emerging journalists. He joined the USC Annenenberg Media Center as an adjunct instructor and writing coach in 2016. A statement from USC Annenberg honored the late professsor, “Known for his kindness and expertise, Fuhrmann indisputably left a mark on USC Annenberg and the Media Center, both on its students and teachers alike.”

Fuhrmann’s support of the institute included being part of the faculty for the inaugural class of Maynard 200 in 2018. He shared his expertise as a veteran editor of the Los Angeles Times, providing the fellows with concrete skills in self editing and copy editing to embolden their narrative writing.

Later, Fuhrmann also served as a mentor for Maynard 200 Fellow Samantha Guzman. Executive Editor of Decibel at Austin PBS, Guzman graduated from the Fellowship’s executive leadership program in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Guzman and Furhmann were not able to meet in person until 2022. As outpourings of appreciation for Fuhrmann spread online, Guzman tweeted “I don’t know what I would have done without Henry’s guidance during some of my most challenging times.”

Photo and tweet by Maynard 200 Fellow Samantha Guzman of meeting mentor Henry Fuhrmann for the first time in person in Austin, Texas.

His legacy as an industry leader

As the rise of the internet was forever changing journalism, Fuhrmann helped his newsroom navigate the new terrain of blogging. The Los Angeles Times reported: “In the 2000s he was deputy editor of the Business section, and later, as more stories were being published online, he helped create style and usage rules for the new medium where none had existed.”

Fuhrmann, a self-described “word nerd,” also initiated changes in the newsroom to retire other outdated terms, such as replacing “transvestite” with “transgender.” He also campaigned to replace the word “internment” when describing the forcible incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

In addition to Fuhrmann’s advances at the Times, his role as thought leader has had a lasting impact on the industry as a whole. In 2019, Fuhrmann successfully advocated for dropping the hyphen in words like “Asian-American” and “African-American.” He wrote in his essay for the Conscious Style Guide, “Those hyphens serve to divide even as they are meant to connect. Their use in racial and ethnic identities can connote as otherness, a sense that people of color are somehow not full citizens or fully American.” Fuhrmann’s essay influenced the AP Stylebook to remove the hyphen.

We extend our sincere condolences to Fuhrmann’s family and friends of Fuhrmann. As a dearly departed member of the Maynard family, we will honor hime by continuing to fight for fairness in this industry.

The Maynard Institute invites program alumni to join the Maynard 200 Challenge. All alumni who recruit an eligible candidate for the 2022 Maynard 200 fellowship program will receive a special thanks and invitation to the kick-off festivities and plenaries this summer. The Maynard Institute’s network of media professionals of color is unparalleled. There’s no better way to grow the Maynard Family than with alumni referrals.

About the Maynard Alumni Challenge

In the spirit of growing the Maynard Family tree, alumni are invited to recruit one eligible applicant for the 2022 Maynard 200 fellowship program. We challenge our program alumni to recruit media professionals interested in developing their careers in one of the four Maynard 200 curriculum tracks: investigative reporting, executive leadership, media entrepreneurship, and frontline editing and management.

The alumni who refer a Maynard 200 applicant selected for the fellowship program will receive special thanks and online access to the plenary sessions scheduled for the week of June 27 and October 24.

When submitting their online application, alumni recruits must select “Maynard Alumni” as their referral source. The deadline to apply for Maynard 200 was March 28, 2022. Applications are now closed.

After the candidate selection process closes in late April, alumni who referred successful applicants will be contacted by the Maynard Institute with special thanks and details on how to virtually join the Maynard 200 plenary sessions.

Share this link with your recruits: bit.ly/maynard-alumni-challenge

Alumni with questions can contact Maynard 200 Program Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley at okeeley(at)mije.org.

Building relationships you can depend on

We recently caught up with alumni Amanda Barrett to congratulate her on her promotion to Vice President and Head of News Audience at The Associated Press. Previously AP’s Deputy Managing Editor, Barrett first joined AP in New York in 2007 as a content coordinator and over the next decade she was promoted to critical news editor roles, directing AP’s award-winning coverage of Hurricane Sandy. By 2017, Barrett had a position in leadership.

Barrett first joined the Maynard Family in 2009 through the Media Academy Program.

