In February 2022, Oakland Voices launched a new series called “Black Voices in the Town” with grant funding from The African American Response Circle Fund with a focus on stories about how the pandemic has impacted Black-owned businesses, Black artists, and health, written by Oakland Voices alumni and local freelance writers.

The Oakland Voices program includes more than 60 members who have completed the community journalism training program over the course of the past 10 years. Many in this group have actively contributed to the Oakland Voices website with articles, interviews, and personal essays, as well as freelancing for other outlets and continuing their professional development.

On February 1, 2022, a group of the alumni gathered virtually to catch up, talk about what they wished to see in 2022 for the program, and discussed story ideas.

About “Black Voices in the Town” Series

‘Black Voices in the Town’ is funded by The African American Response Circle Fund. In 2020, the Brotherhood of Elders Network in partnership with the East Bay Community Foundation established the fund in response to the impact of COVID-19 as a public health crisis for African Americans who live, work, and worship in Alameda County.

The series of stories and photo essays will address the impacts of COVID-19 on Black people in Oakland, California.

The first piece published, by Iris M. Crawford, highlights two Black outdoor enthusiasts, and how nature provided a space for them during the pandemic.

Continued Training and Workshops in Data Journalism, Mapping, Investigative Journalism, and More

More than a dozen of the Oakland Voices alumni gathered virtually last week In small breakout groups to catch up and talk about what types of continued professional development and opportunities they’d like to see. Oakland Voices alumni expressed interest in workshops for the group around investigative journalism skills, public records requests, data journalism, mapping, a design workshop, and more.

When COVID arrived in March 2020, the alumni program coordinator at the time (now Co-Director of Oakland Voices) Momo Chang and coordinator (now Co-Director) Rasheed Shabazz invited guest speakers via Zoom to chat about being a local journalist and around topics such as immigration coverage and beyond. Guest speakers included Oaklandside’s Azucena Rasilla, UC Berkeley Journalism School Professor-in-Residence Andrés Cediel, KQED columnist Pendarvis Harshaw, local investigative and community journalists Darwin BondGraham and Davey D, Program Manager at Disability Media Alliance Project Cara Reedy, and others. The alumni who attended the most recent meeting expressed that the webinars were valuable.

Not in Isolation

Many of the Oakland Voices alumni expressed gratitude for the group itself and members of the group. As alumni, many who freelance write now while balancing day jobs or school, expressed that writing can be isolating. The alumni group helps to make them feel less alone as writers and provides a network and supportive community, as well as an outlet to tell authentic stories about Oakland.

“I have published stories in several Bay Area outlets, and I can irrefutably say that Oakland Voices is the most committed to telling the real Oakland story.” Tony Daquipa, 2017 Oakland Voices alumnus

Daquipa has been covering OUSD school issues, as well as arts & culture coverage. His most recent stories focus on school closures..

Finally, many expressed how the group is enjoyable because it gives people an opportunity to talk about Oakland and the many facets. The stories written are real and some are about serious issues, yet the group as a whole wanted to uplift positive and hopefully stories about The Town as well.

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!

One of the Maynard Institute’s core programs, the Maynard 200 Fellowship supports the next generation of storytellers, leaders and entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds. The program provides relevant training courses, resources and mentorship by distinguished media professionals. In 2021, media strategist Dickson Louie led the media entrepreneurship track and launched a new award program. Based on the scores from a panel of media business experts, two fellows, Travers Johnson, founder of Queerency and Annie Guo VanDan, co-founder of Asian Avenue Magazine, have been recognized for their outstanding media venture pitches.

About the Maynard 200 Media Entrepreneurship Awards

The Quentin Hope Metrics Award in Entrepreneurship is a $1,000 prize funded by the Maynard Institute. It honors a teacher and coach, Quentin Hope, who guided co-executive directors Martin Reynolds and Evelyn Hsu in growing the reach and revenue of the institute. The prize is awarded to the media project business plan that scores highest for sound strategies and rigorous metrics.

