Natasha S. Alford

Natasha S. Alford
Born (1986-06-08) June 8, 1986 (age 38)
Syracuse, New York
EducationHarvard University
Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism
Occupation(s)Journalist, digital media executive, and public speaker
Notable workAfro-Latinx Revolution: Puerto Rico
Awards"Emerging Journalist of the Year" by the National Association of Black Journalists (2018)
Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting grantee (2019)

Natasha S. Alford (born June 8, 1986) is an American journalist, digital media executive, and public speaker. She currently serves as VP of Digital Content and senior correspondent for theGrio, and a CNN Political Analyst.[1]

Early life

Alford was born in Syracuse, New York. Her mother is Puerto Rican and her father is African American.[2][3] Alford graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies.[4] Alford later earned a master's degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.[5]

Career

Alford's first job out of college was at Bridgewater Associates, a hedge fund in Connecticut. She left to pursue a career in education, eventually becoming a middle school English teacher.[6]

Alford began her journalism career as a general assignment news reporter at WROC-TV (News 8) in Rochester, New York. In 2016, she joined The Grio as Deputy Editor and was promoted to Vice President of Digital Content in 2019.[7][8] Alford began appearing regularly on CNN in 2019.[9] In 2020, Alford launched TheGrio's first podcast, Dear Culture.[10][11]

In addition to her work in journalism, Alford is a public speaker and has delivered talks on topics such as diversity and inclusion and media representation.[12]

Alford executive produced and directed the documentary "Afro-Latinx Revolution: Puerto Rico" with Defend Puerto Rico. The film explores the history and culture of the Afro-Latino community in Puerto Rico and highlights the experiences of Black Puerto Ricans who have historically faced discrimination and marginalization. The documentary was acquired by Freestyle Digital Media, a subsidiary of Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios, and was made available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.[13]

Activism

Alford has worked to raise awareness about various issues affecting marginalized communities.[14][15] In 2023, she awarded three scholarships to aspiring high school journalists from underrepresented backgrounds in her hometown Syracuse.[16][17]

Awards and recognition

In recognition of her work, Alford has been named "Emerging Journalist of the Year" by the National Association of Black Journalists in 2018 and a 2019 Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting grantee. As part of the grant, she produced an original Amazon Prime Video documentary titled "Afro-Latinx Revolution: Puerto Rico” (2020).[18]

She also served as a Journalist-In-Residence at Syracuse University.[19]

Personal life

Alford is a lupus advocate and has opened up about living with the autoimmune condition.[20]

References

  1. ^ Fox, MeiMei. "Journalist Natasha Alford On The Importance Of Advocating For Yourself". Forbes. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  2. ^ Kirst, Sean (September 28, 2009). "Natasha Alford: 'The path toward everything in life'". syracuse. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  3. ^ Rodriguez, Photographs by Steven Molina Contreras, Text by Sasha (August 19, 2021). "Natasha S. Alford is a Rising Star of the Latino Community in NYC". NYCgo.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Harvard University (2008). "Spring 2008 Thesis Titles, Committee on Degrees in Social Studies" (PDF).
  5. ^ "Youth-Driven Summit Is Saturday | Syracuse University News". October 23, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  6. ^ pulp_new (November 15, 2021). "Natasha Alford's love for Syracuse remained a constant in winding career to theGrio". The Daily Orange. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  7. ^ Swaab, Olivia (September 24, 2021). "Media executive addresses news overload, activism among young consumers". The NewsHouse. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  8. ^ Hardy, Jasmine (January 17, 2020). "Natasha S. Alford Named Vice President of Digital Content at TheGrio". TheGrio. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  9. ^ "Natasha S. Alford". Time. September 15, 2022.
  10. ^ "Natasha S. Alford: Black people want a trusted place to turn during these times". Marcom Weekly. August 12, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Perkins, Njera (April 6, 2020). "theGrio Launches New Podcast 'Dear Culture' to Cater to Black News Listeners". AfroTech. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  12. ^ Kang, Ashley (October 19, 2021). "Award-Winning Journalist Leads Workshops in Hometown of Syracuse | The Stand". Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  13. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (January 12, 2021). "Freestyle Digital Media Acquires TheGrio Docu 'Afro-Latinx Revolution: Puerto Rico'; Sets Amazon Debut". Deadline. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  14. ^ "Natasha S. Alford named NABJ Emerging Journalist of the Year". June 21, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  15. ^ Swaab, Olivia (September 24, 2021). "Media executive addresses news overload, activism among young consumers". The NewsHouse. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  16. ^ "Natasha Alford presenting scholarships to Syracuse Journalism Lab graduates – Syracuse Press Club". Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  17. ^ Tulloch, Katrina (April 5, 2023). "Watch Natasha Alford surprise 3 Syracuse students with journalism scholarships (video)". syracuse. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  18. ^ "'Afro-Latinx Revolution': An Interview with Award-Winning Journalist Natasha Alford". The Latinx Project at NYU. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  19. ^ "Global storyteller Natasha Alford reflects on journey rooted in Syracuse". WSYR. March 8, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  20. ^ "Celebrating Women's Natasha Alford talks Lupus, pushes for women's health advocacy". WSYR. March 8, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2023.