News

Covering Community Gun Violence: Practical Guidance from #BGVR2019

IBGVR Philadelphia operations coordinator Alison Burdo made this presentation at Klein News Innovation Camp at Temple University in November 2019, one week after #BGVR2019: the inaugural Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit on community gun violence at WHYY in Philadelphia.

The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting was launched earlier this year by Jim MacMillan, a fellow at the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri. The project is intended to develop a set of best reporting practices for covering gun violence and investigate the hypothesis that changing the practice could prevent shootings and save lives. One crucial step in our plans was hosting the summit to gather a broad variety of stakeholders to share research, resources and other information. Here’s a summary of key takeaways gleaned from doctors, nurses, researchers, mothers who lost children to gun violence and journalists who are focused on refining media’s approach to the issue.

Lisa Dunn is the research editor for an innovative public radio collaborative called Guns & America. She suggested that journalists “get steeped in the research.” Dunn, along with Daniel Webster and Shannon Frattaroli of Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, emphasized the need to understand the Dickey Amendment and its impact on researching gun violence, as well as Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation. Both organizations keep a list of pertinent studies on their websites – including recent evaluations of gun violence intervention efforts.

As Akoto Ofori-Atta of The Trace said: “It takes time to unlearn biases.” And those biases can be reinforced by the language the journalists choose when covering community gun violence. Throughout the summit, panelists explained why certain words and phrases should be avoided. For instance, referring to a neighborhood shooting as “urban gun violence” is often seen as a racist dog whistle. The preferred term is “community gun violence.” When describing a neighborhood as “gritty,” it is worth considering why you might be choosing that adjective over “up-and-coming.” Legislation is often characterized as “gun control,” but experts say that can set off alarms by implying a loss of autonomy. “Gun violence prevention laws” can be a better option. Frattaroli also encouraged journalists to stop saying “red flag laws” and use the actual legislative language of ERPO laws.

Michelle Kerr-Spry’s son Blaine was shot and killed 13 years ago. Among many valuable insights, she told reporters to “say their name.” Often the story’s narrative is focused on the suspected shooter and fails to identify the person who lost their life. This important piece of advice is one of many ways that journalists can better serve their audience and prevent additional harm to the victim’s loved ones.

Panelists repeatedly urged journalists to “complicate the narrative.” Stories on community gun violence rarely focus on victims, though it is more common when mass shootings occur. Community gun violence reporting more often relies on the police narrative, which can often be missing personal details about the victim and can generate fear because police are focused on solving the crime. Experts also suggested reporting more stories of resilience, for example covering community members who are trying to reduce gun violence or checking in on gun violence survivors and how they are adapting. Journalists should also make sure their narratives are rooted in evidence and they distinguish between mental illness and dangerous behaviors. Unqualified sources may casually refer to mental illness playing a role in the shooting or cite other debunked theories. Reporting without evidence risks perpetuating false narratives. 

Two of Renee McDonald’s nephews were shot to death. She underscored the need for reporters to better understand the people and communities affected by gun violence. Journalists who “parachute in” to cover community gun violence may unknowingly fall back on stereotypes because they are not familiar enough with the victim and the neighborhood. To have that robust knowledge takes time and effort but makes for more accurate and nuanced reporting and storytelling. As with any beat, developing relationships with community members is crucial to earning trust.

Philadelphia chief epidemiologist Raynard Washington encouraged journalists to “report with an intention” and consider how that intention will influence their work. For instance, if one intends to solve the crime, it is logical to include the police tip line in the story. If the intention is to keep the larger community informed, then it makes sense to include a list of available resources that offer support to victims’ loved ones.  

Trauma surgeon and researcher Dr. Jessica Beard called on news outlets to stop writing stories on community gun violence that amount to no more than a few sentences about when and where a shooting took place. Several presenters suggested that this practice can dehumanize victims and normalize the epidemic of gun violence.

Dr. Beard went on to compare two recent community gun violence incidents. Both had six victims and both occurred in North Philadelphia neighborhoods but each received very different levels of attention from the news media. A shooting that wounded six law enforcement officers was reported by local, regional and national outlets, with news organizations mirroring the huge police response and leading Dr. Beard to point out that coverage often seems to follow police perspective. A separate incident weeks later resulted in more serious injuries to civilian victims but appeared in just one national outlet and with no follow-up reporting on the victims’ conditions, the impact on the surrounding community or the status of the investigation, among other possible story angles.

