Stefanie Ritoper
As producer on LAist’s early childhood coverage, I work to bring voices from parents, caregivers, and educators into our newsroom. On some days this means sharing resources with families by mail and on others it means answering questions by text about pregnancy and early parenthood. My work leading the multimedia reporting project “Child Care, Unfiltered” won multiple awards, including a regional Edward R. Murrow award for Excellence in Innovation and the Gather Award in Community-Centered Journalism from the Online News Association.
For close to 20 years, I’ve explored the intersection of media and civic engagement. I started my career in documentary filmmaking and then moved into long-form podcast audio and multimedia storytelling. I also have worked in mission-driven organizations, including the UCLA Labor Center and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy. One thing I have learned through this work is that you have to work hard to make democracy accessible for everyone.
Culver City is my hometown and one of the best things about L.A. is a backyard BBQ on a warm summer night. Also, L.A. is many cities and many countries sandwiched together. Even having grown up here, I still constantly discover new things.
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With a month left to go in the decennial count after the Trump administration moved up the census deadline to Sept. 30, LGBTQ+ community members are still working hard to get out the word about participation, and what's at stake. -
Our newsroom is seeking caregivers and educators in Southern California to document what it's like to care for others' kids during a pandemic.
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The latest events bring up a wide range of emotions and reactions to this country's tumultuous and troubled history with race and policing
