Gisselle Medina
Gisselle Medina covers religion, culture and community development in the Central Valley for Fresnoland. Prior to joining Report for America, Medina built an education beat from scratch at The Frisc, a small newsroom in San Francisco. Their work has been published in the L.A. Times, The Oaklandside, The Daily Californian, Greater Good Science Center, and much more. Medina was a 2023 White House Correspondents’ Association scholarship recipient and was part of the 2023 NAHJ and NLGJA student projects. Medina received a master’s degree in journalism, with concentrations in investigative reporting and multimedia, from UC Berkeley, where they also studied English as an undergraduate. Originally from Los Angeles, Medina lived in Fresno for 10 years, where they cultivated a passion for helping people while residing in a room and board facility and uncovering the disparities faced by the residents. Outside of work, Medina loves to spend time with loved ones, playing board games, dancing to music, traveling to new places, and reading poetry.
EDUCATION
UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Master in Journalism with concentrations in Narrative Writing and Multimedia (c/o 2024)
University of California, Berkeley, B.A. English, Minor Journalism (c/o 2022)
EMPLOYERS
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Fresnoland, Inaugural Religion, Culture and Community Development Reporter, July 2024 - July 2026
AWARDS & HONORS
Berkeley Journalism Fellowship (2022-2023)
AAUW Berkeley Scholarship (2021-2022)
UC Berkeley Arts Research Center, Poetry & the Senses Fellowship (2021-2022)
Cal Alumni Association Leadership Award
Recipient (2018)Whitehouse Correspondents Association Scholarship Recipient (2023)
NAHJ Student Project Reporter (2023) - focused on accountability and equity reporting
NLGJA Student Project Reporter (2023) - produced an LGBTQ+ joy photo essay
PUBLICATIONS & OTHER WORK
Greater Good Magazine, Latino Reporting Fellow, January 2023 - Present
Freelance Reporter, Oaklandside, August 2022 - Present
Oakland North, Education Equity beat, August 2022 - December 2022
The Daily Californian, Special Interests Writer and Photographer, October 2019 - May 2022
College Magazine, Staff Writer and Editor, September 2020 - June 2021
The Los Angeles Times, Utility Desk Intern, May 2023 - August 2023
The Frisc, Inaugural K-12 Education Reporter, February 2023 - February 2024
Fresnoland, Inaugural Religion, Culture and Community Development Reporter, July 2024 - July 2026
MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) -Member
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) - Member
National Association of LGBTQ Journalists (NLGJA) -Member
REPORTING INTERESTS
Arts and Culture, Data Journalism, Education, Equity, Human Rights Issues, Intersectionality, Investigative Journalism, LGBTQAI+ Communities, Latino communities, Open Source Investigations, Policing Poverty, gentrification, k-12 education, mental health