The Initiative partnered with a communications researcher from Indiana University to gain a better understanding on gun violence survivors’ perspective on news media coverage. In September 2019, Jennifer Midberry and her team conducted focus groups with Philadelphians who had lost loved ones to gun violence. After a thorough evaluation of those conversations, she found several recurring themes. Participants said they want journalists to prioritize community voices, again pointing to the standard reliance on police narratives. They also asked journalists to do a better job contextualizing their coverage – reiterating the need to incorporate more evidence in stories – and to balance their reporting with other news, often positive, that is also happening in those same neighborhoods. One more theme from the focus groups was a desire for more empathy, which means showing restraint at times, for instance giving family members some time and space to grieve before knocking on their door for a follow-up story. 

What can you do in your newsroom to bring about demonstrable change? Develop your source network beyond institutional contacts – get out in the neighborhood and get to know block captains, pastors, long-time residents. Adopt recommended language. Stay up-to-date on the latest data – bookmark Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy. Create and incorporate resource lists in your coverage. We are proud to say several news outlets in Philadelphia took this step immediately following the summit, an easily attainable step to serve the communit

Prompting journalists to consider changing practices can be incredibly challenging and IBGVR Founder Jim MacMillan is working to bridge that divide. Here are some tips: First, try to build rapport by beginning with something you agree on – that way, each side sees they can relate to one another. Be sure to listen actively. Most of us are guilty of listening to speak next, just waiting for the other person to pause so we can interject. Be sure you are listening to listen, showing an active interest in what another person is saying is crucial to forming relationships. If the discussion weakens a long-held viewpoint, acknowledge that the other’s prior stance is valid given what they previously knew. And lastly, understand that evolution takes time. If your editor is willing to budge on one aspect of current reporting practices, be willing to meet them there instead of expecting radical change to happen immediately. 

This vital quote came from BGVR2019 panelist and Miami-based reporter Nadege Green. Much of the information shared in this presentation is already standard practice for reporting on mass shootings yet research shows they produce a small share of total victims. We are calling for journalists to use the same care and concern when covering all types of gun violence – as the loss of life and detriment to the surrounding neighborhood is present regardless of the category of the crime. 

Thanks to all the supporters, panelists, partners and attendees. We have good reason to believe this initiative will make a difference and we’re looking forward to continuing collaborations.

Audio online now: Reporting with Authority: Knowing the Research, Knowing the Vocab

Guns & America is a groundbreaking new reporting collaboration focused on a single issue: the role of guns in American life — and we were honored to have them presenting at the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit.

Summary:

Reporting on community gun violence is difficult. Guns & America, a public media reporting project covering the role of guns in American life, presents some of the empirical research they rely on to report deeper, more contextual stories.

Presenters:

Jeremy Bernfeld, Lead Editor, Guns & America; Director of Collaborative Reporting, WAMU, Washington DC

Before moving to D.C., Bernfeld was the editor of Harvest Public Media, a public media collaboration reporting from the Midwest on our food system. Prior to that, he worked at WBUR in Boston.

Alana Wise, Reporting Fellow, WAMU, Washington DC

Alana Wise joins Guns & America after three years at Reuters, where she covered the 2016 presidential election, airlines and security, and the food and restaurant sector. Wise is an Atlanta native and a 2015 graduate of Howard University with a degree in political science and journalism. Wise is the 2018-2020 Audion Reporting Fellow at WAMU 88.5 in

Lisa Dunn, Research Editor, Guns & America, Washington DC

Prior to joining the Guns & America team as research editor, Dunn was a long-time producer for the public radio show, The Diane Rehm Show.Over the years, she produced multiple shows on the topic of guns, including special programming in the wake of the Sandy Hook, Navy Yard and Orlando mass shootings. Dunn holds an M.B.A., Virginia Commonwealth University; and a B.A., American Studies, George Washington University.

Here’s why we need your help this #GivingTuesday

We’re incredibly proud of what we have accomplished this fall but even more grateful to everyone who has made it possible.

Every donor, partner, presenter, volunteer, participant and attendee has given more than we could ever return.

But on the bottom line we are just breaking even.

Our Community Conversations day was priceless but we put most of the funding back into the community and paid related expenses with every remaining cent.

Nearly 250 people attended our recent Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit but even those who paid full price for admission barely covered the cost of catering for one — never mind the expense of bringing top experts in from around the country.

There were also student discounts, partner passes, early bird deals and support for anyone who expressed that cost would be an impediment.

We have more and more reason to believe our work will make a difference — that advancing best reporting practices will help prevent gun violence and save lives — but we need your help to keep up the good work.

Please consider supporting The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting.

Thank you.

