Two years ago, I joined my student newspaper, ready to do work that I had dreamed of doing ever since I had entered college. I was 20, a junior and autistic. I struggled with assignments that weren’t clear, with expectations that I was supposed to know things – because my neurotypical peers did – or understand how to capture emotion. I struggled to perceive certain reactions … [Read more...] about Essay: Autistic photojournalism student prepares to enter a workforce that doesn’t yet understand neurodiversity
columbia college chicago
New documentary on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange highlights big stakes for all journalists
It has been four years this week since Julian Assange was imprisoned in London’s Belmarsh Prison, held in a legal battle over his extradition to the US on espionage charges for publishing classified military information. Although the Trump Administration brought the charges against the Australian-born Assange, the Biden Administration has indicated it plans to pursue them. … [Read more...] about New documentary on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange highlights big stakes for all journalists
The case for building better business journalism
Business journalism, if done well, is community journalism. The beats converge in stories about burgeoning small businesses, from a new grocery store that serves an underserved Hispanic community, to the giddy launch of a trading-card store. Business journalism seeks to answer the “why” behind the persistence of sexual harassment at restaurants. And it explores quirky … [Read more...] about The case for building better business journalism
It’s getting hard and harder to find a newspaper for sale
Late last month, my son and I were photographed outside of Columbia College Chicago for a story about my employer’s new policy limiting children on campus. The Chicago Tribune photographer captured him in a wrap on my back, his blue Vans untied and a floral mask covering his face. It was my baby’s first newspaper photo. I’m just old school enough that after I … [Read more...] about It’s getting hard and harder to find a newspaper for sale
News business is about death and imagination
I want to tell you a story about covering Congress in 2002 that doesn’t feel that long ago but my 18-year-old students at Columba College in Chicago would assure me otherwise. I wasn’t too much older than that when I started working for The Washington Post after graduate school. I was young, ambitious, serious and rigidly “old school.” I was covering several financial … [Read more...] about News business is about death and imagination