The Dori J. Maynard Media Entrepreneurship Award honors the late president of the Maynard Institute and is funded by the Maynard Institute through a donation from Dickson Louie. The award provides up to $1,000 in additional entrepreneurial training through IDEO U, or an equivalent training entity, approved in advance by the Institute, to the media project that receives the highest cumulative score from the outside judges.

Congratulations Media Entrepreneurship Award Winners

Quentin Hope Metrics Award

Annie Guo VanDan is the recipient of this year’s Quintin Hope Metrics Award, which recognizes her work as president of Asian Avenue magazine, a Denver-based publication that lifts up the stories and voices of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). She began the publication in 2006 at age 20 in collaboration with her mother, a first-generation immigrant from Taiwan.

With a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri, Annie worked in marketing and communications roles with Procter & Gamble, The Integer Group and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

She found her passion in health equity and community engagement work and is also a change specialist for Change Matrix, where she works with diverse communities to provide training and technical assistance on racial justice, equity and inclusion. In 2009, she founded the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network, a 501(c)(3) that serves the state’s AAPI community.

She completed her MBA in Health Administration from the University of Colorado Denver in 2012 and lived briefly in San Diego before returning to Denver, her hometown. She enjoys hiking, playing tennis and spending time with her husband and their two daughters.

Dori J. Maynard Media Entrepreneurship Award

Travers Johnson received the highest overall score as founder and editor in chief of Queerency, a digital media company that highlights the best in queer business. He has more than 12 years of experience in digital media, print publishing and email marketing at some of the world’s leading companies, including Penguin Random House, Edelman and BET.

A writer and editor based in Austin, Travers was trained at Morehouse College and Georgetown University and is passionate about helping people tell their stories across various mediums.

Apply to Join the Maynard 200 Kick-off in Los Angeles

The 2022 program will be held in-person during the week of June 27th at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in Los Angeles, California. Maynard 200 fellows will benefit from tuition-free training and mentorship, plus air travel and lodging expenses will be covered by the Maynard Institute.

The deadline to apply for Maynard 200 is March 21st. Space is limited. Submit your application 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!

In October, the 2021 cohort of Maynard 200 fellows gathered for week-long intensive training sessions joined by more than 60 executive level faculty and mentors whose caliber mirror back the wide representation of our fellows of diverse heritage and geography affiliation at mainstream and ethnic media outlets across disciplines and expertise. The convening plenary kicked off with a fireside chat featuring Kevin Merida, executive editor of the Los Angeles Times and Maynard Institute board member.

How Maynard 200 is meeting the moment

Maynard 200 Program Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, helped set the tone for the keynote session by describing the high stakes facing Maynard 200 fellows today.

“In a climate where local journalism is under threat– in the print sector alone – today half of all daily newspapers in the United States are controlled by financial firms. For example, The Atlantic’s recent cover story points to newsrooms being gutted by hedge fund Alden Global Capital,” she said.

One of the Maynard Institute’s core programs, the Maynard 200 Fellowship provides advanced training to mid-career journalists of color to prime them as candidates for higher leadership roles. As industry leaders, Maynard 200 fellows have the opportunity to change the management culture including hiring practices in institutional and entrepreneurial news organizations.

“We look to our legacy values and groundbreaking work at the Maynard Institute, rooted in trust equity and belonging to change the culture and American media. And all of you, the voices of our fellows resound. We stand together with you in your work in defending the soul of our democracy,” Alcazaren-Keeley added.

Maynard Institute Co-executive director Evelyn Hsu addressed the group, thanking Merida and all the faculty for their support. Detailing the ways the Maynard family survives through the graduates of programs like Maynard 200.

Looking back on Merida’s career journey

In conversation with Maynard Institute’s co-executive director Martin Reynolds, Merida shared insights from his journalism career, from his earliest days to today as executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, the largest news gathering organization in the Western United States.

“It’s certainly nostalgic just listening to Evelyn talk about the history. Evelyn and I were classmates in the Maynard Instute’s 1979 summer program. And with that pioneering spirit that Bob Maynard had, it’s really important to remember history and how far we’ve come.”

