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Center the voices of those most affected. Ask yourself who is bearing the brunt of the issue and if their voices are being heard. In her story on avian flu outbreaks, Navarro focused not just on the science but on the farmworkers whose health and livelihoods were at risk. “I began to notice who wasn't being talked about and who was also most at risk of H5N1, which are farm workers, many of whom are Latine immigrants,” Navarro said.
Leverage trusted intermediaries to reach difficult sources. Partner with clinics or nonprofits that already have established relationships. These connections can build trust with wary sources. “We were really lucky that we built trust with the director at a clinic,” Seitz said. “We were able to really take free rein for a couple of days at their clinic and follow folks everywhere.”
Build transparency with your sources. Take time to explain journalistic terms like “on background” or “off the record.” Allow people to go back and forth between different levels of transparency throughout their interviews. Setting these clear expectations builds trust. “Everybody I was speaking to was vulnerable in some way, because everybody essentially, if they said the wrong thing, was at risk of losing their job,” Navarro said.
Be upfront about potential risks. Don’t downplay what it means to go on the record. Seitz stressed the importance of informed consent. Ensure sources fully understand the implications of being named or photographed, without promising what you can’t guarantee. “As a reporter, you don't want to lose that source, but you have to be honest with people about the risk they're taking,” Seitz said.
Remember why your reporting matters. Focus on the people affected. Keeping the human impact front and center makes your coverage more powerful. “These stories are really important, and because they're hard to tell right now is all the more reason to tell them,” Klibanoff said.
Trust your instincts and persist. Pursuing stories on health inequities takes time, persistence, and empathy. Follow your gut and stay committed to finding the truth. “Sometimes you get a good idea, and people say no to you. My point of view is always to take it to other people, and eventually you'll find someone that will let you write it,” Alcorn said.
Highlight stories of hope and resilience. Alongside the challenges, seek out examples of positive change. Jordan reminded journalists that readers crave inspiration and reminders of what’s possible, both individually and collectively. “We're really desperate to be reminded of the things that we should also aspire to, societally and personally, and I want to remind people to look for those stories as well,” Jordan said.
To learn more about the fellows' work, click here.
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