The FAMU community is invited to the launch of Race to ’26, an event that trains students in election coverage and voting rights.
By Talya Davis, public relations student
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Three veteran journalists and alumni will visit the Florida A&M University School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (FAMU SJGC) Friday to discuss the challenges of covering national and state political campaigns ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Tia Mitchell, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Nolan McCaskill, of Reuters; and Margie Menzell, a freelancer and former WFSU reporter, will discuss strategies for developing stories that inform potential voters and help them evaluate ballot choices. The event will also feature a discussion on local elections and Florida’s voting-rights history between WFSU reporter and recent SJGC graduate Alaijah Cross and Danielle Irwin, chair of the Tallahassee League of Women Voters Government Committee.
The panel discussions, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will take place Friday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the SJGC Lecture Hall.
The Knight Chair in Inclusive Journalism at FAMU, Ottavia Spaggiari, and Journalism Professor Kenneth Jones organized the event as part of the school’s Race to ‘26 speaker series to expose students to professionals who cover the people and events that shape civic life. The journalists will also participate in breakout sessions with aspiring reporters.
“We have a duty to help our students weave through the overwhelming amount of information, misinformation, and disinformation and teach them to report on elections and voting rights accurately and thoroughly,” Spaggiari said.
The Knight Foundation is a nonpartisan organization that funds projects and institutions, including FAMU, that foster civic and cultural community engagement. As the Knight Chair, Spaggiari creates workshops and hosts speakers throughout the year that not only educate budding journalists, but also encourage all students to become informed participants in democracy.
Jones, an award-winning professor, filmmaker, and broadcast journalist, said the event builds on FAMU SJGC’s decades-long effort to educate students about elections and encourage civic participation. He said the aim is to “help our students be more aware in understanding not just the political process and this election season, but how important voting is.”
About Knight Foundation
The Knight Foundation is one of the nation’s largest supporters of local journalism and a champion of free expression. Its investments support local, nonpartisan news organizations and provide them with the necessary tools and resources to build sustainable business models.
About the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication
The Florida A&M University School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (FAMU SJGC) is one of the premier historically Black college and university (HBCU) journalism, visual, and communications programs in the country. Founded in 1982, it is the first program of its kind at an HBCU to receive national accreditation. With a focus on academic excellence, experiential learning, and professional development, SJGC prepares students to be influential storytellers, communicators, and leaders who can meet and exceed the demands of a competitive, evolving media marketplace.