Listen online: Gun Licensing, ERPO Laws and Violence Prevention: Public Health Researchers Explain

The complete audio recording from the first two sessions of the inaugural Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit are now available — and the rest will follow soon.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research has achieved a national reputation for high-quality research, analysis, and innovation to advance the prevention of gun violence. We were honored to present the Director and a Core Faculty Member for this critical session.

Summary:

This session will provide an overview of the Center’s research and policy work, specifically its efforts around gun licensing. It will delve into the research and implementation of the Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), a leading initiative that enables those on the front lines to ask a court to prevent a person who is at risk of violence against themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms. Webster and Frattaroli will discuss how these issues are covered in the news, and how they could be better understood by the public.

Presenters:

Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH, is the inaugural Bloomberg Professor of American Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he directs the Center for Gun Policy and Research and serves as co-lead of the Violence Prevention Workgroup of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. Webster is one of the nation’s leading experts on the prevention of gun violence and has published over 120 articles in scientific journals on topics including gun policy, violence prevention, youth violence, intimate partner violence, suicide, and substance abuse. He is the lead editor and a contributor to Reducing Gun Violence in America: Informing Policy with Evidence and Analysis (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013). Webster’s research has informed policies to reduce gun violence at the local, state, and federal level. He previously led Baltimore’s Homicide Review Commission and now leads the Johns Hopkins-Baltimore Collaborative for Violence Reduction. His awards include the American Public Health Association’s David Rall Award for science-based advocacy (2015), Baltimore City’s Health Equity Leadership Award (2016), Pioneer Award from the Injury Free Coalition for Kids (2017), and Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni Award (2017).

Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH, is an associate professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where she serves as core faculty with the Center for Gun Policy and Research. Frattaroli teaches courses in Public Health Policy Formulation, Implementation Research and Practice, and Qualitative Research Methods. Her research focuses on policy and advocacy strategies designed to prevent injury and violence – particularly firearm-related domestic violence, with particular attention to how interventions are implemented once in place. Frattaroli is committed to efforts that advance the translation of research findings into policy and practice. Toward that end she is involved in the educational efforts and scholarship about Gun Violence Restraining Order laws that provide a process for temporarily dispossessing people of their firearms when they are exhibiting dangerous behaviors.

Now you can listen to the first session of The Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit

The complete audio recording from the first session of the inaugural Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit is now available — and the rest will follow soon.

We are grateful to the team at The Trace for coordinating this critical session with leading journalists covering gun violence across the nation.

The Trace’s nonprofit journalism has spurred bipartisan legislative proposals, law enforcement reforms, congressional inquiries, and new academic research. In 2018, The Trace received General Excellence honors in the micro newsroom category of the Online Journalism Awards. Its more than 75 national and local media partners include The New Yorker, Slate, The Atlantic, NBC News, BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and Politico.

Listen now

Covering Community Gun Violence: How We’re Trying to Do It Better

Moderator

James Burnett, Editorial Director, The Trace, New York

James Burnett is the founding Editorial Director and Managing Director of The Trace. In his two decades as a reporter, editor, and newsroom leader, James has also served as Story Editor at The New Republic; as News Editor at New York Magazine, where he won a National Magazine Award for Special Issue; and as the chief editor of Boston Magazine.

Panelists

Nadege Green, Reporter, WLRN Public Radio, Miami

Nadege Green covers social justice issues for WLRN. Her work was received numerous awards, including a 2017 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award (Planning Funerals For Children Lost To Gun Violence), 2016 first place investigative reporting award from the National Association of Black Journalists and Florida AP Broadcaster awards. In 2018 Green was recognized by the Miami Foundation with the Ruth Shack Leadership award for her body of work that gives voice to communities that are often not heard. Green’s reporting has appeared in the Miami Herald, NPR and PRI.

Abené Clayton, Reporter, The Guardian, Guns and Lies in America, Oakland

Abené Clayton graduated from the Berkeley Graduate school of journalism in May 2019, where she produced two news magazine-length videos focused on disparities among Bay Area kidney patients and crime survivors in Richmond, California. She is currently a part of The Guardian newspaper’s “Guns & Lies” series, and specializes in covering community-based gun violence and California’s criminal legal system.

Jonathan Bullington, Investigative Reporter, Courier Journal, Louisville

Jonathan Bullington of the Courier Journal is Louisville has previously been a reporter with the Chicago Tribune and the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. Bullington’s work has focused on issues of criminal justice, from a family whose chance at justice for their murdered loved one was washed away in Katrina to how stolen firearms fuel street violence.

