Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis

The Institute for Public Service Reporting is a nonprofit newsroom on the campus of the University of Memphis specializing in investigative reporting and in-depth explanatory journalism—an arm of the university with a firewall protecting their editorial independence. Its mission is to provide robust, civic-minded journalism that promotes a vibrant democracy, fosters inclusiveness and enriches the lives of the people of greater Memphis, including many underserved communities. Stories appear on its news site, and on The Daily Memphian, a nonprofit news site.

Current Position

Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Beat: Civil rights cold cases in Tennessee

Position:

This project fills a major gap in the reporting and understanding in this region of hate crimes, police brutality and systemic racism. The purpose is to examine and produce print and public radio stories about unsolved and unpunished racially motivated murders from the modern civil rights era in Memphis and across Tennessee. The reporter also examines modern and historical civil rights abuses, police brutality and environmental justice issues.

Reporter: Laura Kebede-Twumasi