Indiana Humanities to host award-winning journalist Vann R. Newkirk II

Join Indiana Humanities and journalist Vann R. Newkirk II on June 29 for a special INconversation event at the Central Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library. Newkirk is a senior editor at The Atlantic, and the host and co-creator of the 2021 Peabody Award-winning podcast “Floodlines,” an eight-part narrative series about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, released in March 2020.

In “Floodlines”, journalist Newkirk and his team at The Atlantic exposed how history, media, policy and people interacted in the crisis that was Hurricane Katrina, bringing new insights to causes and outcomes of the 2005 disaster.

The podcast, and Newkirk’s reporting broadly, demonstrates the importance of journalism in revealing the deep inequities that are at the heart of America’s climate crisis. During this INconversation program, we’ll discuss how journalism questions, describes and uncovers environmental inequalities, and how storytelling can inspire new, more equitable futures.

Offered as part of Indiana Humanities’ Unearthed programming, a multiyear initiative encouraging Hoosiers to discover and discuss their relationships with the natural world, this special INconversation will feature a moderated conversation between Newkirk and local environmental journalist Rebecca Thiele, environment and energy issues reporter for Indiana Public Broadcasting News.

“We’re excited to bring this opportunity to Hoosiers,” said Megan Telligman, director of programs at Indiana Humanities. “Newkirk’s work reveals the power of journalism in highlighting environmental inequalities in our communities and is an example of how storytelling can lead to change.”

This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are available here and the program will also be livestreamed. ASL interpretation will be provided.

This program is part of the “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils. The initiative seeks to deepen the public’s knowledge and appreciation of the vital connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry. We thank The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their generous support of this initiative and the Pulitzer Prizes for their partnership. Locally, this program is also made possible with the support of WFYI, Indiana Public Broadcasting News, and the Indianapolis Public Library.