Elena Blogs for a Change

Katharine Mieszkowski is a Yale-educated investigative journalist whose work has earned her a myriad of awards. Most recently, she was part of the Center for Investigative Reporting’s Reveal podcast team that received accolades for American Rehab, a serialized investigation that exposed how thousands of desperate people were exploited for their labor when they sought out treatment for addiction. That podcast has won top prizes from the Edward R. Murrow and Investigative Reporters and Editors awards in addition to the 2021 Gerald Loeb Award for audio, which recognizes the most distinguished business and financial journalism. American Rehab, done in collaboration with PRX, was also named one of 2020’s top podcasts by The New Yorker, and The Atlantic.  When and why did you decide to become a journalist? Have you always thought of yourself as an investigative reporter? When I graduated from college, I really wanted to be a writer. I found I loved journalism, because I enjoyed meeting peopl

I tend to blog about social issues that are regional, national, or even international in scope. But last spring, I wrote an OpEd for our school newspaper broaching a very uncomfortable topic for our tiny boarding school community: Classism. It has sparked numerous conversations since then and my hope is that these discussions will help make our school a little more welcoming and inclusive. The (slightly edited) text is below, for any who may be curious. OpEd: The Elephant in the Room When Jose C. was a freshman, a classmate from his history class made a comment about how Jose didn’t deserve to be at our school because he was receiving financial aid. According to Jose, the clique this classmate belonged to ordered food frequently, went skiing on weekends, and dined at the most expensive restaurants in the area. Their extravagance ensured that their friendships were limited to those who could afford such activities.  “I never felt close to them because they made it clear that they were