The Evanston RoundTable will expand its coverage of social justice and race through a new partnership with the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University.
The prestigious journalism school has agreed to sponsor a reporting fellowship at the RoundTable to cover social justice and race. The one-year fellowship creates a full-time position at the RoundTable to cover this essential beat, and will be awarded annually to a recent graduate of Medill’s undergraduate or master’s in journalism program.
The first fellow joined the RoundTable this month. Debbie-Marie Brown graduated from Medill’s Master of Science In Magazine Journalism program in August; she completed her B.S. in Journalism in June, 2020, with a minor in African-American Studies.
At Northwestern, Ms. Brown served as editor-in-chief and creative director of BlackBoard Magazine, which covers topics of interest to the African American community on campus. She was the recipient of the journalism school’s Gertrude and G.D. Crain Award, which honors students in the Medill Magazine Publishing Project who exhibit outstanding management potential. She was an intern at In These Times and the Committee to Protect Journalists, and has contributed articles to the Chicago Reader, In These Times and Psych Central with Healthline.
“We are very excited about this fellowship, and our partnership with the Medill School, which will help expand and deepen our coverage of social justice and race in our community,” said Tracy Quattrocki, executive editor. “We’re looking forward to Debbie-Marie’s coverage of reparations, housing, education and other critical topics of importance to Evanston.”
Echoing those sentiments, Medill Dean Charles Whitaker said that he, too, is very excited about the partnership and the growing relationship between the school and the RoundTable. “We in Medill see our role not just as a great training ground for burgeoning reporters, but as a partner and resource for news outlets in the Chicago area and beyond.”
Follow Debbie-Marie Brown’s stories for the RoundTable. She can be reached at the RoundTable at dmb@evanstonroundtable.com.
So excited for this! Go Debbie, go!!!