What just happened and where does journalism go from here? As news media organizations across the United States face the facts of the 2024 election, many journalism discussions have highlighted flawed assumptions about “the Latino vote” and “the Arab vote.” At a moment when US journalism seeks ways to regain credibility and move forward, join us for a virtual workshop on how solidarity reporting can help. By starting with people’s basic needs, representing division and disagreement within the same demographic group, and pushing for policy over personality politics, solidarity reporting provides a framework for a discussion that journalism sorely needs to have about how to serve the public, and who the public includes.

Speakers:

Anita Varma, Solidarity Journalism Initiative

Anita Varma leads the Solidarity Journalism Initiative at the Center for Media Engagement in Austin, Texas. Her work focuses on helping journalists improve coverage of marginalized communities. Anita's first book, Solidarity in Action: How Ethical Journalism Fights for Social Justice, is expected in May 2025.

Azeta Hatef, Emerson College

Azeta Hatef is a media researcher and award-winning instructor of journalism studies, based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her research focuses on social media as activism for underrepresented groups, gender and identity, and representation, with a specific focus on media and Afghanistan.

Briana Ureña-Ravelo, educator, organizer, reporter

Briana Ureña-Ravelo is an educator, organizer, cultural critic and semi-retired punk scenester from Michigan, currently based in the West Side of Chicago. Her interests include the Midwest, Afro-Latine culture and histories, Black and Indigenous resistance and futures, abolition, sweets, underground and DIY music scenes and her cat.

Solidarity Reporting Beyond “The Latino Vote” and “The Arab Vote”