Prior to joining Open Vallejo, Hopkins was a reporting fellow at Inside Climate News, where she wrote feature stories on environmental justice, and an editorial intern at FRONTLINE, where she assisted with the production of long-form investigative documentaries. She previously worked as an investigator, writer and editor for public interest legal organizations, including the ACLU. Inspired by the intersections of science, law and public policy, she completed a master’s in science journalism at MIT. She is the recipient of the Taylor/Blakeslee University Fellowship from the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing and MIT’s S. Klein Prize for Scientific Writing for the Public. She was raised in a bilingual family in California, is fluent in Spanish and is a proud graduate of California public schools.
Beat: Investigative reporter covering Vallejo government, corruption, and underreported community issues
The reporter will focus primarily on investigating and reporting on local government institutions, particularly Vallejo police.The City of Vallejo's government has demonstrated resistance to reform, with numerous instances of corruption and a lack of transparency. The corps member, through rigorous investigative reporting, will expose these issues, fostering accountability and driving much-needed reform. In addition, the beat will also cover a range of other underreported issues that deeply impact the Vallejo community, including racial justice, LGBT+ rights, women’s rights, labor issues and more.