Podcast: Rethinking NY’s Ethnic and Community Media at Voices of New York

Voices of NY

Fi2W executive producer John Rudolph interviews Indrani Sen, the new editor of Voices of NY , an online publication housed at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism that showcases ethnic and community journalism in New York City. Sen is a former staff reporter at Newsday, and her work has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor and Saveur. Prior to taking the reins at Voices of NY, she was the editor of the hyperlocal news blog The Local. In this podcast episode, Sen talks about her vision for Voices of NY and what kind of original story pitches she is seeking from freelancers in New York City.

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A story from Voices of NY

Today the federal government is implementing Secure Communities, a fingerprint sharing program between DHS and local and state police departments, in New York and Massachusetts. Voices of NY’s Jeanmarie Evelly reported on the reaction within immigrant communities to this news.

Last week’s surprise announcement that a controversial deportation program that uses police fingerprints to identify undocumented immigrants is being implemented in New York has infuriated many immigrant advocacy groups and elected officials.

Immigrants, organizers and local leaders rallied on the steps of City Hall and in front of the U.S. Customs and Immigration office in Manhattan this morning to denounce the Obama administration’s “Secure Communities” program, which they say will strain police relations, encourage racial profiling, and ultimately make the city less safe.

The federal program shares fingerprints obtained by local law enforcement agencies with the Department of Homeland Security, to help immigration officials identify and deport people deemed to be here illegally.  The federal government plans to institute the program throughout the state, as well as in Massachusetts, starting tomorrow.

Though the federal government says Secure Communities is a tool to root out and deport criminals, protesters at today’s rally, including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, say it has been used in other states to deport and detain immigrants who have never been convicted of a crime, or who were charged with minor offenses.

“Why are we deporting immigrants who pose no threat to public safety?” Quinn asked the crowd.

Read the rest of the story at Voices of NY’s website.

Fi2W is supported by the New York Community Trust and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation with additional support from the Ralph E. Odgen Foundation and the Sirus Fund.  Fi2W podcasts are supported by WNYC, New York Public Radio and the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

AboutFeet in Two Worlds
Feet in 2 Worlds (Fi2W) is an independent media outlet, journalism training program, and launchpad for emerging immigrant journalists and media makers of color. Our work brings positive and meaningful change to America's newsrooms and has a broader impact on how immigration is reported and the ethnic and racial composition of news organizations.