Merida reflected on his journey in relation to Robert C. Maynard’s journey as well.

“This program is why I feel so close to Maynard and this family. It really helped shape my career as one of the most important experiences of my life. We were celebrating our graduation in 1979 from the program but also Bob Maynard’s ascension to be the first African American editor in our country’s history at the Oakland Tribune.”

Merida would later become the first Black managing editor of the Washington Post, before becoming senior vice president at ESPN and editor-in-chief at The Undefeated.

The role of technology in shaping journalism today

When Reynolds asked for thoughts on trends in journalism, Merida suggested that the digital revolution has evolved to the point where technology is now a major driver in the industry. He explained that journalists fluent in technology have the power to change industry conventions and storytelling as a whole for the better.

“We talk a lot about the digital revolution. I say we’re all digital now, whatever medium you belong to, we’re already in a digital environment. People said content is king and that’s true. But technology is really king among kings because the way in which we are able to reach people and to drive different consumption habits. And in some ways, those consumption habits are driven by technology.”

“So as journalism evolves and people who have grown up in the digital era have fluency that didn’t previously exist they gravitate toward different kinds of storytelling. Even just the way stories are written, every part of our business conventions. We’re disrupting that, so why wouldn’t we disrupt it all?”

“Newsrooms have always had challenges, but now we have challenges in more public ways and I think that is good for our business. It’s going to make us better.”

Leadership lessons on the importance of transparency and newsroom culture

In response to the question “how do you define culture, and how can the Maynard 200 fellows use culture to their leadership advantage?” Merida said culture can serve newsrooms as a grounding principle for inclusion.

“I always think transparency can’t be underestimated. We have to have a lot more open conversations. As citizens of this workplace, what are we going to stand for? How are we gonna operate? What is the environment of inclusion? What do we do that brings ourselves closer to our community? Culture defines an environment where everybody is welcome, where we can accommodate all kinds of people.”

Merida closed the plenary session with a call to action that echoed the vision of the institute’s founder, Robert C. Maynard who declared in 1978, “We must desegregate this business…Newsrooms have a responsibility to cure the legacy of racism.” The Institute has trained three Maynard 200 cohorts, 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 Post, the Washington Informer, Mundo Hispanico, Queerency, Univision KDTV Bay Area, Nieman Journalism Lab, among many others. Some of them are also have been awarded grants for entrepreneurial media ventures. As the Maynard Family grows, the journalism industry becomes closer to curing the legacy of racism.

About Maynard 200 faculty and mentors

The Maynard 200 program is grateful to Kevin Merida and all members of this year’s faculty who led sessions and all who continue to serve as mentors. This year’s faculty is once again a high-caliber roster of 60+ executives in media and other relevant disciplines. Their expertise and representation mirror that of our fellows – of diverse heritage, geography across the United States and globally, affiliation at mainstream and ethnic media outlets as well as entrepreneurial ventures.

The Maynard 200 program includes three areas of focus: media entrepreneurship, executive leadership and storytelling. Each track is led by accomplished experts, and this year we are privileged to have media strategist Dickson Louie for media entrepreneurship, former newsroom C-suite executive Virgil Smith in executive leadership, and award-winning investigative reporter and author Aaron Glantz for storytelling. Dickson Louie and Virgil Smith serve on the institute’s board of directors as well.

Serving as track deputies this year are Emmanuel Martinez, data reporter at The Markup who was also a session speaker for Storytelling; and Waylae Gregoire, Partner, Head of Business Development at NextShark, for Media Entrepreneurship.

The Maynard Institute’s allies in the field have been instrumental in this year’s recruitment and selection of our stellar 2021 fellows including Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), Native American Journalists Association (NAJA), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Poynter Institute, the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York (CUNY), and Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ). Special thanks to IRE’s support for this year’s mentorship roster, which includes their distinguished board members and network partners.

The 2021 Maynard 200 Journalism Fellowship is supported by Google News Initiative, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Hearthland Foundation and the McClatchy Foundation.