“I learned so much about being a manager: how to have difficult conversations, how to solve complex business challenges. And I built friendships that I still depend on.”
Amanda Barrett, Vice President and Head of News Audience, The Associated Press

“I first encountered the Maynard Institute when I attended the Media Academy in 2009. Little did I know the profound effect Dori, Evelyn, Martin, and the program would have on my life. I learned so much about being a manager: how to have difficult conversations, how to solve complex business challenges. And I built friendships that I still depend on,” Barrett said.

She also participated in the Maynard 200 Fellowship program in 2018.

“Over the years, the Maynard mentorship never ended. Eventually, Evelyn asked me if I would be interested in a program that would help propel my career to another level and that turned out to be the Maynard 200. Executive coaches Virgil Smith and Caroline Ceniza-Levine were phenomenal, in addition to my mentor Susan Leath. I am so blessed to be a part of the Maynard family,” she added.

Find out what’s new with Maynard 200

Interested in the Maynard 200 fellowship program but have questions? Watch Maynard 200 Program Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley and alumni guest speakers as they gave a special FAQs webinar (Passcode: 81%PueT1) to learn more about the fellowship program.

Maynard 200 is the cornerstone program advancing the Maynard Institute’s efforts to expand the diversity pipeline in news media and dismantle structural racism in its newsrooms. Since 2018, the Maynard Institute has trained over 90 media leaders, storytellers, and entrepreneurs through the fellowship program.

Watch the webinar to get key information about this year’s program and insights to make your application competitive. Hear directly from alumni about their fellowship experience, which they consider transformative in their media careers and entrepreneurial ventures.

This webinar was designed for investigative reporters, executive leaders, media entrepreneurs, and frontline editors and managers, who are interested in applying to the Maynard 200 Fellowship program.

The webinar covered:

• Program eligibility requirements
• Tips for a successful application
• Curriculum and 1:1 mentorship benefits
• Networking opportunities and more!

Our Oakland Voices alumna, and Oakland’s very own first Poet Laureate Ayodele Nzinga, is featured in a new film released this week at The New Yorker. The 17-minute film is called The Game God(s) and is directed by filmmaker Adrian L. Burrell, focusing on the relationship between Black Americans, the American Dream, and capitalism.

Nzinga collaborated with Burrell in writing a spoken word poem, which she reads as a monologue in various settings throughout Oakland “with all the gravitas of a priestess,” according to The New Yorker writer Maya Chesley. Nzinga’s riveting read connects the theme throughout the film in a powerful, dynamic way.

Director Burrell, who grew up in Oakland, displays his filmmaking prowess through interviews with imprisoned men, a drug dealer, a former Madame, a man who was shot, a formerly incarcerated woman speaking about the horrors of prison and suicides within prisons while juxtaposed with a scene of her tenderly holding her baby while bathing.

The film raises questions about the so-called American Dream and why so many are shut out of the dream. “I believe the American Dream is like a carrot,” Burrell tells The New Yorker. “You can sail it out in front of people who were never meant to be citizens.”

The Game God(s) is Executive Produced by another Oakland filmmaker, Pete Nicks, who recently premiered his Netflix documentary Homeroom.

More about Oakland Voices

Maynard Institute professional development programs have the goal of fueling the pipeline of journalists of color into the newsrooms of America. Oakland Voices is a nine-month program led by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education that trains Oakland residents to tell the stories of their neighborhoods. Oakland Voices (OV) correspondents are trained in digital media storytelling — writing blogs and online pieces, taking photos, shooting video, and using social media to discuss issues that matter most in their communities.

This blog was written by Oakland Voices Co-Director Momo Chang and originally appeared on the Oakland Voices website.

The Maynard Institute congratulates Maynard program alum Michael D. Bolden on his new role at the American Press Institute as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. The American Press Institute, an affiliate of the News Media Alliance, is dedicated to helping news publishers navigate and adapt to organizational and industry change to sustain journalism. In their press release dated January 11, 2022, the American Press Institute stated that Bolden “is a proven leader who has shown deep commitment to quality journalism.”

Helping journalism thrive

The American Press Institute (API) is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization affiliated with the News Media Alliance. API is dedicated to the mission of making journalism sustainable and the concept that the publishers that thrive in the 21st century will be those with a deep understanding of rapidly changing audiences.

Bolden, currently the director of culture and operations at the San Francisco Chronicle and a member of the newsroom’s executive leadership team, will begin in his new role with API by February 14.

