A support group and a lab in the St. Louis area provide resources for people with the allergy to mammal products — and evidence that its effects can be reversed.
Gathering with Report for America corps members at NAHJ in Chicago (Courtesy: Estefanía Pinto Ruiz)
Attending conferences is an important part of growing as a journalist: It's a chance to meet new people, network, and learn ways to improve our journalism from mentors and colleagues. That's why we pay for Ag & Water Desk reporters to attend these gatherings and other continuing education opportunities. This year, we're able to provide extra support because of your generous financial contributions to the Desk, including our first NewsMatch fundraiser last fall.
Desk reporter Estefanía Pinto Ruiz of KWQC-TV6 recently took advantage of these extra funds to attend the National Association of Hispanic Journalists conference in Chicago.
She shares:
Desk reporter Estefanía Pinto Ruiz, KWQC TV6
"I had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) conference for the first time, thanks to the support of the Ag & Water Desk. As a reporter from Colombia living in Iowa, where I’m one of the only Hispanic journalists in the newsroom, the experience was truly priceless.
There are so many aspects of working in this industry that we have to figure out on our own, especially when we come from a different background. At times, being the only one (or one of the few) can feel isolating.
NAHJ gave me the chance to connect with other reporters who share similar experiences and, most importantly, who understand. One of my favorite panels was "Leaning Into Your Hispanic Superpowers." It reminded me that being bilingual and coming from a different background isn’t a limitation, it’s a strength. These perspectives can make our newsrooms more inclusive and our coverage more meaningful.
Another highlight for me was meeting Vanessa Hauc. When I started this job, I closely followed her environmental coverage through Planeta Tierra on Telemundo. Attending her panel and learning from her and the other speakers about how to craft compelling environmental stories will guide my reporting for the Desk and my viewers.
The speakers talked about the three pillars of storytelling—localize, humanize, and offer solutions—highlighting community voices that tell their own stories. For example, they shared a story about construction workers, many from the Hispanic community, facing extreme heat. A reporter walking on a treadmill in a lab while wearing boots and a backpack simulated outside temperatures, showing how quickly heat stroke can happen. This helps connect local issues to bigger climate challenges.
Gatherings like NAHJ are so important, not only for Hispanic journalists but for everyone working in media. Creating a culture where we feel welcomed and valued is what allows us to stay and to thrive.
Now, I'm bringing these lessons back to my newsroom to keep sharing important environment reporting in the Quad Cities and the greater river basin."
Michael here again. We are so grateful that the Desk's friends and supporters enabled Estefania to have this meaningful experience. We founded our new micro-grant program for reporters' continuing education with donations from NewsMatch last year. We're getting ready to participate in the fundraiser again this fall. In the meantime, our donation page is always open. It's a fantastic way to show your support for independent, public service journalism.
A final word before we go: the Desk is hiring! We're looking for two full-time editors: our Editorial Director and Assistant Editorial Director. We're also taking applications for two Expert Journalists, folks who spend a few hours a week supporting our reporters. Details on all those positions are here. Come join our team!
Thanks for reading. More next week from across the Basin.