The 2021 Faculty Roster

Plenary and Track Session Speakers:

• Kevin Merida – Executive Editor, Los Angeles Times / Board Member, Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
• Caroline Ceniza-Levine – Co-Founder, Dream Career Club
• Nicholas Whitaker – Well-Being and Mindfulness Coach
• Adriana Lacy – Freelance Journalist and Audience Strategist
• Jinah Kim – CEO and Founder, World Wise Productions/ NBC News correspondent
• Arthur Korteweg – Dean’s Associate Professor in Business Administration/Associate Professor of Finance and Business Economics, USC Marshall School of Business
• James Nixon – Vice President, Digital Product Management, Marketing Technology, Hilton
• Alison Saldanha – Data Reporter, NPR’s California Newsroom and the Seattle Times
• Emmanuel Martinez – Data Reporter, The Markup
• Catherine Eckstein – CEO, Cornerstone CMO / General Partner, Sonoran Founders Fund
• Tom Nixon – Owner, Tom Nixon Designs
• Sandra Clark – Vice President, News and Civic Dialogue, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia
• Katrice Hardy – Executive Editor, The Dallas Morning News

Mentors for Storytelling:

• Cheryl W. Thompson – Senior Editor, Station Investigations / Investigative Correspondent, NPR
• Monique O. Madan – National Investigative Reporter, USA TODAY
• Josh Hinkle – Director Investigations & Innovation / Political Host, KXAN/NBC Austin/Nexstar
• Deepa Fernandes – Correspondent / Senior Newsroom Advisor, Race and Equity, San Francisco Chronicle
• Priya Sridhar – Political Reporter, NBC San Diego
• Paul Radu – Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project [OOCRP]
• Yahya Abou-Ghazala – Production Assistant, CNN Investigates
• Jyoti Thottam – Senior Opinion Editor, The New York Times
• Alyssa Jeong Perry – Producer, NPR’s CodeSwitch
• Leslie Eaton – Senior Editor, Investigations, The Marshall Project
• John Harden – Data Reporter, The Washington Post
• Jazmine Ulloa – Congress / National Politics Reporter, The Boston Globe
• Jordan Rau – Senior Correspondent, Kaiser Health News
• AC Thompson – Staff Reporter, ProPublica
• Kamala Kelkar – Senior Investigations Editor, KPCC and LAist

Mentors for Executive Leadership:

• Joanne Po – Head of Multimedia Content / Executive Producer, Coin Desk
• Regina Reyes – Vice President, News & Current Affairs, ABS-CBN Channel 2 – Philippines
• Michael Days – Former Vice President Diversity and EIC, Philly Daily News / Partner, Editors on Call, LLC
• Sandra Clark – Vice President, News and Civic Dialogue, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia
• Katrice Hardy – Executive Editor, The Dallas Morning News
• Henry Furhmann – Retired / Former Editor, Los Angeles Times
• Susan Leath – COO, The GroundTruth Project / Board Member, MIJE
• Debra Addams Simmons – History and Culture Executive Editor, National Geographic/ Board Member, MIJE
• Christian (Chris) Hendricks – President, Local Media Consortium / Managing Partner, Extol Digital / Venture Partner, Impact Venture Capital / Board Member, MIJE
• Joe DiNunzio – Executive Director, Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, UC Davis
• Jose Carlos Zamora – Senior Vice President Strategic Communication, Univision News
• Amanda Barrett – Vice President/ Head of News Audience, The Associated Press/ M200 Alumna – Exec. Leadership-2019
• Maxie C. Jackson III – Chief Content Officer, New England Public Media / M200 Alumnus – Media Entrepreneurship-2019
• Ronnie Ramos – Executive Editor, Daily Memphian
• Adriana Lacy – Freelance Journalist / Audience Strategist

Mentors for Media Entrepreneurship:

