Knight Center crew attends Society of Environmental Journalists conference

Knight Center director Eric Freedman and research director Bruno Takahashi led a delegation of six students to the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference at the University of Illinois Chicago.

This year’s theme was Health, Humanity and Climate Change: The Systems That Sustain Us.

Participating students were Iasmim Amiden dos Santos, Anna Ironside, Tori Witke, Cate Kim, Lily Williams and Akia Thrower. They’ll be writing articles for the Knight Center website drawn from the conference’s workshops, field visits, presentations and panel discussions.

Retired Knight Center director Jim Detjen, a cofounder and first president of SEJ, also attended.

MSU contingent at SEJ

This photo shows the Knight Center crew with MSU alumni Brian Bienkowski, Ruth Thornton, Joe Koenig, Chioma Lewis, Emelia Askari and Gabby Nelson.

High schools receive environmental journalism grants

By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira

The Knight Center has awarded grants to four Michigan high schools to support collaboration between their journalism and environmental science classes. Their projects bring together scientific research and student storytelling while also connecting schools with professional mentors who guide the work.

The grants go to:

Manchester Junior/Senior High School in Manchester for a project centered on its long- running greenhouse program. Environmental science students grow and care for plants while learning sustainable practices, and journalism students document the process through stories, photo essays and video reports. The content will be shared through school publications, social media and local outlets, providing information to the community about sustainable agriculture and student work.

The teachers are Randy Smith and Carla Zygner.

The School at Marygrove in Detroit for a project focused on studying a natural area known as The Grove. Environmental science students research the health of the ecosystem and track environmental changes over time, while journalism students create multimedia stories to make those findings accessible to a broader audience. The project aims to raise awareness and encourage better environmental decision-making in the community

The teachers are Kerry Williams and Alistair Bomphray. Continue reading →

From MSU student to media leader: Susan Goldberg returns to inspire future journalists

By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira

Award-winning journalist Susan Goldberg, the president and CEO of GBH and former editor-in-chief of National Geographic, returned to the MSU campus to speak with students, faculty and community members at the Neal Shine Ethics Lecture.

Susan Goldberg speaking on March 10th at MSU’s WKAR

Goldberg’s visit was part of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism’s commemoration of the 30th anniversary of environmental journalism at MSU.

Her talk at the WKAR TV studio focused on the power of storytelling and the responsibility journalists have to deliver accurate, meaningful information to the public.

“There is nothing more important than telling accurate, important, timely stories that shine a light into dark corners so problems can be fixed,” Goldberg told the audience.

The annual lecture honors the legacy of Neal Shine, a former publisher and editor of the Detroit Free Press who championed ethical journalism and public service reporting.

Goldberg’s talk, “Storytelling that Matters,” centered on how journalists can better communicate complicated issues such as science and climate change. She outlined principles for effective storytelling, including finding ways to make audiences care, sparking curiosity and focusing on solutions instead of only highlighting problems. Continue reading →

MSU Latinx Film Festival returns with international films, music and conversations

By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira

The MSU Latinx Film Festival (LxFF), cosponsored by the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, returned Feb. 19 -22 for its fourth edition, bringing international cinema, live music and conversations about immigration, environmental justice and identity to Michigan State University and venues across Lansing.

Attendees watch a film at MSU’s Latinx Film Festival. Credit: Scott Boehm.

Founded in 2018 by Scott Boehm, an assistant professor of 20th and 21st Spanish culture, the festival has grown from six films over four days into the largest Latino, Hispanic and Latin American film festival in Michigan. Nearly all of this year’s films were Michigan premieres, and more than half were Midwest premieres.

Several selections were previously screened at major international festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival. Boehm said many of the films had only one or two screenings in the United States before arriving in East Lansing.

“What you’ll find is something you would expect to see in New York or Miami or Houston or San Diego or LA,” Boehm said. “But it’s in Lansing.”

This year’s lineup featured 12 full-length films and shorts from Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Spain and the United States. Topics included immigration, racism, U.S. militarism in Latin America, child sex trafficking, class, ageism and environmental justice.

Environmental justice has become a permanent part of the festival’s programming. Boehm said the climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues facing the planet and that Indigenous and marginalized communities often feel its effects first. Continue reading →