Photo: Oakland Voices correspondents Randy Cross, Manar Harb, Patricia Morrow, Joy Quilatan, Tanna Simone, Nani Smith, Daniel Swafford, Ansel Troy, Vanessa Velasco, and Dera R. Williams.

This article was originally published on the Oakland Voices website.

Oakland Voices, a community-driven initiative, has launched its highly anticipated 2023 Community Journalism Academy, aiming to amplify the voices of Oakland residents and redefine the narrative about the town. This year, ten dedicated Oakland residents will participate in the program, acquiring essential journalism ethics, practices, and storytelling skills while contributing impactful stories to the Oakland Voices website.

Community Journalism Academy

This year’s program launched in May. The program curriculum includes training on journalism ethics, the Maynard Institute’s Fault Lines framework, news reporting, interviews, health- and arts & culture- reporting, and opinion/column writing.

Oakland Voices co-director Rasheed Shabazz developed the curriculum, building on the work of former program coordinator Brenda Payton. Working journalists support the program by leading workshops and sharing their experiences in the field and the newsroom. Most training takes place at Oakland Public Libraries.

Fostering passion, unique voices

“We have an amazing group this year,” exclaimed Shabazz, expressing his admiration for the passionate participants who deeply care about their communities, neighborhoods, and the issues affecting their loved ones. The program celebrates their dedication and seeks to empower them as they continue to hone their unique voices, effectively representing the diverse perspectives within Oakland.

Opportunities for Growth

“They are passionate about their communities, their neighborhoods, and the issues that matter to them and their loved ones,” Shabazz added. “I am grateful to work with them as they continue to develop their voices.”

When correspondents complete the program, they will develop a portfolio of stories and be eligible to join Oakland Voices’ alumni program, led by program co-director Momo Chang. Program alumni receive payment for contributing stories to the website along with support with publishing in other outlets.

Participants also earn up to $1,000 while in the academy.

The loss of local journalism in Oakland

With the decline in traditional newspapers and the struggle to adapt to the digital age, many local news outlets like the Oakland Tribune have ceased daily operations. As a result, residents have experienced a dearth of reliable, in-depth reporting on local events, issues, and government activities. This loss has had serious implications for civic engagement, community awareness, and accountability, as crucial stories and voices have been left untold and unheard in Oakland.

A Decade of empowerment

Oakland Voices has a remarkable history of helping fill this information gap since its inception in 2010. The program has trained over 70 community storytellers. These empowered voices have artfully conveyed the stories of their communities through print and online platforms, as well as radio broadcasts and live shows in partnership with KALW. The initiative’s roots in a collaboration with the Oakland Tribune newspaper have fostered its evolution as a unique, independent, and indispensable community news and information source.

Oakland Voices, Oakland futures

Looking ahead, the program plans to launch a podcast series in 2024, expanding its reach and enhancing storytelling opportunities. By 2030, Oakland Voices envisions training 100 Oakland community storytellers, aiming to bridge the gap caused by the loss of local news outlets and to continue serving as a powerful voice for the community.

2023 Community Journalism Academy:

-Randi Cross
-Manar Harb
-Patricia Morrow
-Joy Quilatan
-Tanna Simone
-Nani Smith
-Daniel Swafford
-Ansel Troy
-Vanessa Velasco
-Dera R. Williams

Oakland Voices is a program of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. The program has been supported by the California Endowment, Google News Initiative, and the Akonadi Foundation.

ABOUT THE MAYNARD INSTITUTE FOR JOURNALISM EDUCATION

For more than 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 support efforts to change the narrative about Oakland by providing journalism training and a platform to amplify the voices of Oakland residents.

Photo credit: Bob Schieffer College of Communication

The Maynard 200 Fellowship kicked off the program with its first training week grounded in the Maynard Institute’s core DEI and Belonging framework focused on dismantling structural racism in America’s newsrooms. The 49 fellows of 2023, coming from a range of media platforms including print, broadcast, multimedia and online arrived in Fort Worth, Texas in late June, ready to work toward change and with a dedication to transforming their newsrooms for equity.

Hosted by the program’s university partner – the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU) – media leaders representing diverse geographic, racial and ethnic backgrounds bonded not only in the swelter of a Texas heatwave, but also in the responsibility to bring the power of diversity, equity and belonging back to their newsrooms.

Since its inception in 2018, the Maynard 200 Fellowship has bolstered fellows’ leadership power and has contributed to the journalism industry’s impact by providing advanced training to mid-career media professionals. The curriculum is customized across learning tracks designed for investigative storytellers, frontline editors and managers, executive leaders and media entrepreneurs and product developers.

The tuition-free program’s in-person week of education and connection gave the media fellows an opportunity to participate in powerful discussions and collaborative projects that transform their work in the media world and shape their professional growth.

Session highlights from story-pitching to UX design

Fellows in three cohorts – frontline editors and managers, executive leaders and media entrepreneurs – also kicked off group projects with leading news organizations Mother Jones and Dallas News to create meaningful change in those newsrooms.

