Prior to joining The Mississippi Free Press, Schafer worked as a freelance reporter for The Washington Post where she covered the extradition hearings for Luigi Mangione. She also served as editor-in-chief and business manager of Penn State’s student newspaper The Daily Collegian. During her time as a student journalist she also completed an independent reporting project where she covered the criminalization of domestic and sexual violence in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She is graduating from Penn State Schreyer Honors College with degrees in public relations, global and international studies and women’s, gender and sexuality studies as well as a minor in spanish.
Beat: Reporting in the Mississippi Gulf Coast News Bureau
Our Gulf Coast bureau reporter will expand our coverage of immigrant and working-class perspectives in our new bureau there, which is one of the most diverse regions of the state with myriad cultures beyond Black and white. This reporter will create strong connections with the Coast’s Vietnamese and broader Gulf communities with journalism to deepen our understanding of the region’s complex social, economic, and environmental dynamics and needs. As a result, our newsroom is expanding our audience and trust in the region. The reporter will serve as a vital bridge between the MFP and coastal residents, enhancing our coverage of the region’s resilience in the face of natural disasters, environmental challenges, and housing and development challenges.