2024-2025 Fellows
Dieu-Nalio Chery
Dieu-Nalio Chery is a freelance photojournalist from Haiti who is now based in Michigan and recently completed a fellowship with City of Asylum in Detroit. His work has been published in The New York Times, Reuters, The Washington Post, The Haitian Times and The Associated Press. He received the 2019 Robert Capa Gold Medal from the Overseas Press Club for photographic reporting that required “exceptional courage and enterprise.” He was also a 2020 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news photography. Chery grew up in Haiti and began working in his uncle’s photo studio in Port-au-Prince in his twenties. From 2010 to 2021, Chery worked for The Associated Press, documenting the profound beauty, searing pain and upheaval in his homeland. Many of his images have become iconic records of Haiti in the 21st century.
Documenting the Diversity and Resilience of the Haitian Diaspora
The language, art, culture and religious practices of Haitian-American communities have endured, grown, struggled and thrived across generations. Chery will continue to photograph Haitian-American communities in the U.S., crowd-sourcing family photos as well as curating images found in attics, basements, churches and universities. His work will illuminate the larger story of the Haitian diaspora and combat common stereotypes.
Baktygul Chynybaeva
Baktygul Chynybaeva is a journalist from Kyrgyzstan with more than 20 years of experience covering healthcare, environmental and human rights issues. Fluent in five languages, she currently serves as a correspondent for Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty’s Central Newsroom in Prague. Her investigative reporting on the dire condition of children’s cancer care in Kyrgyzstan inspired significant reforms in the country’s policies. Chynybaeva is also actively involved in organizing training sessions and capacity-building programs for journalists across Central Asian countries.
Unshaking Media Independence In Central Asia
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, media restrictions and arrests of writers, bloggers and independent investigative journalists have increased throughout Central Asian countries. Chynybaeva will explore avenues for achieving media independence in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan despite economic and media dependencies on Russia.
Denise Guerra
Denise Guerra is an audio journalist focused on breaking news and narrative storytelling. She co-founded popular news podcasts such as “The Times: Essential news from the L.A. Times” and NPR’s “Up First” weekend edition. Guerra’s career spans broad beats — including interviewing lawmakers, studying climate change from a boat along the Colorado River, following the leaders of #MeToo and covering migrant stories at the southern border. In 2023, her audio work was included in the Los Angeles Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning package of leaked racist remarks made by members of the L.A. City Council. Guerra has also worked for LAist and Marketplace, covering economics and health. She hails from Moreno Valley, California.
Harnessing the Power and Potential of Short-Form Video
There is still much to learn about how short-form videos — such as TikToks, Reels and Shorts — are affecting news consumption. Using the 2024 election cycle as a backdrop, Guerra will examine the science behind digital engagement, attention management and learning retention. Her research will focus on how both news consumers and news creators can best utilize this evolving medium.
Great Lakes Fellowship Test