Incoming fellows are affiliated with a range of nationally recognized publications, community-powered media and emergent ventures including the New York Times, Oaklandside, KQED, Kansas City Defender and the Maynard Institute’s own community journalism training program Oakland Voices.

The fellows were collectively led through over 60 engaging training sessions delivered by 45 faculty members, some of whom were in previous Maynard 200 Fellowship cohorts. Breakout sessions were divided by the cohort tracks to share in the knowledge and skills of fellows on topics including investigative story-pitching, hands-on editing, media disruption, product strategies, financial leadership, talent recruitment and techniques for building resilience while reporting on traumatic events.

Before the in-person sessions, fellows were asked to complete the Gallup StrengthsFinder assessment. Jean Marie Brown, TCU’s Associate Professor of Professional Practice, held one-on-one sessions explaining to the fellows how to position their strengths in their work using their Gallup results.

The plenary large-group learning sessions included all fellows to foster learning from each other’s expertise and multi-layered perspectives. The goal of these sessions was to embrace each of the participants’ diverse backgrounds and life experiences.

In one session, consultant Adriana Lacy led the cohorts through a product development workshop demonstrating user interface interactions and customer experience.

Fellows react to Supreme Court decision during session

Every year, the Fault Lines® session is foundational to the Maynard 200 Fellowship curriculum. The Maynard Institute’s Fault Lines® DEI training methodology explains race, gender, sexual orientation, generation, geography and class, as they apply to journalists, newsroom collaboration and coverage. Co-led with TCU faculty Jean Marie Brown and the Maynard Institute’s Co-Executive Director Martin G. Reynolds, the training is based on addressing personal bias and asks the fundamental question: How can you be a dismantler of systemic racism in your organization?

During the Fault Lines® plenary session, just as Reynolds changed the slide to read “Are you ready to get uncomfortable?” faculty and fellows learned of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring affirmative action as unlawful, gutting race-conscious admissions at Harvard University and University of North Carolina with repercussions across the nation’s colleges and universities.

The news sparked an emotionally-charged and raw discussion surfacing lessons, personal experiences and remembrances of previous Supreme Court decisions impacting the daily lives of everyone in the room.

Maynard Institute Board Chair and Maynard 200 Fellowship faculty member and mentor, John X. Miller delivered an empowering speech reminding the editors, media entrepreneurs and journalists of their call to action and to use the decision as fuel for their newsrooms for change and equity. “Take that anger that you have…and turn it into action” he said.

“We recognize that we are in the position to be the change that we want to see in the world,” said Miller. “Feel as though you are empowered to make that change.”

What’s next for Maynard 200 Fellows

The Maynard 200 program adheres to an all-teach, all-learn framework where not only faculty members provide training, but all participants learn from each other’s expertise and multi-layered perspectives. It embraces each of the participants’ diverse backgrounds and life experiences.

A second and final training week will be held virtually in October 2023, when the storytellers, leaders, frontline editors and entrepreneurs will finalize their business case study projects, sharing their research and lessons learned during their time in the program.

Then, the Maynard 200 Fellowship program’s unique one-on-one mentorship component continues well into 2024. After the formal training curriculum concludes in October 2023, each Maynard 200 fellow is paired with a veteran media professional or issue expert who has committed to mentoring the fellow for a full year.

About the Maynard 200 Fellowship

Maynard 200 is the cornerstone fellowship program advancing the Maynard Institute’s efforts to expand the diversity pipeline in news media and dismantle structural racism in its newsrooms. It is designed for and serves the next generation of media leaders, storytellers, editors and entrepreneurs, in order to advance their career growth and leadership power in newsrooms and organizations. The professional development program provides customized training courses, resources and 1:1 mentorship by industry professionals, to fellows who have represented a wide spectrum of racial, gender and geographic backgrounds. Maynard 200 has been supported by Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Google News Initiative and The Hearthland Foundation.

Questions?

For more information about the Maynard 200 Fellowship, please reach out to:
Maynard 200 Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley at okeeley@mije.org.

The Maynard Institute congratulates Community Engagement Manager Ava M. Macha on her new role as Audience Engagement Editor – Underrepresented Communities at The Guardian US. Macha joined the Maynard Institute in December 2019 a few months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She quickly adapted to the social climate by building the institute’s digital presence and increasing the visibility of the organization during the civil rights protests of 2020. She helped produce the popular Belonging in the News webinar series, which featured guest speakers such as Nikole Hannah-Jones, Maria Hinojosa, Wesley Lowery, Versha Sharma and more.

When sharing the news of her new role, Macha expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the team and to contribute to the history of the Maynard Institute. “This amazing organization will continue to be so special to me, and has truly shaped my career trajectory,” said Macha.

