de la Torre to Cover Issues of Race, Culture, and Diversity
HARTFORD, Conn. (January 11, 2018) – WNPR is thrilled to formally announce that reporter Vanessa de la Torre has joined the newsroom to be part of a nationwide team covering issues and people at the intersection of race, culture, and diversity.
She joins other reporters based at member stations in St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as in Portland, Oregon. The effort is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and is a collaboration with NPR.
“I believe in the power of journalism and so does WNPR,” de la Torre said. “I’m proud to work for a news organization that is pushing itself to reach deeper into the community and tell stories with insight and surprises.”
De la Torre comes to public radio after more than a decade as a newspaper reporter at the Hartford Courant, where she covered everything from zoning battles and breaking news to mayoral races and educational disparities. In recent years, her storytelling and investigative work was recognized regionally and by the national Education Writers Association.
She has also written for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida and interned at the Washington Post and the Imperial Valley Press in El Centro, California, her hometown near the U.S.-Mexico border. De la Torre is a graduate of Princeton University and the master’s program in journalism at Stanford University.
“Vanessa is a reporter’s reporter — one of the state’s most talented journalists who’s known for her tough questions, her insightful writing, and her probing stories,” Jeff Cohen, WNPR’s News Director, said. “I can’t wait to learn from her, and we’re honored to have her join us as we work to report and tell the stories that matter most to our growing audience.”
De la Torre comes to the newsroom as WNPR continues its effort to work collaboratively with partners around the country. WNPR is home to John Dankosky, Executive Editor of the New England News Collaborative. It also has local reporters who work in national journalism collaborations with NPR on healthcare and criminal justice.
About WNPR
WNPR is an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International, and American Public Media. As part of the Connecticut Public (CBPN), WNPR serves listeners weekly in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island with news and information. WNPR’s award-winning local programming lineup includes Where We Live, The Colin McEnroe Show, and The Faith Middleton Food Schmooze. Overall, the network brings a broad spectrum of public affairs, entertainment, sports, and educational programming to viewers, listeners, and readers. For more information, visit wnpr.org.
About Connecticut Public Broadcasting
The Connecticut Public is home to CPTV, WNPR and the Learning Lab. CPTV is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including original documentaries, public affairs and educational programming. WNPR is an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. The Learning Lab serves high school seniors through a partnership with Hartford Public Schools and the Journalism and Media Academy Magnet School. It is also home to the Institute for Advanced Media, a program that provides the men and women of our armed forces and adult learners an opportunity to learn skills necessary for the 21st century digital media workplace. For more information, visit cpbn.org.