Akoto Ofori-Atta, Managing Editor, The Trace, New York

As managing editor at The Trace, Akoto Ofori-Atta is responsible for managing partnerships, outreach, special projects, editorial operations and the fellowship program. She directed “Since Parkland” The Trace’s groundbreaking student journalism project, which deployed 200+ teen reporters to write 1,200 portraits of young gun violence victims. Previously, she held the position of Associate Editor and Social Media Manager at The Root and as a Senior Editor at Essence Magazine. Before coming to the The Trace, she completed a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University. Akoto is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the Online New Association.

About:

The inaugural Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit focused on covering community gun violence and took place on November 8, 2019 at WHYY in Philadelphia.

This gathering was convened to inform a new set of best practices for journalists reporting on gun violence and to explore the hypothesis that changing the way this topic is covered can prevent shootings and save lives.

Sessions were led by experts from:
• The Trace
• Guns & America
• Mothers in Charge
• The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research
• The Media School at Indiana University, Bloomington and..
• The Coalition of Trauma Centers for Firearm Injury Prevention

We are grateful for support from:
• The Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri
• The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
• WHYY Philadelphia
• The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists
• The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma
• Action Tank, and..
• AH Datalytics

Visit: IBGVR.org

Live now: The Philadelphia Shooting Victims Dashboard

We are honored to partner with AH Datalytics, LLC and The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists to introduce this important resource. Please join us at the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit: IBGVR.org

Summary:

During this session we will introduce and demonstrate The Philadelphia Shooting Victims dashboard.

This fully interactive resource will make official city data more accessible with a clickable interface enabling users to sort and merge totals by categories including age, race and year.

The dashboard will be available on our site along an embed code that all are invited copy and use on their own sites at no cost. Check our home page menu for a link by the end of the summit.

The Philadelphia Shooting Victims Dashboard was built by AH Datalytics, LLC, a data analytics consulting firm based in New Orleans.

The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and the Initiative of Better Gun Violence Reporting have been collaborating on this project and will continue working to make gun violence data more accessible.

We hope that our reporting colleagues find this resource helpful and we never forget that each and every entry represents a real person.

Presenter:

Jim MacMillan is a fellow with the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri and founder of the Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting.

Welcome and introductions: Why we’re making this day happen

We are grateful to the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri and to WHYY and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, as well as the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, Action Tank and AH Datalytics. Please join us for the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit in Philadelphia. Get your tickets now.

At the top of the program, we will hear about the organizations that made this day possible and why they are supporting the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit. Please join us: IBGVR.org

Sandra Clark is vice president for news and civic dialogue at WHYY. She is a member of the executive leadership team, manages all news operations, leads digital transformation and audience diversification initiatives and is a vocal advocate for diversity, inclusion and equity. Clark was previously managing editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Under her leadership, the Inquirer was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 2014.

Jim Friedlich was appointed Executive Director and CEO of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism in 2016. Friedlich served previously as CEO of Empirical Media Advisors, a consulting firm focused on the digital transformation of major news organizations. He previously managed the global advertising sales, consumer marketing and business development of a large and diverse group of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones & Company newspapers, magazines, web sites, cable TV channels and conferences.

Jim MacMillan is a fellow with the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri and founder of the Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting. He previously spent 17 years with the Philadelphia Daily News and photographed the war in Iraq for the Associated Press, earning a Pulitzer Prize and The Bayeaux Prize for War Correspondents. He has taught journalism at Missouri, NYU, Swarthmore College and Temple and Tufts Universities.

Covering Community Gun Violence: How We’re Trying to Do It Better

We are grateful to the team at The Trace for coordinating this critical session with leading journalists covering gun violence across the nation. Please join us for the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit in Philadelphia on November 8. You don’t have to be a journalist to attend. Get your tickets now.

The Trace’s nonprofit journalism has spurred bipartisan legislative proposals, law enforcement reforms, congressional inquiries, and new academic research. In 2018, The Trace received General Excellence honors in the micro newsroom category of the Online Journalism Awards. Its more than 75 national and local media partners include The New Yorker, Slate, The Atlantic, NBC News, BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and Politico.

Moderator

James Burnett, Editorial Director, The Trace, New York

James Burnett is the founding Editorial Director and Managing Director of The Trace. In his two decades as a reporter, editor, and newsroom leader, James has also served as Story Editor at The New Republic; as News Editor at New York Magazine, where he won a National Magazine Award for Special Issue; and as the chief editor of Boston Magazine.

Panelists

Nadege Green, Reporter, WLRN Public Radio, Miami

Nadege Green covers social justice issues for WLRN. Her work was received numerous awards, including a 2017 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award (Planning Funerals For Children Lost To Gun Violence), 2016 first place investigative reporting award from the National Association of Black Journalists and Florida AP Broadcaster awards. In 2018 Green was recognized by the Miami Foundation with the Ruth Shack Leadership award for her body of work that gives voice to communities that are often not heard. Green’s reporting has appeared in the Miami Herald, NPR and PRI.