Macha’s career journey since J-school

Currently based in Brooklyn, New York, Macha holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Southern California, but she remains loyal to the Northwest and her home state of Idaho. Prior to working with the Maynard Institute, Macha was the Visual Design Fellow for Santa Barbara-based social justice magazine, Pacific Standard. She also worked as the Audience Coordinator for Los Angeles-based data journalism website, Crosstown LA. In her role, she developed relationships with South LA neighborhood council leaders to understand their community’s crime reporting needs and presented them with monthly crime statistics.

When Macha joined the Maynard Institute team in late 2019, no one could have predicted the tumultuous year ahead. The skills and experience Macha gained at the institute helped her realize that what she loved most about journalism was audience engagement work. As a mission-driven organization dedicated to diversifying the media industry and helping journalists of color advance their careers, everyone at the Maynard Institute celebrates the next step in Macha’s journey with the Guardian US, where she will remain committed to bettering coverage and engagement with traditionally underserved communities.

Reinvigorating the Maynard Institute Community

Macha quickly grew her position beyond coordinating individual donors and alumni communications. She took on projects large and small. For her first 2 years at the institute, Macha served as the sole driver of the organization’s online presence. In 2020, she managed a website redesign project while growing our social media presence and establishing a bi-monthly email newsletter.

She continued to manage all the fundraising appeals, successfully growing the institute’s individual and recurring donor community. Macha also used her industry knowledge to leverage larger-scale funder relationships to strategically execute match challenges for greater impact.

Macha also represented the Maynard Institute in key stakeholder relationships such as the Maynard Institute’s partnership with OpenNews and the Online News Association, Vision25: Building Equity in Newsrooms. She was instrumental in creating a series of live webcasts on the topics of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging that featured industry thought leaders. More recently, Macha contributed to the Maynard Institute’s partnership with Politico by participating on the screening committee for the annual Politico Journalism Institute.

Photo: December 2022 Maynard Institute holiday happy hour mixer. Front row left to right: Jess Chou, Ava Macha, Thalía Juárez, Corinne Chin, Beena Raghavendran, Meena Ganesan. Back row left to right: Yasmin Namini, Manuel Smith, Anuz Thapa, Patricia Peart, Neena Satija, Stefanos Chen, Tekendra Parmar.

In 2022, as pandemic restrictions loosened and in-person convenings were re-established, Macha helped the institute produce successful networking receptions at key conventions. The Maynard Institute hosted popular happy hours at the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) convention in Los Angeles and the joint National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and National Association of Hispanic Journalists(NAHJ) convention in Las Vegas. Transitioning the Institute from virtual to in-person events was a huge lift, but Macha was up to the task.

What’s next for Macha and the Maynard Institute

In her new role at the Guardian US, Macha will focus on increasing audience diversity, both culturally and geographically, to increase the reach and engagement among underrepresented communities in the US. Her work at the Guardian is in some ways a continuation of her work at the Maynard Institute which supports wider newsroom efforts to create journalism that is more accurately representative of the US.

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 2023 Maynard 200 Fellowship launches on June 26 at the program’s university partner, the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas. Forty-five faculty members will lead over 60 engaging training sessions on professional development topics ranging from investigative story-pitching, hands-on editing, media disruption and product strategies to financial leadership, talent recruitment and techniques for building resilience while reporting on traumatic events. With this new class of 49 fellows, the Maynard Institute is on course to surpass its goal of cultivating 200 media leaders dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in journalism, in 2024.

Partners in the Lone Star State at TCU

This year’s program is made possible thanks to the generous partnership of Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU. The reception on Monday, June 26 will include a welcome address by Chair of the Journalism Department, Dr. Uche Onyebadi. The first full training day on Tuesday, June 27, will kick off with opening remarks by the Dean of TCU’s Bob Schieffer College of Communication, Dr. Kristie Bunton.

Long-standing TCU faculty member, Associate Professor of Professional Practice and Director of Student Media Journalism, Jean Marie Brown has also been instrumental in welcoming the Maynard 200 Fellowship. Brown is an expert in the Maynard Institute’s Fault Lines® training methodology that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in newsrooms. Under Brown’s tutelage, the Fault Lines® methodology has also been applied to in-depth community reporting by students at TCU 360, the official, student-produced journalism of the Journalism Department in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication.

“Hosting the Maynard 200 professional development training program further demonstrates our profound commitment toward upholding the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Dr. Uche Onyebadi, Chair of the Journalism Department.

“As a core value in our college, all of us in the journalism department strive to instill these principles in our students in and outside of classrooms. We believe that this program will reinforce the centrality of DEI in modern journalism practice and hope that all participants will use what they have learned to enhance the quality of their work in furtherance of the growth and relevance of the profession in our society.”

In addition to providing training session facility space, TCU is hosting both the welcome reception and a happy hour mixer at Lot 12, the rooftop bar of the Hyatt Place – TCU hotel. One of the lasting benefits of the Maynard 200 Fellowship is connecting with a network of journalists of colors and their allies. This community of peers and mentors can serve fellows throughout their careers.

