Long-form work
Boiling Point (2021)
Boiling Point is a six-part documentary series that investigates instances of police brutality, voter suppression, school segregation, environmental racism and mass incarceration throughout American history, and the impact those injustices have had on equality.
As a broadcast associate on the Bloody Sunday, Attica and George Floyd episodes, I was the bridge between producers and CBS News’ expansive archives.
When I wasn’t screening archival footage, I assisted with character and expert outreach, provided script feedback and managed organization of third-party material for promotional and legal teams.
The series aired on BET in February-March 2021.
What happened to the shotgun house? (2022)
Known for its vibrant culture and architecture, New Orleans has also faced rapid gentrification following natural disasters and the worsening effects of climate change. One of the city’s most famous architectural types, the shotgun house sits at the center of this change.
Once affordable for everyone, shotgun homes can now be sold for a small fortune. Experts say a lot needs to be done to reverse these trends, but hidden in the history of the shotgun home is a lesson on how that can be done.
This mini-documentary was pitched, shot and produced by my classmate MacKenzie Coffman and I on a week-long reporting trip to New Orleans as part of our Master’s program curriculum.
Reporting supported by Trevon Cole and LEDE New Orleans.
Let Logan Skate (2022)
Logan Laurie was kicked out of grade school in his small hometown in Colorado. He was considered the stereotypical troublemaker skater boy as soon as his battered skateboard and ripped jeans came into view.
But it wasn’t Logan’s long locks and daredevil personality that got him in trouble. In fact, skateboarding gave him purpose and passion from the moment his mom gifted him his first board for Christmas as a child in rocky Colorado. That purpose would follow him in his move over 1,000 miles from home to Logan Square, a neighborhood in northwest Chicago.
Over time, Logan formed his own community of fellow local skaters, meeting folks of all ages and backgrounds. He would skate all over the city and one day came across what appeared to be an abandoned skate park located below and underpass called the Logan Square Skate Park.
Logan, with the help of some friends and allies, will spend the next few weeks advocating on behalf of and fundraising to rebuild the dilapidated Logan Square Skate Park — with hopes of creating the city’s first covered skate park.
This documentary was pitched, shot and produced by my classmates, Hannah Beir and Max Abrams, and I for the final project in our documentary class as part of our Master’s program curriculum.