This Earth Day, we are honored to highlight three Report for America corps members who, through their reporting, bring attention to overlooked environmental issues, empower communities to demand accountability, and keep the climate conversation at the forefront of policymaking. These corps members spoke with us about the importance of environmental coverage in their communities.
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Colleen Cronin is a third-year corps member based in Rhode Island, reporting on environmental issues in rural areas of the state. Most municipalities outside of Providence are rural and face environmental concerns. Her reporting has focused on a range of climate and environmental issues, including PFAs in drinking water, Indigenous ties to the environment and sustainable transportation. Cronin told us she appreciates that her work directly impacts her community. “I feel fortunate that a lot of my (and my team’s) environmental reporting has engaged community members, informing them about initiatives or policy changes that they hadn’t known about and in some cases allowing them to get involved when they wouldn’t have otherwise,” she said.
Read Cronin’s story about unpaved wintery bike lanes impacting cyclists’ commutes. Follow her work here.
Audrey Mei Brown is a first-year corps member based in California who covers environmental health equity and corporate accountability in the San Francisco Bay Area. Brown’s reporting often focuses on low-income communities of color who are disproportionately affected by environmental pollution. Brown says that as an environmental reporter, they are in a unique position to bring people with different perspectives together to work towards the same goals.
“The sources I talk with — from researchers to community members to regulators to polluters — are often siloed from other people who touch the same problem,” they said. “Journalism can help illuminate complex environmental problems not only for the general public but also for the people embroiled in them.”
Read Brown’s story about toxic waste cleanups in marginalized communities and follow their work here.
Avery Martinez is a second-year corps member based in Missouri, reporting on water and agricultural issues across the state. As an environmental TV journalist, Martinez has a unique beat assignment, since many TV journalists usually cover breaking news. Martinez says this allows him to spend time on research, weaving through mountains of data and paperwork to develop a two-minute segment. According to Martinez, informing his community about impactful environmental issues has been extremely rewarding. “In the current era, especially as we see drastic federal changes to the EPA, USDA and other science groups — it’s more important than ever for environmental reporting to be out in the open and near the top of the fold,” he said. “[…]If we don’t focus and bring more awareness to these concerns, it could have long-lasting impacts far beyond anything we envision today.”
Read Martinez’s story about two Missouri farmers who went viral on TikTok for sharing how USDA grant cuts affect them and the industry and follow his work here.