Business case study project partners Mother Jones and Dallas Morning News

Last year, the Maynard 200 Fellowship piloted a new team project across multiple tracks under the direction of Executive-in-Residence, Dickson Louie. The project was a case study of the Los Angeles Times business strategy and culminated in fellows presenting their findings and recommendations to executives at the Los Angeles Times. The Maynard Institute is thrilled to announce that in 2023, the business case study challenge has expanded to include partners Mother Jones and the Dallas Morning News.

The business case study provides Maynard 200 Fellows with a unique opportunity to learn real-world application of evolving best practices in the industry. Participating fellows are briefed on challenges facing a present-day media organization. Team work will focus on market research and the development of proposed solutions to create a presentation to share with the news organization’s leadership at the October Maynard 200 gathering.

Meet the 2023 Maynard 200 Faculty

The Maynard 200 program is grateful to all members of the 2023 faculty and mentors. Each track is led by accomplished industry veterans such as Peabody award-winning journalist Aaron Glantz for investigative storytelling, former newsroom C-suite executive Virgil Smith for the leadership track, and retired senior editor John X. Miller for frontline editors and managers, and media strategist Dickson Louie for media entrepreneurs and product developers.

The full list of 2023 Maynard 200 faculty (alphabetized by first name) includes:

• A.C. Thompson, Senior Reporter with ProPublica, Correspondent for FRONTLINE
• Aaron Glantz, Bureau Chief & Senior Editor, The Fuller Project
• Adriana Lacy, Founder, CEO, Adriana Lacy Consulting
• Amy Chen, VP Content, GGV Capital
• Andy Alford, Director of Editorial Recruitment, Training and Career Development, The Texas Tribune
• April Armstrong, Research Manager, The Seattle Times
• Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Founder, Dream Career Club
• Cathy Eckstein, CEO of Cornerstone CMO, Co-founder, General Partner at Sonoran Founders Fund
• Darren Johnson, Organizational Development Consultant / Author
• Dickson Louie, Principal of Dickson Louie & Associates / Lecturer at Graduate School of Management, UC Davis
• Dorothy Bland, Media Management Consultant, DMB Consultants
• Ernesto Aguilar, Director of Programming, Radio, KQED
• Evelyn Hsu, Co-Executive Director, Maynard Institute
• Hilda Polanco, Market Managing Partner, BDO
• James Nixon, President, NIXON Interests
• Jean Marie Brown, Associate Prof. of Professional Practice, Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU
• Jill Van Why, Sr. Vice President-Programming Operations, FOX News Media
• John X. Miller, Former Senior Editor, Dallas Morning News
• Kari Cobham, Director of Fellowships, The 19th
• Kati Erwert, Senior Vice President of Product, Marketing and Public Service, The Seattle Times
• Katrice Hardy, Executive Editor, The Dallas Morning News
• Kristie Bunton, Dean and Professor of Journalism, Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU
• Laura Janelle Downey, Executive Editor, WebMD
• Leezel Tanglao, Senior Digital Director, The Dallas Morning News
• Linda Lloyd da Silva, Brand, Marketing & Communications Strategist
• Lorena Flores, Senior Community Audience Strategist, The Dallas Morning News
• Manny García, Executive Editor, Austin American-Statesman
• Manuel McDonnell Smith, Senior Editorial Manager Yahoo!
• Maria Carrillo, Consultant and Coach, Carrillo & Associates
• Marisa Porto, Distinguished Professor and Knight Chair in Local News and Sustainability University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
• Mark Walker, Investigative Reporter, The New York Times
• Marla Jones-Newman, VP, People & Culture, Mother Jones
• Martin G. Reynolds, Co-Executive Director, Maynard Institute
• Michael Sherrod, William M. Dickey Entrepreneur in Residence, Neeley School of Business at TCU
• Monika Bauerlein, CEO, MOTHER JONES
• Monique O. Madan, National Investigative Reporter, USA TODAY
• Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, Director Maynard 200, Maynard Institute
• Rebecca Aguilar, Freelance Reporter and Founder, Latinas in Journalism
• Sandra Clark, CEO, StoryCorps
• Shaneen Quarles, Media Personality and Entrepreneur, Shaneenspeaks
• Tom Huang, Assistant Managing Editor, The Dallas Morning News
• Tom Nixon, Presentation Designer & Coach, Tom Nixon Design
• Travers Johnson, Founder & CEO, Queerency
• Uche Onyebadi, Chair of Journalism and Professor, Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU
• Virgil Smith, Principal, Smith Edwards Groups LLC

To learn more about the Maynard 200 Faculty, read their bios (PDF)

Learn more about the Maynard 200 Faculty and Partners of 2023

Interested in learning more this year’s faculty? Get to know the 45 media leaders joining the fellowship in 2023.

Read their bios

About the Maynard 200 Fellowship

Maynard 200 is the cornerstone fellowship program advancing the Maynard Institute’s efforts to expand the diversity pipeline in news media and dismantle structural racism in its newsrooms. It is designed for and serves the next generation of media leaders, storytellers, editors and entrepreneurs, in order to advance their career growth and leadership power in newsrooms and organizations. The professional development program provides customized training courses, resources and 1:1 mentorship by industry professionals, to fellows who have represented a wide spectrum of racial, gender and geographic backgrounds. Maynard 200 has been supported by Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Google News Initiative and The Hearthland Foundation.