Abené Clayton, Reporter, The Guardian, Guns and Lies in America, Oakland

Abené Clayton graduated from the Berkeley Graduate school of journalism in May 2019, where she produced two news magazine-length videos focused on disparities among Bay Area kidney patients and crime survivors in Richmond, California. She is currently a part of The Guardian newspaper’s “Guns & Lies” series, and specializes in covering community-based gun violence and California’s criminal legal system.

Jonathan Bullington, Investigative Reporter, Courier Journal, Louisville

Jonathan Bullington of the Courier Journal is Louisville has previously been a reporter with the Chicago Tribune and the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. Bullington’s work has focused on issues of criminal justice, from a family whose chance at justice for their murdered loved one was washed away in Katrina to how stolen firearms fuel street violence.

Akoto Ofori-Atta, Managing Editor, The Trace, New York

As managing editor at The Trace, Akoto Ofori-Atta is responsible for managing partnerships, outreach, special projects, editorial operations and the fellowship program. She directed “Since Parkland” The Trace’s groundbreaking student journalism project, which deployed 200+ teen reporters to write 1,200 portraits of young gun violence victims. Previously, she held the position of Associate Editor and Social Media Manager at The Root and as a Senior Editor at Essence Magazine. Before coming to the The Trace, she completed a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University. Akoto is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the Online New Association.

Register Now:

Gun Licensing, ERPO Laws and Violence Prevention: Public Health Researchers Explain

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research has achieved a national reputation for high-quality research, analysis, and innovation to advance the prevention of gun violence. We are honored to present the Director and a Core Faculty Member for this critical session.

Please join us for the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit in Philadelphia on November 8. You don’t have to be a journalist to attend. Get your tickets now.

Summary:

This session will provide an overview of the Center’s research and policy work, specifically its efforts around gun licensing. It will delve into the research and implementation of the Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), a leading initiative that enables those on the front lines to ask a court to prevent a person who is at risk of violence against themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms. Webster and Frattaroli will discuss how these issues are covered in the news, and how they could be better understood by the public.

Presenters:

Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH, is the inaugural Bloomberg Professor of American Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he directs the Center for Gun Policy and Research and serves as co-lead of the Violence Prevention Workgroup of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. Webster is one of the nation’s leading experts on the prevention of gun violence and has published over 120 articles in scientific journals on topics including gun policy, violence prevention, youth violence, intimate partner violence, suicide, and substance abuse. He is the lead editor and a contributor to Reducing Gun Violence in America: Informing Policy with Evidence and Analysis (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013). Webster’s research has informed policies to reduce gun violence at the local, state, and federal level. He previously led Baltimore’s Homicide Review Commission and now leads the Johns Hopkins-Baltimore Collaborative for Violence Reduction. His awards include the American Public Health Association’s David Rall Award for science-based advocacy (2015), Baltimore City’s Health Equity Leadership Award (2016), Pioneer Award from the Injury Free Coalition for Kids (2017), and Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni Award (2017).

Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH, is an associate professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where she serves as core faculty with the Center for Gun Policy and Research. Frattaroli teaches courses in Public Health Policy Formulation, Implementation Research and Practice, and Qualitative Research Methods. Her research focuses on policy and advocacy strategies designed to prevent injury and violence – particularly firearm-related domestic violence, with particular attention to how interventions are implemented once in place. Frattaroli is committed to efforts that advance the translation of research findings into policy and practice. Toward that end she is involved in the educational efforts and scholarship about Gun Violence Restraining Order laws that provide a process for temporarily dispossessing people of their firearms when they are exhibiting dangerous behaviors.

Register Now:

Reporting with Authority: Knowing the Research, Knowing the Vocab

Guns & America is a groundbreaking new reporting collaboration focused on a single issue: the role of guns in American life — and we are honored to have them presenting at the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit. Join us in Philadelphia on November 8. You don’t have to be a journalist to attend. Get your tickets now.

Summary:

Reporting on community gun violence is difficult. Guns & America, a public media reporting project covering the role of guns in American life, will present some of the empirical research they rely on to report deeper, more contextual stories.

Presenters:

Jeremy Bernfeld, Lead Editor, Guns & America; Director of Collaborative Reporting, WAMU, Washington DC

Before moving to D.C., Bernfeld was the editor of Harvest Public Media, a public media collaboration reporting from the Midwest on our food system. Prior to that, he worked at WBUR in Boston.

