A New Role

Drumroll please 🥁… Here’s the announcement!

Feels like a new chapter.

If you’ve followed my work before, you probably know I covered education at WAMU (DC’s local NPR station) and EdSurge. After a winding journey that took me from the newsroom to the State Department (literally around the world and back), I’m thrilled to be back in public radio—this time as the Maryland reporter covering politics and policy.

There’s something deeply meaningful about returning to tell the stories that shape the place where your children are growing up. I get to cover the issues that matter to the families I see at the grocery store, at school pickup, in our neighborhoods—the people who’ve chosen to build their lives here.

My Receipts

Local and national stories I have done.

For those who don’t know, I’m the type of reporter who likes stories that make us pause, think, and maybe do something differently. I’ve done—investigations into student seclusion and restraint practices that started local but went national, deep dives into women’s prisons and vulnerable student populations, stories about Chinese international students navigating American universities, stories about schools with high attendance rates that were basically empty and more.

Some stories were hard-hitting investigations, others were reflective pieces that used data to shine light on what we weren’t paying attention to. All of them shared one goal: amplifying voices that needed to be heard.

Things I have learned…

What I learned at the State Department:

My “detour” through government service has only made me smarter. Working inside the system showed me how FOIA offices—supposedly there to serve the public with information—are shamefully understaffed.

I also realized that too many government workers saw the media as the enemy (that may be changing under the current administration). But it was always strange to me because every time a light is shined on something, the change can help all Americans have a government and system that works better for everyone. And that’s the media’s job, shine the light so there can be accountability and response.

What I learned running a business:

This past year of entrepreneurship and freelance work reinforced something I always suspected but never fully understood: your network really is everything. Whether I was securing consulting clients or trying to fund a media startup, it came down to the people who knew people.

I also learned that I really love service work. It is not my passion to be in the service of businesses. And in all work, but particularly entrepreneurship, passion is important.

The experience also taught me something crucial about modern journalism—you have to build your own brand. These days people trust individual reporters as much as (often times even more than) the outlet, so learning to promote your work and self, cut through the noise, and build your own following isn’t just helpful anymore, it’s essential.

Moving forward in Maryland…

Now I’m bringing all my knowledge and experience back to Maryland reporting, and I’m already diving deep.

As a Black girl who grew up in the South, I rarely saw Black political leadership. That’s part of what makes Maryland so fascinating to me as a reporter. It’s a place where race, identity, and politics constantly intersect, urban and rural, historic and rapidly changing. With the country’s only Black governor and one of the wealthiest Black communities in the country, Maryland offers a rare lens into shifting class and political power in America, and the complexities that come with it.

In addition, I’m also watching:

• school boundary debates in Montgomery County,

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia (at the heart of immigration and executive power flashpoints) is a Maryland resident,

• the challenging retail landscape in Prince George’s County,

• early rumblings of executive races,

• shifting demographics—my story list is overflowing, and I’m tracking it all.

Though I have covered the DMV as a reporter in the past, this time feels different. Having kids has given me a community connection I didn’t have before, and I want to tap into that more deeply. I want to be the kind of reporter who’s truly embedded, as a resident and parent.

In an era when local journalism faces unprecedented challenges, this work feels more like a calling than ever. For me it’s about democratizing access to information, holding power accountable, and making sure the stories that shape our shared future actually get told.

I’m ready to dig in. So, here’s an orange crush (that’s the state drink) to rigorous reporting, authentic storytelling, and serving this community.

And, I’m so happy to have this newsletter, where you all can get all the stories behind the stories.

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