Questions?

For more information about the Maynard 200 Fellowship, please reach out to:
Maynard 200 Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley at okeeley@mije.org.

The 2023 Maynard 200 Fellows (clockwise from top left) Investigative Storytellers: Natalia Alamdari, Dorine Bethea, Janet Cho, Sheila Dang, Angela Dennis, Rachel Hinton, Troy Johnson, Michael Lyle, Josh McGhee, Jaisal Noor, Kaila Philo, Farida Jhabvala Romero, Helina Selemon, and Kristoffer Tigue; Frontline Editors and Managers: Diego Barahona, Scott Bell, April Bethea, Momo Chang, Melinda Coleau, Nia Decaille, Karim Doumar, Christine Hendricks, Yihyun Jeong, Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera, Daniel Moattar, Angelica Obioha, Rheaa Rao, and Walter Smith Randolph; Executive Leaders: Eva-Marie Ayala, Cynthia Benjamin, Khary Brown, Tercius Tarcisius Serrano Bufete, Rachel James-Terry, Nina Martin, Nicole Ortiz, Megha Satyanarayana, Jacob Simas, Ashley M. Slayton, Matthew Tinoco, and Michelle Zenarosa; Media Entrepreneurs and Product Developers: Priya David Clemens, Brandy Collins, Jazmin Goodwin, Ahmed Hamid, Caron LeNoir, Alicia Ramirez, Karina Ramos Villalobos, Ryan Sorrel, and Wendy Todd.

OAKLAND, CA (June 1, 2023): The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding diversity in the news media and dismantling structural racism in newsrooms, announced today the recipients of its 2023 Maynard 200 Fellowship. Since the program’s inception in 2018, more than 140 storytellers, editors, managers, leaders, and media entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds have been trained and mentored. With its latest class of 49 fellows, the Maynard Institute is on course to surpass its goal of cultivating 200 media leaders dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in journalism, in 2024.

The 2023 in-person program will open June 26th, hosted by the program’s university partner this year, the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas.

A second week of training will be held virtually from October 23-27, when fellows will be paired with industry veterans and experts for ongoing, one-to-one mentorship.

“This year’s Maynard 200 fellows join a community of journalists who have ascended into executive-level roles; received awards for coverage; led diversity initiatives that have shifted newsroom cultures; and launched innovative entrepreneurial ventures, many of which bolster local journalism,” said Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, Maynard 200 Director.

“We welcome another impressive class of 49 media leaders, representing diverse gender, geographic, racial and ethnic backgrounds; and are affiliated with legacy, ethnic, community-powered media and emergent ventures. They join the community of peers that we build every year, propelling a mini-movement to dismantle systemic inequity in American media. Our fellows contribute to a program that an industry ally has referred to as one of the most powerful incubators for journalists of color.” Alcazaren-Keeley added.

“Our graduates are reshaping American journalism,” said Maynard Institute co-executive director Evelyn Hsu. “This program is part of the Maynard Institute’s long record of service to a craft that is critical to the health of a functioning democracy.”

The 2023 Maynard 200 cohort includes:

Investigative Storytelling Fellows pictured (clockwise from top left) include Natalia Alamdari, Dorine Bethea, Janet Cho, Sheila Dang, Angela Dennis, Rachel Hinton, Troy Johnson, Michael Lyle, Josh McGhee, Jaisal Noor, Kaila Philo, Farida Jhabvala Romero, Helina Selemon, and Kristoffer Tigue.

Investigative Storytellers

• Natalia Alamdari – Seacrest Greater Nebraska Reporter, Flatwater Free Press
• Dorine Bethea – Multiplatform Editor, The Washington Post / Journalism Educator, Howard University
• Janet Cho – Reporter, Barron’s
• Sheila Dang – Media and Advertising Reporter, Reuters
• Angela Dennis – Race, Equity, Social Justice Reporter, USA Today Network- Knoxville News Sentinel
• Rachel Hinton – Enterprise Reporter, Illinois Answers Project
• Troy Johnson – News Anchor, 16 WAPT News – Hearst Television
• Michael Lyle – Reporter, Nevada Current (States Newsroom)
• Josh McGhee – Reporter, Mindsite News
• Jaisal Noor – Independent Journalist/Democracy Cohort Manager, Solutions Journalism Network
• Kaila Philo – Investigative Reporter, previously for Talking Points Memo
• Farida Jhabvala Romero – Labor Correspondent, KQED Public Radio
• Helina Selemon -Science Reporter, The Blacklight, New York Amsterdam News
• Kristoffer Tigue – Reporter, Inside Climate News

Editors and Managers Fellows pictured (clockwise from top left) include Diego Barahona, Scott Bell, April Bethea, Momo Chang, Melinda Coleau, Nia Decaille, Karim Doumar, Christine Hendricks, Yihyun Jeong, Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera, Daniel Moattar, Angelica Obioha, Rheaa Rao, and Walter Smith Randolph.