“It is the privilege of my lifetime to join the enterprising team at the American Press Institute, who work at the forefront of guiding news organizations through constant change. In this time of misinformation and uncertainty, our communities, especially those that have been dispossessed and disregarded, need us more than ever. I look forward to partnering with our visionary board, our funders, newsrooms across the industry, and concerned people everywhere to meet the needs of our audiences, lift trust in the media and help journalism thrive.” Michael D. Bolden, American Press Institute, Executive Director and CEO.

Visions for leading an industry through constant change

Bolden shared his vision for API in his recent piece “The next step in my journalism journey”:

“Journalism has too often functioned as a closed ecosystem, with limited access to talent and ideas. That world can’t exist any longer, not if we want to reach new audiences and serve the ones our industry has neglected for far too long.

In this time of uncertainty, our diverse, multicultural society needs great journalism and the pursuit of truth more than ever, and the team at the American Press Institute stands at the forefront of guiding news organizations through this fog of constant change. That makes how we operate internally important.

I want to nurture a culture at the American Press Institute that is a model for how to operate an organization. By creating a paradigm at API, we can more effectively help publishers navigate the changes taking place in their newsrooms and help journalism leaders bring more empathy, transparency and understanding to their work. I believe this is just as important for the future of journalism as developing new products and subscription models.”

More about Maynard Institute Programs

Maynard Institute professional development programs have the goal of fueling the pipeline of journalists of color into the newsrooms of America. One of the Maynard Institute’s core programs, the Maynard 200 Fellowship provides advanced training and mentorship to mid-career journalists of color for promoting their career growth and expanded leadership roles.

The call for applications is now open for the updated 2022 Maynard 200 program. The application deadline is March 7, 2022. Space is limited. Learn more and apply today!

Oakland Voices Co-director Rasheed Shabazz reported a two-part cover series for the East Bay Express in 2018 on the predatory towing that unlawfully targeted residents of Summer House Apartments in Alameda, California. Thanks in part to his reporting, the Alameda County District Attorney launched an investigation into Private Property Impound Inc., or PPI Towing and found “systemic fraud.” Formal charges were filed by the Alameda County District Attorney for predatory towing, falsifying documents and tax evasion in October of 2021. Shabazz recently wrote a follow-up piece about how his reporting led to the investigation and charges.

The impact of local journalism

A flagship program of the Maynard Institute, over seventy Oakland residents have completed the nine month Oakland Voices storytelling program. As the media landscape shifts, the critical role of Oakland Voices continues to grow, amplifying stories that impact the local communities of Black, indigenous and people of color. The work of Oakland Voices correspondents motivated Shabazz to report the story of PPI Towing’s corruption.

“Seeing the work of Oakland Voices’ recent graduates Brandy Collins and Iris M. Crawford inspired me to return to reporting. I’m grateful I could use data journalism to investigate and highlight the exploitation of people in my community.” Rasheed Shabazz, Oakland Voices, Co-executive Director

Photo: Oakland Voices correspondent Iris M. Crawford with program Co-director Rasheed Shabazz at the 2019 graduation ceremony.

Recent Oakland Voices alumni Iris M. Crawford received the Taylor/Blakeslee Fellowship from the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing and is now attending MIT’s graduate program for science writing. Other graduates such as Brandy Collins, who published her first cover story for the SF Weekly, and Ayodele Nzinga, who was recently inaugurated as Oakland’s first poet laureate, continue to positively impact their local communities since graduating the program.

The 2021 Oakland Voices cohort and beyond

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland Voices had to pivot to a virtual model and plans to shift to a hybrid of online and in-person when the pandemic allows. The current cohort of Oakland Voices is the largest to date and hopes to gather in person in 2022. Recent stories featured a “Talk of the Town” series including:

• “How have you ascended through this pandemic while living in Oakland?” by Toni Rochelle
• “What is your dream for the future of Oakland?” by Raheem Divine
• “What comes to mind when you think about ‘Oakland’ and why?” by Marilu Aguilar
• “What do you love about Oakland’s food culture?” by Tyla Brown

Support the local reporting of Oakland Voices by making a donation to the Maynard Instiute today. Your tax-deductible donation directly supports the journalism that serves local communities.

We congratulate Maynard 200 fellow Raji Ramanathan on being selected as one of ten filmmakers to participate in the inaugural Sundance Institute Producers Intensive. The two-day program provides creative, strategic and professional development support for early career fiction and nonfiction producers from traditionally underrepresented communities who are poised to take the next step in their filmmaking career.

