Walking Richmond

OUR SILENT SPRING

In the spirit of the Out of Eden Walk, students from the University of Richmond set out this spring to report on their adopted city using the techniques of slow journalism. Then in early March, the outbreak of coronavirus forced them to return to their homes across the U.S., where they refocused their reporting to explore the pandemic's impact on their hometowns, their neighborhoods, and their lives. Their storytelling projects are presented below.

Winnetka, Illinois

Senior Alexis Angelus reported from her hometown, a suburb of Chicago that lies within Cook County, Illinois. As her governor ordered residents to shelter in place, the pandemic’s quiet toll on local businesses—and college seniors—began to hit home.

Chappaqua, New York

Lindsay Emery, a senior, reported from her home in Westchester County, an early hotbed of coronavirus cases in and around New York City. In addition to her work for this class, Lindsay reported for local news outlets on the crisis in her community.

Baltimore, Maryland

Sophomore Caterina Erdas reported from her home in the City of Baltimore, whose residents are predominantly poor and black. In addition to her dispatches, Catherine created a series of data visualizations in StoryMap form, available in the Map Room.

Sarasota, Florida

Noah Goldberg, a sophomore from Massachussetts, wound up sheltering in place with relatives in Sarasota, Florida. An experienced broadcaster, Noah launched a podcast series, UR Home Stories, to document the perspectives of his classmates and invited guests.

Santa Rosa, California

Reporting from his home in Santa Rosa, Steven Gu reconnected with a high school friend who owns a restaurant struggling to survive the pandemic. He also documented its toll on his host father, a medical professional who risks exposure daily in the hospital where he works.

Hillsdale, New York

Quinn Humphrey, a sophomore, was home in Pelham when COVID-19 began decimating the county. His family relocated to Hillsdale, a tiny hamlet in the Berkshires where Quinn reported on a family that survived coronavirus, and the town’s small businesses, struggling to stay afloat.

Plymouth, Michigan

In a suburb of Detroit, Nina Joss, a junior, found stories everywhere: On the dining room table, her mother, an RN, studied round-the-clock for COVID duty in the hospital ICU, while on the streets outside, longtime neighbors came to know each other for the first time.

Hershey, Pennsylvania

From her home in south-central Pennsylvania, Brooke Loomis reported on her hometown’s ‘can do’ spirit, sense of civic pride, and the role of Hershey’s medical professionals, including her own mother, tending to public health needs during the historic pandemic.

Yorktown, Virginia

Reporting from her home near the Chesapeake Bay, freshman Emily Lopez found stories in the creative things people do, in times of crisis, to make their world more beautiful and sane. Reporting from an art studio in a garage and a garden full of art, Emily captured the easygoing spirit of her town.

Annapolis, Maryland

With his host family in Annapolis, Alex Rodriguez, a student from Spain, spent quarantine in a quiet neighborhood near the Bay. In confinement, he found a side of America he’d never known: a place where sunken boats rise, emergencies are averted, and a roughneck named White Mike is really true-blue.

walk, report, share.

Student reporting at the University of Richmond

Slow Journalism

Our class, like the Out of Eden Walk, is designed to explore the creative frontiers of Slow Journalism, a movement away from the super-fast, superficial coverage that dominates modern news media, and towards a more in-depth, deliberate, mindful approach to narrative storytelling using the latest tools of digital technology.

REPORTING TEAM

UR student journalists have been covering this historic pandemic from their home communities.

Alexis Angelus

Reporter and graphics coordinator

Alexis Angelus is a senior majoring in Journalism and Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Reporting for The Collegian and Capital News Service, Alexis developed a passion for stories that help people connect with themselves and the world around them. She plans a career in content curation and written and visual storytelling.

Lindsay Emery

Reporter and managing editor

Lindsay Emery is a senior majoring in Journalism and Political Science. She is the former Managing Editor of The Collegian and Staff Writer for the Capital News Service. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in journalism, communications and public relations.

CATERINA ERDAS

Reporter, data visualizations

Caterina Erdas, class of 2022, is pursuing a Science Communication interdisciplinary major while minoring in Mathematics. A native of Baltimore, she is thankful for the opportunity to learn about Slow Journalism as a storytelling tool and a state of mind.

NOAH GOLDBERG

Reporter and podcaster

Noah Goldberg is a sophomore majoring in Journalism. He works as ESPN Richmond’s beat writer, covering the Spiders mens basketball team. He is also the founding host and producer for the UR Home Stories Podcast, reflecting his passion for live broadcasting, multimedia and digital content creation.

Steven Gu

Reporter and cartographer

Steven Gu is a freshman majoring in African Relations and Marketing who spent a gap year in East Africa and Indonesia. Born and raised in China, Steven moved to the U.S. when he was 13; during high school he lived in Africa. He is passionate about cross-cultural communication.

Quinn Humphrey

Reporter

Quinn Humphrey is a sophomore majoring in Leadership Studies and Journalism. Quinn writes for The Collegian, and hopes to continue writing after graduation. When COVID-19 hit the U.S, Quinn’s hometown of Pelham, NY became a hotspot of infection. He and his family relocated to Hillsdale, NY, in the Berkshire Mountains.

NINA JOSS

Reporter and multimedia editor

Nina Joss is a junior majoring in Leadership Studies and minoring in Visual and Media Arts. Her quarantine accomplishments include learning to make bread and running a 10k. She believes in the value of every human voice and hopes to use hers to tell stories that will change the world.

Brooke Loomis

Reporter and copy editor

Brooke Loomis is a senior majoring in Healthcare Studies. She previously blogged for the University’s Office of International Education when she studied abroad in India, South Africa, and Brazil. After graduation, she plans a career in public health that utilizes her passion for storytelling.

Emily Lopez

Reporter, graphics

Emily Lopez is a freshman planning to major in Global Studies and Geography. She has relished the chance to connect with others in a meaningful way. She has also enjoyed the process of slow journalism and plans to continue practicing the craft while learning to be a better storyteller.

Alejandro Rodriguez Muñoz

Reporter

Alex Rodríguez, a junior from Madrid, Spain, is a double major in Law and Political Science with a minor in Journalism. A world traveler, he co-founded Jóvenes Gigantes, a Spanish non-profit that empowers young people; he plans to contribute to the public good in his post-grad career.

Field Dispatches

Student reporting from their home communities after the arrival of COVID-19