Frontline Editors and Managers

• Diego Barahona – Digital Editor, La Noticia
• Scott Bell – Breaking News Editor, Dallas Morning News
• April Bethea – Deputy Education Editor, The Washington Post
• Momo Chang – Co-Director, Oakland Voices
• Melinda Coleau – Planning Manager, NBC4/T44, NBC Universal WRC / NBC4
• Nia Decaille – SEO Editor, The New York Times
• Karim Doumar – Deputy Editor, Newsletters, Los Angeles Times
• Christine Hendricks – VP, Marketing, Local Media Consortium
• Yihyun Jeong – Deputy Metro Editor, The Seattle Times
• Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera – Education and Urban Affairs Editor, The Texas Tribune
• Daniel Moattar – Articles Editor, Mother Jones
• Angelica Obioha – Managing Editor, The Sacramento Observer
• Rheaa Rao – Markets Editor, Bloomberg
• Walter Smith Randolph – Investigative Editor, Connecticut Public Broadcasting

Executive Leadership Fellows pictured (clockwise from top left) include Eva-Marie Ayala, Cynthia Benjamin, Khary Brown, Tercius Tarcisius Serrano Bufete, Rachel James-Terry, Nina Martin, Nicole Ortiz, Megha Satyanarayana, Jacob Simas, Ashley M. Slayton, Matthew Tinoco, and Michelle Zenarosa.

Executive Leaders

• Eva-Marie Ayala – Education Lab Editor, The Dallas Morning News
• Cynthia Benjamin – Senior Director/News Learning & Development, Gannett-USA Today Network
• Khary Brown – Vice President Media Sales, Mother Jones
• Tercius Tarcisius Serrano Bufete – Executive Editor, USA Today – Reviewed
• Rachel James-Terry – Director of Public Relations, Jackson State University
• Nina Martin – Features Editor/Reporter, Center for Investigative Reporting
• Nicole Ortiz – Freelance Editor/ Former Sr. Story Editor, Adweek
• Megha Satyanarayana – Chief Opinion Editor, Scientific American
• Jacob Simas – Managing Editor, The Oaklandside (Cityside Journalism Initiative)
• Ashley M. Slayton – Audience Development Editor, The Dallas Morning News
• Matthew Tinoco – Publisher, Los Angeles Public Press
• Michelle Zenarosa – Deputy Editor, Reckon Media

Media Entrepreneurs and Product Developers Fellows pictured (clockwise from top left) include Priya David Clemens, Brandy Collins, Jazmin Goodwin, Ahmed Hamid, Caron LeNoir, Alicia Ramirez, Karina Ramos Villalobos, Ryan Sorrel, and Wendy Todd.

Media Entrepreneurs and Product Developers

• Priya David Clemens – Founder, Bridge Media Company / News Anchor, KQED Public TV
• Brandy Collins – Freelance Writer & Alumna, Oakland Voices/ Consultant
• Jazmin Goodwin – Founder and CEO at Stealth Startup
• Ahmed Hamid – Co-Founder, Refound Journalism
• Caron LeNoir – Founder & Executive Producer, CARONISMedia Group
• Alicia Ramirez – Founder/ Publisher, The Riverside Record
• Karina Ramos Villalobos – Founder, Mundo De Scorpio/ Multimedia Journalist, Redwood News
• Ryan Sorrel – Founder & Executive Editor, The Kansas City Defender
• Wendy Todd – Founder, Carbon Media Ventures. LLC/ PR Writer, University of Missouri–St. Louis

Read the bios for the 2023 Maynard 200 Fellows(PDF)

Maynard 200 has been supported by Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Google News Initiative and The Hearthland Foundation.

Learn more about the Maynard 200 Fellows of 2023

Interested in learning more this year’s fellows? Get to know the 49 media leaders joining the fellowship in 2023.

Read their bios

About the Maynard Institute

For more than 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 America’s newsrooms through our Maynard 200 fellowship program, which gives media professionals of color the tools to become skilled storytellers, empowered executives and inspired entrepreneurs.

About the Maynard 200 Fellowship

Maynard 200 is the cornerstone fellowship program advancing the Maynard Institute’s efforts to expand the diversity pipeline in news media and dismantle structural racism in its newsrooms. It is designed for and serves the next generation of media leaders, storytellers, editors and entrepreneurs, in order to advance their career growth and leadership power in newsrooms and organizations. The professional development program provides customized training courses, resources and 1:1 mentorship by industry professionals, to fellows who have represented a wide spectrum of racial, gender and geographic backgrounds.

Visit PR Newswire press release.

Questions?

For more information about the Maynard 200 Fellowship, please reach out to:
Maynard 200 Director, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley at okeeley@mije.org.

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.