• Aprill O. Turner – PR Strategist / Board Member, Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
• Bruce Koon – Former Public Media Executive, KQED / Consultant, Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
• Alli Joseph – Brand Evangelist / On-Camera Host / Journalist / Producer
• Ashley Alvarado – VP of Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, KPCC + Southern California Public Radio LAist ,
• Kim Bardakian – Senior Director, Partnerships, Kapor Center / Board Member, Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
• Mike McPhate – Founder, California Sun
• Alec Saelens – Manager, Solutions Journalism Network’s Revenue Project-SJN
• Jinah Kim – WorldWise Productions / Inventor, NIKO USA, LLC / Part-Time Correspondent, NBC News
• Roxann Stafford – Managing Director, The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund
• George Haj – President, Haj Media – Strategic Communications
• Marisa Porto – Assistant Dean of Administration, Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications – Hampton University / Former Publisher/Editor, Tribune Publishing’s Daily Press Media Group
• Sally Lehrman – CEO, The Trust Project
• Yasmin Namini – Digital Media Consultant + Advisor [Global]/ Former Chief Consumer Officer, The New York Times
• Candice Fortman – CEO / Executive Director, Outlier Media

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.

The Maynard 200 fellows reconvened virtually for their second week of intensive training, panel discussions, workshops, and mentorship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 fellows have been unable to gather in-person. To help foster connections in the virtual program, fellows were invited to submit video clips shot from their individual locations and share their thoughts on the Maynard 200 program.

One of the Maynard Institute’s core programs, the Maynard 200 Fellowship provides advanced training to mid-career journalists of color to prime them as candidates for higher leadership roles. The program is designed with three tracks: Storytelling, Media Entrepreneurship, and Executive Leadership. During the week of trainings, daily plenary sessions kicked off with a watch party of these brief compilation videos for all fellows, faculty, and mentors to enjoy together.

Maynard 200 Storytellers

Each track is led by accomplished experts, and this year we are lucky to have award-winning investigative reporter and author Aaron Glantz for the storytelling track. Fellows in this track include: Marina Affo, Stephanie Casanova, Angela Chen, Eleanore Catolico, Rommel Conclara, Ruslan Gurzhiy, Estephany Haro Thalia Juarez Sarah Mizes-Tan Herb Pinder Cortlynn Stark Jasmine Vaughn-Hall, Mark Walker, Dalia Hatuqa, and Sameea Kamal.

Fellow Stephanie Casanova, who recently joined The Chicago Tribune as Breaking News and Criminal Justice Reporter, said, “Maynard 200 has helped me be more confident and push aside the imposter syndrome that would have prevented me from applying to this job in the first place.”

Maynard 200 Executive Leaders

Led by former newsroom C-suite executive Virgil Smith, fellows in the executive leadership track include Stephen Angeles, Charmayne Brown , Anica Butler, Tripp J. Crouse, Gary Estwick, Samantha Guzman, Lottie Joiner, Ashton R. Lattimore, Khalilah E. Liptrot, Marian Liu, Michelle Faust Raghavan, Rajeswari Ramanathan, Ross Terrell, Benet J. Wilson, and Tasha Stewart.

“This Maynard experience has really underscored all the ways that journalists of color are too often undervalued in dominant newsrooms. It’s just been incredible to be in a room of people, virtual though it may be, where you really feel like you are seen and you are heard and your contributions are deeply appreciated,” said fellow Khalilah L. Liptrot, Senior Producer of the Black News Channel’s AMplified with Aisha Mills in New York.

Maynard 200 Media Entrepreneurs

Media strategist Dickson Louie leads the media entrepreneurship track for fellows Annie Guo VanDan, Pete Camarillo, Clarisa Strohmeyer, , Jenee Darden, Felicia Purcell, Delonte Harrod, Kevon Paynter, Hannah Kim, Anuz Thapa, Meena Thiruvengadam, Marvin Ramirez, datejie cheko green, Travers Johnson, and Michelle Garcia.

“I’m so thankful for the Maynard 200 because I’m in a space of people who are also innovating in journalism but we’re not doing this alone, we’re doing this together,” said fellow Kevon Paynter, Founder and CEO of Bloc by Block News.

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.

Executive editor of the LA Times will open the first day of training

Our opening reception will feature a fireside-style chat between Maynard Institute co-executive director, Martin Reynolds and Kevin Merida, executive editor for the Los Angeles Times. Merida is also a member of the Maynard Institute board of directors and an alumni of the Maynard Institute’s Editing Program.

