#MediaMonday Another Update – Fernanda Santos
Our #MediaMonday profile today has been featured on our blog a few times in the past. Here, here and here.
Fernanda Santos has recently been named managing editor at The 19th News, an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy.
Fernanda, tell us more about The 19th News and its important role in sharing the stories of those in our communities that have traditionally been underrepresented.
The 19th was created in the wake of Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016, when it became clear to our founders that mainstream news organizations were not well-equipped to cover women in public life. We focus on politics and policy stories and tell them through the lens of gender, with special emphasis on underrepresented and misrepresented communities. To us, gender does not have a binary definition and because of that, we report from a more inclusive perspective and also one that more accurately represents our society.
Our reporting is free — and easy — to republish; all it takes is clicking a button on our site. We also run The 19th News Network, a collective of national, regional and local news organizations that seeks to advance racial and gender equity in politics and policy journalism. Some of our partners are based in Arizona, such as Arizona Mirror and Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
You have long been a vocal advocate for representation of diverse voices not only in news coverage, but in newsrooms as well. How do you feel that’s going?
I’ve remained focused on that goal and work for a news organization whose mission revolves around that goal, so I’d say it’s going splendidly. Does the media industry have issues? For sure it does. However, I’ve chosen to take the how-do-you-eat-an-elephant approach, which is one bite at a time.
What topics can we expect to read about over the next several months in the lead-up to the Presidential Election?
Our first big piece after we launched in 2020 was an exclusive interview with Kamala Harris, a Black and South Asian woman who is now running for president. We’ve grown and developed since then and we’re ready to meet the moment by. We have unparalleled coverage of LGBTQ+ rights; our series “The toll of America’s anti-trans war,” published in late August, explores the impact that legislation meant to harm this group impacts us all. Our reporters are also providing stellar coverage of reproductive rights, climate, education, caregiving and the economy, and disability, among other key policy issues that are also top of mind for voters.
You have had a successful career as a journalist, as a professor of practice and as a book author. What are some of the stories you are most proud of?
There are so many. One that comes to mind is my coverage of the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire, which is also the theme of my book. It’s centered around the people who fight fires, their families and how the system that we use to employ and compensate wildland firefighters is rooted in exploitation. I’m also fond of the stories I wrote about the work that young undocumented immigrants in Arizona played in helping transform the political landscape in the state. Also, a piece I did about the first year of freedom for a young man who, at the age of 17, was convicted of a rape and murder he did not commit.
Is there a story or subject that you’d like to revisit?
What I’d like is to take one of my most favorite stories, “A Boy of Unusual Vision,” by the late Alice Steinbach, and write a version of it based on the story’s main character and the life he lives today.
If you could spend the day with another journalist (past or present) who would that be and why?
Josefina Álvares de Azevedo, a pioneering Brazilian journalist who, in the late 19th century, staunchly advocated for women’s right to vote and a quality education, which she regarded as a tool for their emancipation.
What was the last book you read?
“Soul by Soul,” by Adriana Carranca, which tells the story of Christian missionaries from Brazil who moved to Kabul, Afghanistan, to spread the gospel. It’s a fascinating look at the global evangelical movement and the challenges and clashes the missionaries endure in the Middle East.
What are some of your favorite TV shows?
I mostly watch news and movies on TV, but my daughter and I are super into “The Umbrella Academy,” which has just released a new season, and we’ve been eagerly awaiting for the next season of “Stranger Things.”
List three things our readers would be surprised to know about you?
I took on surfing at the age of 50 and am so into it! I’ve just bought my first surfboard, actually, an 8-foot Degree 33 that is a beauty.
I’m from Brazil, a country that’s known for its churrasco, but I don’t eat red meat.
I can speak, read and write in four languages.
Are you open to receiving story pitches? What’s the best way to reach you? Where can we find you on the socials?
The 19th does not publish freelance stories. We do, of course, take pitches from public relations firms and communications teams. The best way to get those to us is by emailing pitches@19thnews.org.
