15 journalists selected for 2025 NJ reporting fellowship to cover critical state issues
Fellows will report on immigration, housing, healthcare, education, and the gubernatorial race
The Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University is proud to announce the selection of 15 recipients for its 2025 New Jersey reporting fellowship.
This five-month program is in partnership with NJ Spotlight News, thanks to support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The fellowship is meant to help small, independent, and community media cover stories over the summer and fall that are currently of critical importance to their audiences. Fellows will receive stipends up to $2,500 to help offset their reporting costs.
This year’s cohort includes journalists from 13 different news organizations, some of whom report in multiple languages, including Spanish, English, and Turkish. Their reporting projects are focused on stories related to immigration, housing, health, education, and the upcoming New Jersey gubernatorial and assembly elections.
“The 2025 New Jersey Reporting Fellowship awardees represent communities whose important issues often go unnoticed in the public eye. As key messengers providing insight into what is happening on the ground, they deliver the truth and accurate representations of local communities and neighborhoods throughout the state,” said Cassandra Etienne, associate director of the Center for Cooperative Media. “We are honored to offer this opportunity to these dedicated journalists, who bring cultural nuance and a commitment to addressing the news void in our communities.”
During the fellowship, some participants will also collaborate with the editorial team at NJ Spotlight News and have their stories republished as part of Spotlight’s NJ Decides coverage.
Meet the fellows:
- Orhan Akkurt of Zaman Amerika will examine the generational differences among New Jersey’s Turkish immigrants in terms of civic participation and how Trump’s immigration policies impact their livelihood.
- Ambreen Ali of Central Desi will explore how gubernatorial candidates are engaging with the South Asian community and what issues are most pertinent to the community in the gubernatorial race.
- Maria Carmen Amado of New Jersey Hispano will report on how proposed Medicaid cuts could impact hospitals, clinics, and healthcare centers that primarily serve low-income Latino communities in New Jersey. Her story will focus on Hudson County and include perspectives from Medicaid recipients, healthcare workers, nonprofits, and insurance providers to assess current conditions and anticipated effects.
- Charles Curtis III of Front Runner New Jersey will cover the impact of the Camden City School District’s $91 million deficit. The reporting will explore the fallout, including staffing cuts and school closures. This work will also document grassroots community efforts to support Camden’s public schools.
- Austin Fenner of Public Square Amplified and The Positive Community Magazine will produce a two-part series on grassroots initiatives across New Jersey aimed at challenging the Trump administration’s most disruptive policies.
- Jordan Gass-Pooré of InsideClimate News will examine the environmental impact and public health risks posed by leaking underground storage tanks, many of which are located in historically marginalized communities or neighborhoods facing economic hardship in New Jersey. The project aims to uncover the scope of the problem and where the danger is greatest through data analysis and interviews with government officials, experts, and affected residents.
- Jessie Gomez of Chalkbeat Newark will investigate the effects of overcrowded and aging school buildings on Newark students. This report will examine whether the city’s public schools are sacrificing essential spaces, such as gyms, art rooms, and science labs, to accommodate overcrowding.
- Jacque Howard of Trenton 365 will engage with residents of Greater Trenton and Mercer County to document their perspectives about the gubernatorial race, the state of the economy, immigration, and the environment.
- Taylor Jung will document the intricacies of rent control and affordable housing regulations in Essex County for The Jersey Bee. The report aims to highlight gaps in local rent control and safe housing enforcement and offer New Jersey residents resources to navigate housing challenges.
- Mary Barr Mann of The Village Green will report on the New Jersey gubernatorial election and immigration. Her analysis will focus on South Orange and Maplewood and break down the race in terms of immigration, housing, education, and the economy.
- Kenneth Miles of The Trenton Journal will produce two projects focusing on Trenton. One will explore the implications of the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election for Trenton, with an emphasis on policy priorities and funding commitments. The other will examine the affordability of three major housing developments currently under construction in the state’s capital.
- Jong Won Park of The Korea Daily will produce a two-part series on the impact of the aging Korean population on dry-cleaning services and how elected officials can respond to declining Korean businesses in New Jersey.
- Frank Santos of Black in Jersey will produce a three-part series on how the media shapes New Jersey’s general elections, with a focus on Camden. The series will explore how siloed narratives take hold and highlight the groups leading the way in ethically using digital tools to distribute news.
- Gery Vereau and Kleibeel Marcano of Reporte Hispano will investigate the arrests, detention, and deportation of Latino workers, particularly those in New Jersey’s restaurant industry. Their reporting will also explore how immigration issues may influence Latino voting behavior in the current gubernatorial and assembly elections.
For more information about the 2025 NJ Reporting Fellowship project, please reach out to Oni Advincula at advinculaa@montclair.edu.
Oni Advincula is the ethnic media coordinator at the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University. Contact him at advinculaa@montclair.edu.
About the Center for Cooperative Media: The Center is a primarily grant-funded program of the College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. Its mission is to grow and strengthen local journalism and support an informed society in New Jersey and beyond. The Center is supported with funding from Montclair State University, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Democracy Fund, the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, the Independence Public Media Foundation, Rita Allen Foundation, Inasmuch Foundation, Google News Initiative, and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. For more information, visit centerforcooperativemedia.org.
