Mission, vision and about us

Mission

To provide Southern Arizona with robust, community-based journalism emphasizing solutions, local governments, education, sustainability, social services and politics, and issues through the lens of the Hispanic community.  

Vision

To spotlight undercovered topics and communities, providing Southern Arizonans the tools they need to seek solutions while amplifying the voices of new, emerging and diverse journalists.

About us

Tucsonspotlight.org is a nonprofit newsroom. Its founders, Caitlin Schmidt and Susan Barnett, are long-time Tucsonans who believe in the value of locally owned and reported news. Tucson Spotlight provides opportunities for journalism students and new graduates to gain experience and showcase their work. We release a daily newsletter and update our website with new stories Monday through Friday. 

Our work is supported by the Local News Initiative of Southern Arizona, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, and grants from Casa Maria Soup Kitchen and City of Tucson's Ward 5 office.

Founders

Caitlin Schmidt has lived in Tucson for 20 years and spent a decade reporting for the Arizona Daily Star before co-founding the Tucson Agenda. She’s an adjunct instructor at the University of Arizona School of Journalism and sits on the boards of several professional organizations. Susan Barnett is a native Tucsonan who previously worked for La Estrella de Tucson, the Arizona Daily Star’s Spanish-language publication, and the Tucson Agenda. She’s a graduate of the University of Arizona School of Journalism's bilingual master's program and has worked as a talk show host and digital producer at various local outlets.

Our network

Ethics policy

Tucson Spotlight follows the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics. We seek truth and report it, strive to minimize harm, act independently and hold ourselves to high standards of accountability and transparency.

Contact us

Contact Caitlin at caitlin@tucsonspotlight.org with questions, suggestions and concerns.

Caitlin Schmidt is editor and publisher of Tucson Spotlight and a graduate of the University of Arizona.

Diana Ramos is Tucson Spotlight'a director of bilingual initiatives and a University of Arizona alum.

Angelina Maynes is Tucson Spotlight's social media manager and a graudate of the University of Arizona.

Topacio "Topaz" Servellon is a Tucson Spotlight reporter.

McKenna Manzo is University of Arizona alum and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Arilynn Hyatt is a journalism and global media major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Matthew Lewis is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Emma LaPointe is a journalism, political science and German Studies major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Sarah Arellano is a journalism, creative writing and pre-law major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Macy Hernandez is a business administration and journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Ruby Wray is a journalism and creative writing major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. 

Quentin Agnello is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. 

Elias Bonilla is a journalism and political science major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. 

Ian Stash is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. 

Trevor Gribble is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. 

Ruby Maldonado is a Pima Community College student and intern with Tucson Spotlight.

Ian Davis is a Pima Community College student and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Joey Bernal Alonzo is a University of Arizona student and intern with Tucson Spotlight.

Colton Allder is a freelance journalist based in Tucson. His work has appeared in the Tucson Sentinel and Tucson Spotlight.

Susan Barnett is co-founder of Tucson Spotlight and a freelance journalist based in Tucson.

Emma Diaz is a Universtiy of Arizona alum and freelance journalist based in Tucson.

Ivanna Montijo Ochoa is a San Miguel High School student and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Ivanna Sabori is a San Miguel High School student and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Santiago Torres Miranda is a San Miguel High School student and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please support our work with a paid subscription.