Ramanathan is an award-winning journalist and a documentary filmmaker based in California. She currently serves Al Jazeera (AJ+) as Senior Video Producer. Outside of work, she puts her energy into documentary films. She aims to tell stories that expose systemic barriers, especially when it relates to race, immigration and women.

From Maynard 200 to Sundance Institute

The nonfiction film project that Ramanathan received the Sundance Institute fellowship for is called The Civil Case. The film explores the 1980 civil lawsuit brought against three Klansmen who went on a shooting spree in Chattanooga, Tennessee, injuring five Black women. The film documents how five women fought back in a new way with the support of civil rights attorney Randolph McLaughlin, who helped the women win an important victory against the Klan and set a legal precedent for today’s court battles on racial violence.

In a recent email exchange, Ramanathan shared, “I never in a million years expected to be part of such a prestigious and resourceful family like Sundance. I’m beyond thrilled and grateful to have been selected as a fellow for the Sundance Institute’s inaugural Producers Intensive. I’ve already met several incredible women filmmakers and learned about key components of a producer’s role in filmmaking.”

With support from the Maynard 200 community

“Imposter syndrome comes crawling in when you’re a storyteller, an artist and a dreamer because you really have to be vulnerable to tell an impactful story. And while some of that fear may never go away, speaking with my peers and getting guidance from mentors at Maynard has helped to alleviate some of that anxiety,” Ramanathan added.

About the Maynard 200 Program

The Maynard Institute has trained two outstanding cohorts so far since 2018, who are now being promoted in both mainstream and ethnic media newsrooms such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, theGrio, the Associated Press, the Washington Informer, Mundo Hispanico, Nieman Journalism Lab, among many others, or earning grants for entrepreneurial media ventures. The continuation of this cornerstone program will be critical to advancing the Maynard Institute’s efforts to expand the diversity pipeline in American media and dismantle structural racism in its newsrooms. These leaders will have the opportunity to change the management culture including hiring practices in institutional and entrepreneurial news organizations. The program is tuition-free thanks to funding by Google News Initiative, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Hearthland Foundation and the McClatchy Foundation.

Learn more about the 2021 Fellows!

The Maynard Institute congratulates board member Aprill O. Turner for being named the Special Honors recipient of the 2021 Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). A seasoned public relations strategist with deep roots in the political world, Turner has led media strategy for several local and national political campaigns. Her expertise includes message development, media training, crisis communications and public affairs.

About the NABJ Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award

Patricia L. Tobin was a pioneering publicist, media entrepreneur, and co-founder of the National Black Public Relations Society. One of NABJ’s Special Honors, the Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award is given to an entrepreneur, public relations/advertising/marketing professional, or media owner that serves as a trailblazer in the media realm and is responsible for a positive impact of Black coverage and the media profession.

To be selected for this Special Honor, Turner is recognized through her work and service display a commitment to NABJ’s goal of fostering an exemplary group of professionals that honors excellence and outstanding achievements in Black journalism and outstanding achievement in the media industry as a whole.

Proud to follow in Tobin’s footsteps

“I am beyond honored to receive NABJ’s 2021 Pat Tobin Media Professional Award,” said Turner.

“NABJ member Pat Tobin of Los Angeles passed away in 2008. Tobin was president and CEO of Tobin and Associates, a prominent minority, woman-owned public relations firm. She was a dedicated activist for causes that impacted minorities, women and youth; and was co-founder of the National Black Public Relations Society.”

“It makes me proud to have had the opportunity to meet Pat Tobin and witness the large impact that she had. It also makes me proud to follow in her footsteps, especially in the love that we both have for public relations, seeing other Black professionals excel in it and how much we both love NABJ.” Aprill O. Turner, Maynard Institute board member and NABJ’s 2021 Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award Winner

The 2021 NABJ virtual awards ceremony on December 4th

NABJ inducted 8 new members into its Hall of Fame and awarded 14 Special Honors to Black journalists and communicators from around the world during a virtual awards ceremony December 4, 2021. The event streamed online and featured special guests, entertainment and interactive features. Read more about the 2021 NABJ award receipients.

NABJ offers innovative training, career advancement opportunities and advocacy initiatives for Black journalists and media professionals worldwide. The association’s annual awards honor the groundbreaking accomplishments of Black journalists and those who support the Black community in the media. Learn more about NABJ.