Lisa Dunn, Research Editor, Guns & America, Washington DC

Prior to joining the Guns & America team as research editor, Dunn was a long-time producer for the public radio show, The Diane Rehm Show.Over the years, she produced multiple shows on the topic of guns, including special programming in the wake of the Sandy Hook, Navy Yard and Orlando mass shootings. Dunn holds an M.B.A., Virginia Commonwealth University; and a B.A., American Studies, George Washington University.

Alana Wise, Reporting Fellow, WAMU, Washington DC

Alana Wise joins Guns & America after three years at Reuters, where she covered the 2016 presidential election, airlines and security, and the food and restaurant sector. Wise is an Atlanta native and a 2015 graduate of Howard University with a degree in political science and journalism. Wise is the 2018-2020 Audion Reporting Fellow at WAMU 88.5 in Washington, D.C.

Register Now:

Communities Affected by Gun Violence: What They Want Journalists to Understand

Jennifer Midberry from The Media School at Indiana University and her team of researchers interviewed participants at our recent community engagement event and will share preliminary findings at the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit. Join us in Philadelphia on November 8. You don’t have to be a journalist to attend. Get your tickets now.

Summary:

Journalists are faced with the difficult task of reporting on gun violence in a manner that serves the public good but does not compound the trauma of victims. Debates about how to strike this delicate balance take place continually in newsrooms and journalism classrooms. Yet, too often the direct input of those most affected by gun violence are not included in these discussions. In this session, Dr. Midberry will present findings from a focus group study that explores how victims of gun violence in Philadelphia perceive local media coverage of the issue and how they think such reporting can be improved.

Presenters:

Jennifer Midberry, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of journalism at The Media School at Indiana University. Her research focuses on ethical issues related to photographing vulnerable people, empathic and other affective responses to photojournalism of social issues, and visual stereotypes, with an emphasis on depictions of Islam and the Middle East in U.S. media. She currently teaches Visual Communication and Photojournalism courses. Previous to her academic career, she worked as a photojournalist and photo editor at organizations such as the Philadelphia Daily News, Associated Press, AOL News, and ABC News.

Register Now:

Coming together: Local journalists and mothers of the fallen

Join us for the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit in Philadelphia on November 8. You don’t have to be a journalist to attend. Get your tickets now.

Summary:

Mothers in Charge is a Philadelphia-based violence prevention, education and intervention organization made up mostly of women who have lost loved ones to violence. Three prominent local journalists will address questions gathered from these moms in a conversation intended to bring the communities closer together and improve coverage of the issue.

Moderator:

Dorothy Johnson-Speight, Ph.D, MHS, LPC is the Founder and National Executive Director of Mothers In Charge and a clarion voice to end senseless acts of violent crime. The Open Society Foundation named her to the 2015 class of Soros Justice Fellows. Following the tragic murder of her son Khaaliq Jabbar Johnson in 2001, Dorothy and other grieving mothers founded the non-profit grassroots organization with a mission of violence prevention through education.

Panelists:

Mensah M. Dean is a reporter on the Justice & Injustice Team at The Philadelphia Inquirer, focusing on corruption and wrongdoing in the public and private sectors and shining a light on perpetrators and victims. From 2009 through 2014, Dean reported exclusively on criminal justice as the Daily News’ courthouse reporter. In 2017 he received the $10,000 Vernon Jarrett Medal for Journalistic Excellence from the Morgan State University School of Global Journalism & Communication. In November 2019, Dean was named print journalist of the year by the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists.

Christopher “Flood the Drummer” Norris is a journalist, radio personality, organizer and professional drummer currently serving as the Community Contributor and Engagement Editor at WHYY. In the past, Norris has contributed to the opinion pages of The Philadelphia Inquirer, served as on-air contributor to WDAS-FM and is the former host of Wake Up With WURD, a poplar local talk radio morning show.

Cherri Gregg is the Community Affairs reporter for KYW Newsradio where she reports on a variety of grassroots social justice issues and events on KYW Radio, CBS3-TV and KYWNewsradio.com. Cherri is executive producer and host of Flashpoint, a public affairs show that airs on KYW 1060AM. She is the creator of KYW Newsradio’s annual GameChangers in Black History Month, a 10 day series that highlights individuals who are making a significant, positive impact on communities of color in the region. She was named Philadelphia Association of Black Journalist Broadcast/Online Journalist of the Year in 2019.

Register Now:

Widening the Lens on Gun Violence Reporting in Philadelphia: Perspectives from the Medical, Public Health, and Research Communities

We’re thrilled and honored to introduce this session. Please join us for the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit in Philadelphia on November 8. You don’t have to be a journalist to attend. Get your tickets now.

