The Story of Aaricka Washington

I am an award-winning multimedia journalist and college professor based in Los Angeles who has extensive experience in reporting, editing, audience engagement, social media strategy and marketing.

At the heart of everything I do is storytelling. Whether I’m reporting a story, helping an organization find its voice, teaching the next generation of journalists or building an audience, I’m always thinking about how to tell stories that make people pay attention, feel something and desire to make a positive impact in this world.

I most recently lead marketing and communications strategy for Investigative Reporters and Editors, an organization that reaches nearly 20,000 journalists nationwide.

Previously, I was an associate editor and reporter at LAist, the largest NPR station in L.A. In that role, I helped shape editorial strategy and collaborated on reporting for How To LA, an award-winning daily podcast. I contributed to impactful, audience-centered multimedia storytelling that built a loyal and deeply engaged listenership.

Wherever I’m reporting, I’m drawn to stories that center students and communities too often overlooked. I believe in rigorous, investigative, solutions-focused journalism that doesn’t just tell us what’s broken, but asks who is working to fix it, whether those efforts are actually working and what we can learn along the way.

I've worked as a K-12 education reporter at Chalkbeat Indiana and the Austin American-Statesman, and my reporting has been published in news organizations like The Guardian, The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, Time magazine, Capital B, Word In Black and numerous local news outlets.

I am deeply committed to mentoring and teaching the next generation of journalists. I regularly speak with students of all ages about navigating journalism with integrity, resilience, and purpose, and conduct sensitivity readings for news organizations to help ensure accurate, ethical, and inclusive reporting.

Prior to my journalism career, I was a Teach For America corps member in Houston, Texas, where I taught Black, Latino, and Southeast Asian students in under-resourced schools—an experience that continues to inform her reporting, pedagogy, and commitment to equity in education and news media.

I earned a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Indiana University - Bloomington.

Outside of being a journalist and a professor, I'm an avid marathoner and roller skater.