Thi Bui and Momo Chang on stage at Chapter 510. Photo credit: Brandy Collins, Oakland Voices alum ’19

On May 11, Oakland Voices alums gathered for an inspiring talk with Oakland-based author and illustrator, Thi Bui. Bui is best known for her graphic novel, The Best We Could Do, which debuted in 2017 and received many accolades including a 2017 National Book Critics Circle Award nomination. The novel tells the story of her family’s journey from Vietnam as refugees to the United States. Bui imparted powerful lessons for Oakland Voices correspondents about accessible storytelling and navigating cultural institutions that may not value the perspectives of immigrant authors and audiences.

The Work of Illustrator and Author Thi Bui

Bui is also a children’s book illustrator, including a collaborative project between herself and her son, and Pulitzer Prize Winner author Viet Thanh Nguyen and his son, titled Chicken of the Sea. She also illustrated poet Bao Phi’s children’s book, A Different Pond. Her most recently illustrated book is Finding Papa, written by Angela Pham Krans, which was released in February.

Bui is working on her next graphic novel, focusing on immigration detention and deportation, to be published by One World, Random House.

Holding Space for Creativity

The event was held at Chapter 510, a nonprofit organization based in Oakland that focuses on youth poetry, writing, and publishing. The organization was previously located on Telegraph Avenue, and reopened in the new space in Old Oakland in 2021 during the pandemic. The event was kicked off with an introduction by Oakland Voices Co-Director Momo Chang, and then Oakland Voices alum Marabet Morales Sikahall, program and community manager at Chapter 510.

Bui was a founding teacher at Oakland International High School, serving Oakland’s newly arrived immigrants and refugees. She worked on The Best We Could Do, which she shares was a decade-long process, while raising a young child during school holidays and weekends.

Oakland Voices and the Maynard Institute purchased copies of The Best We Could Do from Eastwind Books of Berkeley, which were then given to alumni members at the event. Bui stayed to sign everyone’s books. Catering was provided by Cafe Gabriela in downtown Oakland.

Lessons from Bui’s Artistic Journey

During the event, Bui connected with alumni members on many topics, from researching a topic, to writing and storytelling. Many members were also curious about book publishing.

One rumor she wanted to clear up right away is that she had art and drawing experience previous to making The Best We Could Do. Bui has a degree in art, including being a teaching assistant in figure drawing as an undergraduate. “I drew a lot!” she told the Oakland Voices audience. She was mostly self-taught in comics drawing and sought out mentors in this field.

When sharing how her fine arts degree influenced her success as a graphic novelist, Bui was frank about the lack of support she received from some professors. She shared how her work was often critiqued as “too narrative.”

Moreover, when she tried to defend her artwork as an expression of her identity as an Asian American, her professor dismissed her by saying, “Why should I care about your Asian American identity?”

Since that time, Bui said that the fine art world has begun to embrace more accessible art forms such as graphic novels as well as voices of underrepresented communities of color.

Her story reinforced just how valuable programs like Oakland Voices are to lifting up storytellers from diverse backgrounds.

Check out the Oakland Voices website for an in-depth Q&A and photo gallery from the event coming soon.

About Oakland Voices

Oakland Voices emerged from a partnership between the Oakland Tribune and the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. Oakland Voices connects correspondents with more than a dozen media professionals to teach correspondents. Participants work individually and in teams, creating content for the Oakland Voices website, which can also be published elsewhere. The collaborative, applied learning approach means correspondents quickly become aware of their power and responsibility as storytellers, and as members of the media.

The latest cohort of new Oakland Voices correspondents began the 6-month program in May 2023. If you want to support their success, donate to the Maynard Institute today!

NEW BOOK RELEASE — From the Kettering Foundation website: We live in a time of deep distrust―of each other, the media, and institutions of all kinds. In this volume of essays, innovative journalists from newspapers, public radio, civic media groups, and new media collectives examine how we’ve reached this point. The loss of newspapers and fracturing of the information ecosystem have weakened our sense of a shared identity, but many people have long felt excluded, misrepresented, and unable to see themselves and their experiences reflected in news reporting. These essays highlight opportunities that are emerging as old practices give way to the new demands of an engaged, diverse, and restive public. They call on us to create a more inclusive democratic narrative that better captures the rich diversity of our nation and its complicated history.

Martin G. Reynolds, “Dismantling Systemic Racism in News”

During the summer of 2020, the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sent shockwaves across America. Newsrooms and the journalists in them also felt the shock. Martin Reynolds, former managing editor and editor in chief of the Oakland Tribune and co-executive director of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, was one of them. Even though he saw himself “in Floyd, in Taylor, and in the faces of countless other people of color who had been slain by police,” his initial instinct was to maintain his objectivity and to frame these events through the lens of a media professional and not a Black man with a Black son. Reynolds examines this experience and suggests some ways the dismantling of systemic racism in newsrooms might begin.

Read more about the other essays on the Kettering Foundation website and get your copy today!

The POLITICO Journalism Institute (PJI) announced its 10th cohort in partnership with the Maynard Institute and American University. The program is designed to provide hands-on training and experience for college students interested in pursuing a career in political journalism.

