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'Echoes of Change' forum reflects on Central Illinois journalism and social justice in the 1980s

Promotional graphics including the text "Echoes of Change" and photos from the 1980s.
UIS
Echoes of Change took place on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

"Echoes of Change: Central Illinois Journalism and Social Justice in the 1980s" is a forum hosted by the Sangamon Experience at the University of Illinois Springfield and co-sponsored by NPR Illinois. The conversation explored the impact of local journalism during a transformative era. Mary Bohlen, journalist and UIS associate professor emerita of communication, moderated the conversation. Panelists included Fletcher Farrar, editor of the Illinois Times; Ann Anderson Mustard, former WCIA-TV reporter who covered the Illinois State Capitol; Larry Golden, professor emeritus of political studies and legal studies and founding director of the Illinois Innocence Project at UIS; and Frank McNeil, former Springfield alderman and plaintiff in the 1987 lawsuit that changed the city’s commission form of government.

Vanessa was the Community Voices Production Coordinator at NPR Illinois from 2021-2025. She continues her passion for broadcasting as a co-host of the Beyond the Mouse podcast for the Front Row Network.
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