Diversity in Journalism

Shirley M. Carswell is a journalism educator with decades of experience in the news business. She recently became the Executive Director of the Dow Jones News Fund. Since 2015, she has been a lecturer at her alma mater, Howard University, in the Media, Journalism and Film Department. Before returning to Howard, she was deputy managing editor of The Washington Post. She retired from The Post after 25 years, during which time she held several management positions, including assistant managing editor for planning and administration and metro copy chief. Ms. Carswell previously worked at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Oakland Press in Pontiac, Michigan, and the Detroit Free Press. She is a graduate of the Dow Jones News Fund editing program and Northwestern University’s Media Management Center, which she attended as a McCormick Fellow. She is a longtime member of the National Association of Black Journalists and served as NABJ interim executive director in 2017. She graduated magna cum laude from Howard University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Patrice is a journalist and the founder of Coronavirus News for Black Folks, a weekly newsletter that aims to empower our community by circulating existing coronavirus (COVID-19) news and stories as it relates to the Black Diaspora. She is a former host and writer for BuzzFeed. With over 10 years of experience at both media companies and startups, Patrice also brings a thoughtful perspective and blend of self-starting, creative chops and digital data-savvy. She's entrepreneurial at heart and a team player recognized for viral stories, dynamic ideas, and an impassioned, intersectional approach. In 2017 alone, Patrice’s writing garnered more than 34,000,000 views, including viral hits like “Just A Friendly PSA That You Don’t HAVE To Lay Your Edges Down If You Don’t Wanna” and “9 Types Of Street Harassment You've Probably Experienced If You're A Woman.” She’s also produced, directed, and starred in videos for BuzzFeed’s As/Is YouTube channel, which has more than 9,000,000 subscribers. Her work can also be found at The Huffington Post, NBC, EBONY.com, BET.com, OkayAfrica, and more.