One of the primary goals of PJI is to promote diversity in the field of political journalism, and the Maynard Institute has been a longstanding and critical partner of the program. The program seeks to attract students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. In particular, PJI aims to encourage students from underrepresented communities to apply.

The program is highly competitive, with only a select group of students chosen each year from a large pool of applicants. Students who are accepted attend an intensive two-week training course at American University in Washington, D.C. and the POLITICO newsroom in Arlington, Va., where they learn about the intricacies of political journalism from some of the best in the field. This year, some students will participate from POLITICO’s bureaus in Sacramento, Calif., and New York City.

“The Maynard Institute is proud to be a founding and continuing partner in the POLITICO Journalism Institute as it increases opportunities for students who represent a cross-section of this country and the full range of its colleges and universities,” said Evelyn Hsu, institute co-executive director. “Congratulations to our alums and partners on this 10th anniversary.”

PJI has been highly successful in helping students launch careers in political journalism. Many graduates of the program have gone on to work at major news outlets, including POLITICO itself. Others have landed jobs at newspapers, magazines, and broadcast media organizations across the country.

Overall, the POLITICO Journalism Institute is a valuable resource for aspiring political journalists who are looking to gain real-world experience and learn from some of the best in the business. By providing students with the skills, knowledge, and connections they need to succeed, PJI, American University and the Maynard Institute are continuing to shape the future of political journalism in the United States and beyond.

Congratulations to the POLITICO Journalism Institute’s 2023 Class!

Based in Washington, DC:

• Punya Bhasin – University of Pittsburgh
• Monica Carrillo-Casas – University of Idaho
• Leah Clark- Xavier University of Louisiana
• Kate Corliss – American University
• Rocio Fabbro – New York University
• Olivia Gyapong – University of Missouri
• Rachel Hale – University of Wisconsin
• Jacqueline Hernandez – University of Richmond
• Melina Khan – Quinnipiac University
• Simon Levien – Harvard University
• Ayah Mahana – George Washington University
• Ifeoluwa Olatona – Howard University
• Juan Pablo Lopez – University of Central Florida
• Daryl Perry – University of Maryland
• Keara Shannon – University of Missouri
• Kacie Yamamoto – University of Southern California (USC)

Based in California:

• Annie Bang – University of Southern California (USC)
• Saliha Bayrak – University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• Layla Brown Clark – DePauw University
• Forest Hunt – Evergreen State College

Based in New York:

• Kyla Guilfoil – Manhattan College
• Meghana Kakubal – New York University
• Tori Morales Pinales – New York University
• John Underhill – University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Read the POLITICO press release.

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.

The Maynard Institute joins Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in congratulating the latest winners of the Shaufler Prize in Journalism. Momo Chang, the Maynard Institute’s Oakland Voices Co-Director, participated on the panel of judges. Winners in the professional and student categories will be recognized on March 23 during an awards ceremony at the Cronkite School. The event will also be streamed as a Cronkite Live special event via YouTube.

Congratulations Winners

The top prize in the 2022 Shaufler Prize in Journalism professional category has been awarded to Aydali Campa of Inside Climate News for the three-part series titled “The Superfund Site Next Door: Toxins and Mistrust in Atlanta.” Second place in the professional category was awarded to writer Jamie Smith Hopkins of the Center for Public Integrity, and a podcast team with Transmitter Media for “The Wealth Vortex,” a longform story and an accompanying five-episode podcast. The data based investigation from the Center for Public Integrity titled “Cheated at Work” received third place.

The top prize in the student journalism category went to “Mega Billions: The Great Lottery Wealth Transfer,” produced by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland.

An honorable mention designation was awarded to the New York Times for “Overlooked No More,” a series of obituaries about remarkable people from underrepresented communities whose lives and deaths previously went uncovered by the Times.

About the Shaufler Prize

The Shaufler Prize was established by Paul B. Anderson, the principal & CEO of Workhouse Media in Seattle, Washington to honor his late friend, Ed Shaufler, who died in late 2020. Shaufler cared deeply about promoting understanding of underrepresented people. The prize recognizes America’s best journalism advancing the understanding of stories and issues related to underserved people in society, such as communities of color, immigrants and LGBTQ+. Cash awards range from $2,000 to $10,000 across two categories of student journalism and professional media.

Entries were judged by journalism professionals and educators. Judges for the 2022 Shaufler Prize:

• Momo Chang
• Marie Dillion
• Adrianne Flynn
• Kristin Gilger
• Nora Lopez
• Evelyn Larrubia
• Nikki McClaran
• Toluse Olorunnipa
• Jeffrey Timmermans

Judges considered how well the submissions provided in-depth coverage of issues affecting communities of color, immigrants or LGBTQ+. Winning submissions went beyond the ordinary in conveying the challenges experienced by underserved communities. Read more about the award eligbility and criteria on the Cronkite School website.

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. Donate to support our programs.