The New York Times
Reporting with Nicholas Kristof in Liberia. (Credit Geoffrey Kristof)
During the summer of 2017, I participated in two separate New York Times programs for young journalists: an international reporting trip and a fellowship on the science/health desk.
The first experience involved Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Nicholas Kristof's annual Win-A-Trip contest. I was chosen from a competitive national applicant pool to join him on an international reporting trip to Liberia to cover global poverty, education and health stories. I pitched, reported and wrote nine posts from the week-long trip. I also captured photos and videos to accompany articles, and shared them on social media throughout the week to give readers a glimpse of the stories we were finding on the ground as we uncovered them.
***I was interviewed about my experience for YourMarkOnTheWorld.com - you can watch, listen or read about it here.***
After the trip, I returned to New York to spend the summer as a James Reston reporting fellow on the science/health desk at the Times. I pitched and reported several stories, including one on maternal mortality from my time in Liberia. I also strung for other reporters on quick daily stories and assisted with longer term research projects.
Stories from Liberia
Stories from my time in Liberia were posted to Nicholas Kristof's On The Ground blog. Many contained photos, videos and other multimedia aspects that are best viewed online. They can be found here.
A former refugee, now a fearless champion for women
A bold journalist who never apologizes for doing her job, Mae Azango has exposed countless cases of corruption and human rights violations in Liberia during her 15 year career. "When I get angry, I don't fight," she said. "I put it on paper."
In Liberia, more drugs in my suitcase than in the hospital
In a hospital in Liberia, I found fewer basic medications in stock than I had packed in my bag for a 10-day trip. “The simplest things we don’t have,” said the only full-time doctor for 75,000 people.
"My mom said I had to keep going"
Jestina Barleah, a sixth grader in Ganta, credits her mother for keeping her in school. When she got pregnant at 14, Jestina assumed she’d drop out or be forced out by the school as a warning to other students. But her mother wouldn't hear of it. Mothers who lose out on opportunities for education can often be the fiercest champions for their daughters.
Science Times Articles
Enticing Pregnant Women in Liberia to Give Birth in Health Centers
A grass-roots practice in Liberia hopes to reduce maternal deaths by threatening to impose fines on birth attendants if women deliver their babies at home. But experts fear the coercive practice could deter women who deliver at home from seeking care for their children in health facilities.
Living Another Day Thanks to Grandparents Who Couldn't Sleep
Age-related changes in sleep patterns may have helped early humans survive by ensuring at least one person was always alert to nighttime threats.
It's High Time for Ticks, Which Are Spreading Diseases Farther
The disease-carrying blood suckers are spreading more pathogens and putting more Americans at risk, even for more rare illnesses.
A New Skin Lightening Procedure Is Short on Evidence
Instead of bleaching creams, women who want lighter skin are now turning to a new treatment: injecting the antioxidant glutathione into their veins.
In Some Countries, Women Get Days Off for Period Pain
In some countries, companies offer women paid time off for period pain. But some experts fear these policies reinforce dated stereotypes.
Lovers Share Colonies of Skin Microbes, Study Finds
Couples who live together come to share similar communities of bodily bacteria — especially on the feet.
I also created a quiz to accompany this article that invites you to guess what secrets the microbial species on your body can tell.