2024 GLISA Small Grant: Reporting on Climate Adaptation in Marginalized Communities

Project Team

Project Summary

Although the field is improving, there is a lack of diversity in environmental reporting and journalism. This lack of diversity means news organizations aren’t able to fully report on complex issues like climate change. Furthermore, improving diversity in journalism will help news organizations better identify important stories that may otherwise be missed. Through this project, the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism will train a diverse cohort of student journalists who will infuse their experiences and perspectives into their climate stories. These stories will show greater nuance and a more comprehensive picture of the challenges and opportunities related to climate adaptation. Stories will recognize that marginalized communities suffer an unequal share of climate harm while also highlighting their efforts to adapt. This project aims to improve representation in climate reporting and influence public awareness and understanding across the Great Lakes region.

Anticipated Outcomes
  • Employment for student reporters through the Knight Center’s Great Lakes Echo environmental news service
  • An internship for one student at Planet Detroit
  • A collection of ~50 published climate adaptation stories
  • Presentations at the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s 2024 Summer Journalism Workshop reaching 200 high school students
  • Presentations at the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s 2024 Fall Conference reaching 120 attendees
Anticipated Impacts
  • High school and college students will be inspired to pursue climate reporting projects and careers. 
  • Journalists will have more capacity to fully and accurately report on climate change adaptation that leads to a great public understanding of climate threats and solutions. 
  • The overall field of journalism will develop into a workforce that better reports on climate adaptation and better represents issues related to equity and justice.
GLISA Contribution

GLISA funded this 2024 small grant project and will share ideas for potential organizations and stories to highlight. GLISA will also give climate 101 presentations to reporters and provide climate data to support stories.

Featured Stories

Explore stories written by students at the MSU Knight Center For Environmental Journalism and Planet Detroit Interns.

In Summer 2024, Planet Detroit hired a journalism intern, Jada Vasser, to report on climate adaptation. Jada’s stories focused on health and environmental impacts on the Black community in Detroit. 

To read more of Jada’s stories, visit the Planet Detroit Story Archive.

Project Contacts