Klein College of Media and Communication welcomed Pulitzer-winning journalists Kavitha Surana and Stacy Kranitz for a discussion about their long-form interactive journalism piece, “The Year After a Denied Abortion.”
The event, which lasted around an hour and a half, was comprised of a Q&A with the journalists and one of the piece’s editors, Andrea Wise. The three work for ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative journalism newsroom that looks to uncover injustice in the systems of the United States.
“We look for the stories we can invest in that no one else can do,” said Surana.
“The Year After a Denied Abortion” follows the story of Mayron Michelle Hollis, a Tennessee citizen who, due to Tennessee law, was forced to give birth even though doctors voiced concerns about her pregnancy being life-threatening. The piece is centered around a collection of photographs of Hollis and her family, along with descriptions of what they have gone through.
Students resonated with the way the piece examines the consequences of abortion bans across the country.
“It drew me away from the overly politicized fall of Roe,” said Catherine Caudill, a first-year communication major. “Obviously, it’s an innately political topic, but it actually characterizes the individual experience of someone who is suffering from this.”
Oliver Lois Economidis, a senior communication studies major, highlights the importance of talking about abortion in the current political climate.
“I don’t think people understand what happens when the system fails,” they said. “This shows the reality of what is actually happening.”
The journalists spoke about the impacts of publishing a story that is so raw and intimate.
“It wasn't clean; it wasn't this heroic version of pro-choice. It was really messy, and the readers were able and willing to sit with that,” Kranitz said.
Hollis’s story showed the direct effect that the Tennessee abortion bans have on families. With this piece, Surana and Kranitz showed a real-life example of injustice in an in-depth, visual manner.
“The story helps to crystallize the role that policy plays in people’s lives,” said Surana.
Surana and Kranitz touched on the tensions that arise from reporting on the situation but not being able to do anything to directly help the family.
“How do I hold on to all these things that I can’t make better for this family?” said Kranitz.
Surana stressed that it is necessary to know your role as a journalist.
“You are not an advocate or a superhero with a cape,” Surana said. “You’re hoping that you’re going to do it justice and that you’ll make some change in the world.”
They revealed the emotional difficulties that came with the project.
“Sometimes, she would kick me out of the house,” Kranitz said. “Sometimes, she would go around the room screaming at people. First, her husband, then the kids, then me.”
Surana shared that sentiment.
“We don’t do investigative reporting because it’s easy,” said Surana. “Finding purpose is the best antidote to the pain.”
The three ended the conversation by sharing advice with students who are at the beginning of their careers in journalism.
“Your unique perspective and your lived experience are so important to journalism,” said Wise. “That’s going to be what is going to make your journalism authentic and true, and that’s what’s going to make sure you’re listening and paying attention to the stories that other people may not be.”
The journalists highlighted that putting yourself out there is the first step to becoming a journalist.
“Don’t think you have to start big,” said Surana. “You can already call yourself an investigative journalist if you are out there asking questions and trying to hold power accountable.”
All in all, the visit offered students insight into the life of a journalist—even when that life is not easy.
“I hope students take away that there’s the opportunity for them to do good work even if it’s really difficult and even if it takes a really long time,” said Logan Molyneux, associate professor and chair of the Department of Journalism.