Venue

: The Wyncote NW Forum
: 1119 8th Ave (Entrance off Seneca St.)
Seattle, 98101 United States + Google Map

Civics

The world of journalism is at a critical juncture, grappling with challenges that demand innovative solutions. News outlets face the uphill battle of maintaining their audience while navigating tighter budgets, resulting in job cuts that impact the industry. The proliferation of “fake news” has further eroded public trust in journalism, leaving news consumers feeling disillusioned, as if they’re missing vital pieces of the puzzle.

Cristi Hegranes has set out to reshape the landscape of international journalism. She has demonstrated that the key to reversing this unsettling trend is simple: change who gets to tell our stories. Embracing the talents of local reporters, uniquely positioned with proximity to events and access to diverse sources, leads to the delivery of fuller, more accurate stories that news consumers have yearned for.

In her book, Byline: How Local Journalists Can Improve the Global News Industry and Change the World, Hegranes presents a compelling argument that the restoration of trust in the entire industry hinges on international reporting driven by local voices. She argues that to bring this transformation to life, the industry must relinquish outdated assumptions about news preferences, storytellers’ rights, and the essence of security in the new era of journalism.

Cristi Hegranes is the founder and CEO of Global Press, a nonprofit news organization that trains and employs local women journalists in some of the world’s least-covered places. Cristi is the architect of the industry’s leading Duty of Care program for local women journalists, which was named one of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas of 2022 and received the Human Rights Prize from the American Psychiatric Association in 2020. She is also the lead author of the Global Press Style Guide, which elevates standards for dignified and precise language in international journalism. Cristi has taught journalism and social entrepreneurship courses at Stanford and Georgetown universities. Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Cristi now lives outside Washington DC with her toddler son, Henry.

Naomi Ishisaka is the Assistant Managing Editor for Diversity and Inclusion and the Social Justice Columnist for The Seattle Times. She is a journalist and photographer who focuses on racial equity and social justice.

Kudzai Mazvarirwofa is a Global Press Journal reporter based in Harare, Zimbabwe. She specializes in reporting on development and land reform. Born and raised in Kwekwe, a small town in central Zimbabwe, Kudzai earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.