North Carolina

Sophie Kasakove

Sophie Kasakove covers the economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis for The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina. She has reported on the environment, big industry and development as a freelance reporter in New Orleans, writing for publications such as The Nation, VICE, The New Republic, and The Lens, a local investigative non-profit. Her recent reporting has focused on climate migration and adaptation and the intersections of the climate and housing crises. Previously, she was a contributing writer at Pacific Standard, where she covered housing issues, a research and reporting fellow at The New Republic, and an intern at The Nation. She graduated from Brown University in 2017, where she was managing editor of the school’s weekly paper. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York.

WFAE/Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library

WFAE is the NPR station serving a 32-county area in the Charlotte region. For 32 years, people across the Carolinas have relied on WFAE to offer comprehensive and in-depth reporting. We air acclaimed NPR programs and produce an award-winning weekday show, Charlotte Talks. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is one of America’s leading urban public libraries, serving a community of more than one million citizens in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Through 20 locations, 450 staff members, targeted outreach, and a robust online presence, the Library delivers exceptional services and programs with a mission to improve lives and build a stronger community. The Library’s priority outcomes include strengthening public engagement and increasing community connections by capturing and providing easy access to voices, perspectives, and reports reflecting the diversity of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The Digital Public Library of America amplifies the value of libraries and cultural organizations as Americans’ most trusted sources of shared knowledge. We do this by collaborating with partners to accelerate innovative tools and ideas that empower and equip libraries to make information more accessible.  

The Charlotte Observer

The Charlotte Observer is a 132-year-old news organization intensely focused on accountability reporting in south-central North Carolina region and on statewide issues that affect readers from the coast to the mountains. The Charlotte Observer works closely with sister McClatchy papers in the Carolinas to identify and report with impact on the ways that government decisions – or lack of decisions – impact the lives of North Carolinians. As the largest newspaper in the state, The Charlotte Observer frequently challenges denial or closure of public records and seeks relationships with other media organizations to press for disclosure of public information and transparency of government actions. The news organization’s coverage is heavily tilted toward Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, with a focus on watchdog reporting, open records and meetings, deeper storytelling and enterprise writing.

The News & Observer

The News & Observer’s roots go back to 1865, when its predecessor The Sentinel was launched to expose corruption in the Reconstruction era. Among the News & Observer’s many awards are three Pulitzer Prizes, including the 1996 gold medal for public service. The News & Observer is the paper of record in the capital city of North Carolina, covering the statehouse, the legislature and its impact on the lives of all North Carolinians. The newspaper’s mission is to produce fearless and independent public service journalism that gives a voice to underrepresented, unheard groups and communities.

The News & Observer

The News & Observer’s roots go back to 1865, when its predecessor The Sentinel was launched to expose corruption in the Reconstruction era. Among the News & Observer’s many awards are three Pulitzer Prizes, including the 1996 gold medal for public service. The News & Observer is the paper of record in the capital city of North Carolina, covering the statehouse, the legislature and its impact on the lives of all North Carolinians. The newspaper’s mission is to produce fearless and independent public service journalism that gives a voice to underrepresented, unheard groups and communities.

Associated Press

The Associated Press is a global news agency that began 172 years ago as a cooperative of five New York City newspapers. With 263 locations in more than 100 countries, AP provides journalism to roughly 15,000 media outlets around the world. AP sets standards for ethics and excellence, and has won 52 Pulitzer Prizes, including the 2016 gold medal for Public Service for an investigation into labor abuses in the seafood industry, reports that freed more than 2,000 slaves. AP’s seven news bureaus in the northeast U.S. provide vital local and regional news to 378 newsrooms.

WFAE/Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library

WFAE is the NPR station serving a 32-county area in the Charlotte region. For 32 years, people across the Carolinas have relied on WFAE to offer comprehensive and in-depth reporting. We air acclaimed NPR programs and produce an award-winning weekday show, Charlotte Talks. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is one of America’s leading urban public libraries, serving a community of more than one million citizens in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Through 20 locations, 450 staff members, targeted outreach, and a robust online presence, the Library delivers exceptional services and programs with a mission to improve lives and build a stronger community. The Library’s priority outcomes include strengthening public engagement and increasing community connections by capturing and providing easy access to voices, perspectives, and reports reflecting the diversity of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The Digital Public Library of America amplifies the value of libraries and cultural organizations as Americans’ most trusted sources of shared knowledge. We do this by collaborating with partners to accelerate innovative tools and ideas that empower and equip libraries to make information more accessible.  

WFAE / La Noticia

WFAE is the NPR station serving a 32-county listening area in the Charlotte region. For 32 years, people across the Carolinas have relied on WFAE to offer comprehensive and in-depth reporting on the topics they need to understand, whether of local, national, or international importance. La Noticia is a media company that produces the largest Spanish language newspaper in North Carolina. For over 22 years, we have been serving the growing Latino community in North Carolina with coverage of immigration, local and state government, politics, and community news and events. Our readers are immigrants from Latin America with a news source in their native language, providing them with the news and information they need to make informed decisions and help them adjust to the culture in the United States, in North Carolina, and in the cities they call home.  

North Carolina Health News

NC Health News launched in January 2012 in response to the disappearance of people to explain this complicated topic. Our reporters each take on multiple roles. Topics include children’s health and Medicaid, oral health, mental health, rural healthcare, environmental health issues and legislative health issues. We’ve been a “virtual” newsroom, with reporters spread across the state. We have a weekly phone-in via Google Hangout and there’s almost constant communication via phone, text, email, Slack, etc. However, we’re renting a physical office in the Triangle to better accommodate meetings and provide a hub for operations.

La Noticia

La Noticia, The Spanish-Language Newspaper, is the largest Spanish-language Newspaper in North Carolina. We have been serving the Latino community here for 22 years. We cover immigration, local and state government, politics and community news and events. Our readers are immigrants from Latin America who prefer to read in Spanish. They are new to the country and they rely on La Noticia to provide them with local news and information in their own language, that will help them make informed decisions and also help them adapt to the culture in the United States, in North Carolina and in the cities where we serve and they live.