Summary

As part of this panel, we will hear from health care providers treating gun injured patients as well as public health practitioners and researchers working to unpack the root causes of gun violence and identify evidence-based solutions to this important public health problem in Philadelphia. On the front lines of gun violence every day, we present our unique perspectives and work in the areas of gun violence epidemiology and prevention.

Moderator

Jessica H. Beard, MD, MPH is Assistant Professor of Surgery at Temple University. She received her medical degree from Yale and a Masters in Public Health from UC-Berkeley. She trained in general surgery at UC-San Francisco and completed a Surgical Critical Care and trauma fellowship at University of Pennsylvania. She is a passionate about firearm injury advocacy, research, and prevention and is the co-founder of the Coalition of Trauma Centers for Firearm Injury Prevention. https://medicine.temple.edu/jessica-beard

Panelists

Sara F. Jacoby, PhD, MPH, MSN was a trauma nurse in Philadelphia and is now an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research is focused on identifying why injuries occur where they do in urban spaces, the experiences of injured people as they recover in their homes and communities, and ways to innovate health systems and to support urban environments to create safety and improve trauma outcomes. https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/live/profiles/15175-sara-f-jacoby

Elinore J. Kaufman, MD is a fellow in Surgical Critical Care and Trauma Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. She is originally from New York City, and after graduating from Harvard Medical School she returned to New York to complete her general surgery residency at Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is a health services and health policy researcher with a focus on preventing gun violence and reducing its’ impact on individuals and communities. https://ldi.upenn.edu/expert/elinore-kaufman-md-mshp

Caterina Roman, PhD is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Temple University. She completed her PhD in Sociology, Justice, Law, and Society from American University. Her research is mainly focused on evaluating community-based crime reduction programs and assessing new methodologies to understand neighborhood and individual-level risk factors for crime, delinquency, street victimization and gang membership. She is currently working on a US Department of Justice-funded study to examine how victims of street crime interact with formal and informal institutions after being injured. https://liberalarts.temple.edu/academics/faculty/roman-caterina 

Raynard Washington, PhD, MPH is Chief Epidemiologist for the City of Philadelphia, Department of Public Health. In this role, Dr. Washington is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data that provides actionable information on the health status of Philadelphia residents. Dr. Washington coordinates and provides guidance to epidemiologic activities across department divisions and works internally and externally to enhance and establish health surveillance systems. He also leads the development of the Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan. Dr. Washington earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. https://www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-public-health/about-us/staff/

Register Now:

Gathering brings journalists to the community to discuss gun violence coverage

Journalist Denise Clay meets with community participants. Clay has written about gun violence for The Philadelphia Public Record and the Philadelphia Sunday Sun and also reported on gun violence on WURD Radio and WWDB-860 AM.

Fifteen Philadelphia-based journalists were invited to spend a day with 30 residents from the core communities impacted by gun violence in the city, most of whom had lost several loved ones.

The gathering was convened by The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting in a first step toward informing a new set of best practices for journalists covering the issue and exploring the impact of news coverage on levels of violence.

Conversations were intended to get to know each other better and create opportunities to ask questions and share ideas for how gun violence coverage could best serve the community — and to make lasting connections for future engagement.

The program was hosted by Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, founder and executive director of Mothers in Charge, a Philadelphia-based national organization focused on violence prevention, education and intervention to support youths, young adults, families and communities affected by violence.

Dr. H. Jean Wright, director of behavioral health and justice-related services in the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, led the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence and then spent the day working with individuals who had more questions.

Derrick Cain, the community engagement editor at Resolve Philadelphia, introduced his organization which develops and advances journalism built on equity, collaboration and the elevation of community voices and solutions.

Next, Professors Jennifer Midberry and Jason Peifer from The Media School at Indiana University Bloomington led a team of facilitators who led focus group discussions.

Together with community partners, this research team will share their findings at The Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit on Community Gun Violence, a journalism conference which will take place on November 8 at WHYY in Philadelphia.

Finally, every journalist was briefly paired with every participating community member during a series of 15 speed-networking meetings to wrap up the day. Shana Salley-MacMillan of Brandywine Strategies organized and led this segment.

The event was organized in partnership with Mothers in Charge, Resolve Philadelphia and the Coalition of Trauma Centers for Firearm Injury Prevention. Funding was provided by the City of Philadelphia Office of Violence Prevention. The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists brought many of the participating reporters to the table.

Danielle Blanco of Mothers in Charge led a team of event workers who provided critical services throughout the day, including Rysheda Elliott, Thomas Roach, Kempis Songster and Valerie Todd.

