"Welcome Beck" Thursdays with Angie Jackson and Jewel Gopwani

Denison University presents “Welcome Beck” Thursdays with Detroit Free Press Journalists Angie Jackson and Jewel Gopwani

“Welcome Beck” Thursdays, hosted by the English and Journalism departments, presents Detroit Free Press Editor Jewel Gopwani and Journalist Angie Jackson. This weekly online series connects Denisonians and the general public with acclaimed writers and reporters.

Jackson covers the challenges of formerly incarcerated citizens for the Detroit Free Press and is a second-year Report for America corps member. Born and raised in metro Detroit, Angie has been a reporter for the Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C., where she covered crime and criminal justice. She has embedded in neighborhoods that have long struggled with gun violence, provided an in-depth look at a mass shooting that left seven police officers dead or wounded and shed light on suicides among firefighters and first responders. She previously worked in Michigan at the Grand Rapids Press and the Traverse City Record-Eagle. Jackson is a graduate of Michigan State University.

Gopwani leads the Detroit Free Press’ in-person engagement efforts. That includes her role as engagement director of the Freep Film Festival, the Detroit Free Press’ annual celebration of documentary film. Gopwani leads the Free Press’ fundraising efforts. She is part of the newsroom’s senior leadership team and the Free Press Editorial Board. Gopwani also assists the Free Press Opinion team on guest columns. Through these roles, she aims to help the Free Press listen to readers and include their needs in our coverage. Previously, Jewel was deputy editorial page editor and before that was a business reporter, covering airlines and auto suppliers. She started at the Free Press in 2003 as a suburban reporter in Oakland County.

In this talk, Gopwani and Jackson will discuss the work they will discuss the work they’ve done to cover issues important to formerly incarcerated citizens in Michigan. This ground-breaking beat, supported by Report for America, is the only of its kind in the country, has required immense trust-building and listening to the needs of returning citizens. Hear more about their work, the challenges, and the engagement tools used to connect with sources and stories.

Our “Welcome Beck” Thursdays events are part of the Beck Series, the virtual reading series of Denison University, highlighting the best in fiction, poetry, journalism, and scholarship. This event is funded by the Harriet Ewens Beck Endowment, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and a gift by alumna Sue Douthit O’Donnell, ‘67.