Today Marlon A. Walker begins a new journey as Managing Editor- Local at The Marshall Project, a Pulitzer prize-winning nonprofit media organization covering criminal justice. Walker is the first-ever managing editor- local for the Marshall Project. Walker will establish, oversee, and grow local news teams in the new role.
“We are delighted to welcome Marlon as we build a network of local news teams to produce criminal justice accountability reporting,” said Susan Chira, editor-in-chief of The Marshall Project. “His extensive experience in multiple local newsrooms across the country and his commitment to cover local communities and reach audiences who have traditionally been neglected make him an ideal fit for this leadership role.”
Walker has worked at The Clarion-Ledger, The Associated Press, The St. Louis Dispatch, The Macon Telegraph, The Raleigh News and Observer, and the Tampa Bay Times.
“I’ve always found a home in local news. This job just said something different it was an opportunity to think nationally about a way to have local impact,” Walker said.
Walker says he will create space for writers of color who may have been overlooked in the past to work with the Marshall Project.
“I had an epiphany,” he explained. “This is not an area that easily holds a place for us so I retooled my goal to focus on creating a space to bring more writers of color to the table.”
A Detroit native, Walker is a 2005 graduate of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication and a member of its Board of Visitors.
“To have an alum and member of our Board assume this top leadership role makes us extremely proud at the SJGC,” said Mira Lowe, Dean of the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication. “We know that Marlon will continue to break ground as managing editor at the The Marshall Project. We look forward to seeing the tremendous impact he will have leading local news teams throughout the nation.”