The Initiative is extremely grateful for the efforts of IBGVR Philadelphia operations coordinator Alison Burdo and Kate Black, associate director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University, both of whom were also in attendance.

IBGVR director Jim MacMillan is a residential fellow with the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

His work has been advised by Temple trauma surgeon and public health researcher Dr. Jessica Beard and and trauma outreach coordinator Scott Charles, who also helped reserve the venue.

We gathered at the Student Faculty Center on the Temple Health Sciences Campus in North Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on the event Sunday, asking: Why is gun violence in Philly ‘exploding’ when solutions exist?

Journalist Chantale Belefanti meets with community participants. Belefanti recently reported in a similar event at the Germantown InfoHub for The Philadelphia Tribune.

Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight of Mothers in Charge introduces Dr. H. Jean Wright from the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services

Manuel Smith discusses journalism with community participants. Smith is the president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and northeast bureau assignment editor for NBC News.

Philadelphia Magazine columnist Ernest Owens meets with community representatives.

Mensah Dean, who covers crime, violence and corruption for The Philadelphia Inquirer, meets with community representatives.

WHYY reporter Ximena Conde discusses news coverage with community representatives.

Abraham Gutman, a member of The Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board, meets with community representatives.

Dr. H. Jean Wright, director of behavioral health and justice-related services in the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, led the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence and then spent the day working with individuals who had more questions.

Vincent Thompson of WURD Radio discusses gun violence coverage with with community representatives.

Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight speaks with Chris Malo, who manages PhiladelphiaNeighborhoods.com.

Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.

Dr. H. Jean Wright, director of behavioral health and justice-related services in the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, led the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence.

WHYY reporter Aaron Moselle meets with community representatives.

Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.

Martin Pratt of Your Black News meets with community representatives.

Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.

Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.

Philadelphia Inquirer political writer Chris Brennan meets with community representatives.

Dr. H. Jean Wright leads the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence.

Freelance journalist Bobbi Booker meets with community representatives.

Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight introduces Shana Salley-MacMillan of Brandywine Strategies, who organized and led the speed-networking segment of the event.

Chris Malo, who manages PhiladelphiaNeighborhoods.com, meets with community members.

Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on the event Sunday, asking: Why is gun violence in Philly ‘exploding’ when solutions exist?

We’re making final preparations for: Gun violence in the news

We’re making final preparations today for…

Gun violence in the news: Conversations between journalists and the community in Philadelphia

This event has been created to bring together members of the community impacted by gun violence in Philadelphia with journalists who play some role in coverage of the issue.

Conversations are intended to get to know each other better and create opportunities to ask questions and share ideas for how gun violence coverage could best serve the community — and to make lasting connections.

COLLABORATION

This event is organized by The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting, in partnership with Mothers in Charge, Resolve Philadelphia and the Coalition of Trauma Centers for Firearm Injury Prevention.

Funding has been provided by the City of Philadelphia Office of Violence Prevention.

OUR HOST

The program will be hosted by Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, founder and executive director of Mothers on Charge, one of Philadelphia’s leading community groups focused on gun violence prevention.

THE PROGRAM

H. Jean Wright II, PsyD, will discuss gun violence and trauma. Dr. Wright is a transformational, highly experienced and professionally trained clinical and forensic psychologist with over 20 years of experience in behavioral health.

Jim MacMillan will briefly discuss the partnership behind this event. He is a fellow at the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri and director of The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting.

Derrick Cain, the community engagement Editor at Resolve Philadelphia will briefly discuss his organization which develops and advances journalism built on equity, collaboration and the elevation of community voices and solutions.

Professors Jennifer Midberry and Jason Peifer from The Media School Indiana University will lead a team of focus group facilitators. Together with community partners, they will share their findings at The Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit in November,

Shana Salley-MacMillan of Brandywine Strategies will lead a speed dating session. This is an opportunity for every journalist to have a quick meeting with every community member in attendance.

THE TEAM

Danielle Blanco of Mothers in Charge will lead a team of event staffers, including Rysheda Elliot, Valerie Listman, Thomas Roach and Kempis Songster.

Alison Burdo is the Philadelphia operations coordinator for the Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting and is managing event administration.

Kate Black, associate director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Traumawill be in attendance. She has been generously advising plans for our November Summit.

We are also grateful for advising and collaboration with the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and the Coalition of Trauma Centers for Firearm Injury Prevention.

A team from PhillyCam will document the event and share their report on PhillyCam Voices and online.

Registration is full and this event is not open to the public but media inquiries are invited.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO

Save the date and watch for more information coming soon about The Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit, taking place November 8 at WHYY in Philadelphia.