Focus on Immigration and Migration: M.S. Reporting Students Cover Immigration in NYC

We are pleased to present a new series about how Columbia Journalism School has been training its students to become leading reporters on topics related to immigration and migration. Around the globe, the work of journalists is essential for telling the stories of how the movement of people across borders has been impacting lives, politics and economies. In this class spotlight, we look at how current Master of Science Program students have been covering immigration stories across New York City in their introductory reporting course. 

All of Columbia’s full- and part-time Master of Science Program students begin their coursework by taking the introductory reporting course, which explores the ways journalists gather and analyze information and which introduces them to neighborhoods, people, and stories across New York City. Students meet with their instructors in small-group seminars to discuss techniques and issues, and put what they’re learning into practice as they cover beats, develop enterprise stories, and report breaking news on deadline. By the end of the course, students have produced a range of stories that provide readers insights into pressing issues facing New York City residents.

In the fall of 2019, many Master of Science Program students have begun publishing their stories about immigration and about a wide range of other topics. Several of the reporting courses have created their own online publications, such as The Bronx Ink,  The Brooklyn Ink,  The Gotham Grind, The Grade, The Midtown Gazette and The Uptowner to share their stories with the public.  Please read below to learn about how current Master of Science Program students have been reporting important stories about the cultural, economic, legal, and social effects of immigration in New York City's communities.

THE BRONX:

- Benoît Morenne (Class of 2020, M.S.) wrote in The Gotham Grind about how the death of Segundo Huerta exposed the plight of undocumented construction workers in the state of New York.

- Lauren M. Peace (Class of 2020, M.S. Stabile) wrote in The Bronx Ink about how first generation Albanian-Americans in New York City are working to address inherited family trauma. 

- Nushrat Raman (Class of 2020, M.S.) and Vusala Alibayova (Class of 2020, M.S.) reported in The Grade about the Bronx's International Community High School, which offers immigrant students a safe space to learn. 

- Tommy Walters (Class of 2020, M.S.) wrote in The Gotham Grind about criticism of a surveillance app that tracks the movements of undocumented immigrants.

BROOKLYN:

- Shruti Janardhan (Class of 2020, M.S.) wrote in The Brooklyn Ink about a change in how some Muslim immigrants have perceived the inclusiveness of a historically welcoming Brooklyn synagogue.

- Polina Kuznetsova (Class of 2020, M.S.) wrote in The Brooklyn Ink about the how recent waves of Eastern European immigration have changed the once predominantly Russian culture of Brighton Beach. 

- Santiago Montoya (Class of 2020, M.S.) wrote in The Brooklyn Ink about an artist who created a mural to welcome immigrants in Sunset Park, which is one of the areas in the city most targeted for ICE raids.

MANHATTAN:

- Feven Merid (Class of 2020, M.S.) wrote in The Uptowner about New York City's only homeless shelter that welcomes immigrants and asylum seekers - regardless of their legal status. 

QUEENS:

- Siqi Ji (Class of 2020, M.S.) wrote in The Grade about how New York City's test prep centers offer Chinese immigrants a niche occupation and an admission boost into selective public schools.  

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