Center for Health Journalism announces 2025 Grantees for the Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health Systems

The USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism is pleased to announce the selection of nine talented and diverse journalists who will participate in our 2025 Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health Systems.

The 2025 class will report for a range of national and regional outlets, including The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Virginia Mercury, InvestigateWest, Capital & Main and Arizona Luminaria, as well as ethnic media publications including Univision and World Journal.

Thanks to the Impact Fund, the Center will partner with reporters and newsrooms to investigate persistent health care obstacles that disproportionately affect certain communities. We also are honored to advance journalism that identifies threats to important programs due to sweeping federal actions in the name of stamping out DEI. With support from the Fund, reporters will have an opportunity to engage in more immersive reporting, explore community-centered approaches, and conduct data analysis to explore consequences, identify obstacles and paths for change.

In partnership with the Center, grantees will publish or broadcast projects in outlets across the country that explore how health systems can impede health equity. Topics include the role of structural racism in maternal and infant mortality; the unmet needs of new mothers who do not speak English; and the lack of mental health support for children of immigrant families, as well as incarcerated people and members of the Thai community. Other projects will delve into how Trump administration actions could interrupt progress for health initiatives, including efforts to meet the public health needs of local communities, deliver healthy meals to underserved schoolchildren, and reduce drug overdose deaths among those most at risk.

Reporters work with the Center for five months to usher projects to completion. The Center is awarding more than $45,000 in reporting and engagement grants and also provides one-on-one mentoring. The initiative also includes four webinars on the themes of health equity and health systems that are open to journalists as well as a wider audience.

The Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health Systems is supported by the Commonwealth Fund, a national, private foundation based in New York City that supports independent research on health care issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy.

“At a time when access to health care is imperiled for millions of Americans, and the data that allow us to track our progress are threatened, the reporting of these nine outstanding journalists will be more important than ever,” said Barry Scholl, senior vice president for communications at the Commonwealth Fund. “We are thrilled to be continuing this collaboration with the Center, and to support the critical work of these reporters.”

Here are the 2025 Grantees: 

Phi Do, reporter, Los Angeles Times

Hannah Harris Green, freelance journalist, The Guardian

Matt Kiefer, freelance journalist, The Guardian

Ziwei Liu, reporter, World Journal

Stacie Stukin, freelance journalist, Capital and Main

Kaylee Tournay, reporter, InvestigateWest

Gabriela Villegas, digital content producer, Univision Dallas

John Washington, reporter, Arizona Luminaria

Charlotte Rene Woods, reporter, Virginia Mercury