I spent my summer fellowship at THE CITY nonprofit newsroom in New York City, an online newspaper dedicated to high quality, high impact accountability and service journalism. I focused much of my fellowship reporting on public health, most acutely the opioid crisis and the health care systems surrounding the epidemic in New York City. My coverage ranged from the political complications of addiction care across different boroughs to in-depth accountability reporting on the pharmaceutical industry. I reported extensively on New York City’s lack of transparency around opioid settlement funds, the politics surrounding a new drug outbreak in Staten Island and tracked the progress of many other city public health initiatives. I also produced an investigation of a pharmaceutical company’s back-room campaign for a controversial product, opening up a questionable state contract process with serious health implications.

In addition to the public health beat, I dove in to help cover breaking news and consequential city events, such as a contentious rent board vote that resulted in eleven tenant organizers arrested and Governor Hochul’s decision to pause congestion pricing. I pitched and reported other longer accountability pieces across topics, most notably with a story about how an undercover "secret shopper program" run by the Mayor’s office helped to change the city budget on language access.

During my time at THE CITY, I really relied on the nitty-gritty reporting skills I had developed in my reporting and investigative techniques classes. I was able to sort through data sets to find stories, find and interview sources directly affected by the topics I was reporting on, and write clean copy on deadline. I used these skills to develop a beat reporting on public health and the opioid crisis, expanding on my newsroom adaptability and reporting collaboration skills. I used much of what I had learned in my investigative project class through the entirety of the internship, such as how to sift through public records and file Freedom of Information Law requests. The fellowship was a phenomenal learning opportunity, as I worked under accomplished reporters and editors with incredible tips and guidance. I greatly improved my news judgment while working with my direct supervisor, editor Hasani Gittens, who also helped me improve my writing style to produce more compelling pieces.

I often encountered obstacles while reporting, such as difficulty obtaining the right sources for a story, or making sense of a dense data set. Each challenge was a unique opportunity to problem solve as quickly as possible, as often challenges arose when on a time crunch or deadline. I appreciated the ability to collaborate with seasoned reporters and editors, who provided invaluable tips and guidance when obstacles arose.

In addition, while reporting on the opioid crisis, there were many moments when I was reporting on topics that were very emotionally charged for sources who have been directly impacted by the deadly epidemic. It was a difficult but important challenge to ensure I was engaging thoughtfully with different individuals’ personal stories, creating comfortable environments for sources to share freely and then most importantly, reporting their stories accurately and fairly.

This experience affirmed my desire to continue a career dedicated to accountability and impact-driven journalism. I cherished the opportunity to be a part of THE CITY’s distinctive newsroom and work with so many reporters and editors that I look up to as role models in this field — I learned tremendously from those around me. I really align with the goals of a local nonprofit newsroom to produce independent and integrous coverage across different communities. I plan to bring the journalistic ethics and standards I developed at THE CITY with me throughout my career. The fellowship also affirmed my commitment to reporting on health and industries with public health implications, and I am eager to use the skills I learned on this beat to report on other topics. I look forward to translating what I have learned in this experience to other newsrooms and teams, and I am very excited for what is to come.