Knight Foundation’s Post

We are thrilled to announce that longtime investigative journalist and nonprofit board leader Marisa Kwiatkowski is joining our team as a new director of journalism at Knight Foundation. Her deep experience in investigative journalism gives her a keen understanding of the benefits and challenges of doing important watchdog work. Learn more about Marisa here: https://kf.org/3WBNmuv

How will AI shape the future of content moderation? Yoel Roth, Head of Trust & Safety at Match Group and former Knight Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, says we need AI models that can navigate the nuances of human communication–calling for more research into its effectiveness. At Knight, we understand that media and technology are critical components of our democracy. We recognize that the growth of a digital public sphere includes both possibilities and challenges as it connects people with information and each other. Since 2019, we have committed more than $94 million to catalyze a field of research that can improve our understanding of, and proactively inform policy to address, the growing role of digital media in our democracy. Learn more here: https://kf.org/3Lv7po0

Knight Foundation seeks a local, social investor with a passion for St. Paul, Minnesota and a belief that a more effective democracy can be achieved when people are informed and engaged. In this role, you will serve as the foundation’s lead investor and point person in St. Paul. Learn more here: https://kf.org/3XYD88N

In response to growing concerns about voters accessing quality information surrounding the 2024 elections, Knight is investing nearly $7 million to bolster election news coverage, especially in battleground states. This includes launching an online hub of resources and an initiative with The Associated Press to support small news organizations. The goal is to empower publishers to help voters make informed decisions about local and statewide elections and ballot initiatives and to enhance their capacity to engage communities beyond the election season. Read more here: https://kf.org/3Y0gRYi

Knight’s staff heard insights from leaders in philanthropy, activism and community work in support of the LGBTQ+ community during an educational session at our Miami headquarters as part of Knight’s DEI programming around Pride Month.  Rich Ferraro of GLAAD shared research findings that show the lack of coverage of LGBTQ+ issues in local media in the U.S. South–emphasizing that there were only 23 substantive stories about HIV out of the 1,300 stories analyzed over 18 months (2019 – 2020) across nine Southern states.   DeMarcus Beckham, co-founder of Macon Pride and senior regional organizer for the Human Rights Campaign in Georgia, spoke about the evolution of the LGBTQ+ rights in Georgia since the eighties, sharing that Macon Pride has found partners across the community, from faith groups to youth groups and the local sheriff’s department, who are all working together to foster a safe space for LGBTQ+ people. Mateo A. Ventura Bruer, Aqua Foundation for Women and Lindsey Linzer, The Miami Foundation, spoke about their experiences serving the LGBTQ+ community in Florida. Ventura Bruer said Aqua has seen an uptick in LGBTQ+ people who are seeking support to leave the state. Linzer shared how the foundation’s LGBTQ+ Equity Fund addresses the shifting needs of Florida’s LGBTQ+ community, like their recent round of grants which expand support for LGBTQIA+ youth who experience homelessness in Miami-Dade.

NEW: As voters prepare to elect more than 100,000 officials across federal, state and local elections this year, Knight Foundation is supporting the launch of the Knight Election Hub, empowering local newsrooms across the country with critical resources to serve audiences with reliable, nonpartisan information. More: https://kf.org/3VTE9h4