One of the Maynard Institute’s core programs, the Maynard 200 Fellowship provides advanced training to mid-career journalists of color to prime them as candidates for higher leadership roles.

The program seeks out journalism professionals currently working in three areas of focus: entrepreneurship, executive leadership and storytelling. Each track is led by accomplished experts, and this year we are lucky to have award-winning investigative reporter and author Aaron Glantz for storytelling, media strategist Dickson Louie for media entrepreneurship and former newsroom C-suite executive Virgil Smith in executive leadership.

“The relentless uncertainty of our time made it necessary for us to pivot back to an all-virtual training week to keep all participants safe. But what remains unchanged is our commitment at Maynard 200 to deliver cutting-edge training, diverse frameworks and a year-long 1:1 mentorship, grounded in MIJE’s core values of equity and belonging,” said Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, director of the Maynard 200 program.

“We are again privileged as in previous fellowship years, with the caliber of our faculty and also mentors, matched 1:1 to our 44 fellows. They represent expertise not only from general market and ethnic media, but across various disciplines as well— which align in our mission of advancing the leadership power, change agency and authentic voice of our fellows,” she explained.

“We look forward to strengthening the strong spirit of community that we built together with our M200 cohort since our first training week,” Alcazaren-Keeley added.

Maynard 200 fellowship accelerates careers through mentorship

The 2021 fellows completed their first week of intensive training in April of this year, where they attended panels and discussions formulated to hone their skills. Our fellows have already made huge strides and career changes with the support of their track chiefs.

The Institute has trained two outstanding cohorts prior to the 2021 class, 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.

After the formal training, fellows are paired with a high-level journalist who has committed to mentoring the fellow for a year.

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 Associated Press announced new members of the senior News leadership team to ensure AP maintains its standing as the world’s preeminent fact-based news organization. Maynard Institute alum Amanda Barrett, previously AP’s Deputy Managing Editor, was promoted to Vice President and Head of News Audience in September 2021.

From the announcement:

“In this new role, Amanda will have a relentless focus on how AP’s news is consumed online, by consumers on AP News and customers on AP Newsroom, as well on social media. At the heart of Amanda’s job is the audience experience — those we reach through our customers and the audiences we are growing on our own platforms and social media accounts. Amanda will also continue to oversee the Nerve Center and play a leading role in AP’s diversity and inclusion efforts, with the goal of ensuring that these priorities are shared and implemented across News.”

Reflections on the Maynard Institute programs

We recently caught up with Amanda to congratulate her new role as AP’s Vice President and Head of News Audience. She reflected on the Maynard Institute’s programs that impacted her.

“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.” Amanda Barrett, VP and Head of News Audience, The Associated Press

In addition to the Maynard Academy, Amanda participated in the Maynard 200 Fellowship, one of the Institutes core programs that provides advanced training for mid-career journalists of color interested in leadership roles.

“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.” Amanda Barrett, VP and Head of News Audience, The Associated Press

Contributions as a longtime newsroom manager

Excerpt from feature originally published by AP:

“Barrett joined AP in New York in 2007 as a content coordinator, working with journalists across the company on interactive projects. She became deputy East editor in 2009, helping to establish a new regional desk in Philadelphia and lead AP’s coverage of 10 northeastern U.S. states.

Two years later, she returned to New York as city news editor, directing AP’s award-winning coverage of Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. In 2015, she moved to the Nerve Center as planning and administration manager and assumed leadership in 2017.

Barrett has played a critical role in coordinating news coverage of many of the biggest stories of recent years, including hurricanes Harvey and Maria, the #MeToo movement and the 2018 Winter Olympics. Barrett also serves as a leader of AP’s race and ethnicity reporting team.

Before joining AP, Barrett worked at Newsday, where she led a team of interactive journalists and managed the NYNewsday.com and amNY.com websites. She previously worked as a sports editor at the Orlando Sentinel and at the Roanoke Times in her hometown of Roanoke, Va.”