Mission, vision and about

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. It was founded by Caitlin Schmidt and Susan Barnett, 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.

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.

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.

Macy Hernandez is a business administration and journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight's social media manager.

Topacio "Topaz" Servellon is a Tucson Spotlight reporter.

McKenna Manzo is a graduate student in the University of Arizona School of Journalism and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Arilynn Hyatt is a journalism and global media 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.

Ruby Wray is a journalism and creative writing 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. 

Katlyn Vargas is a journalism and anthropology major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. 

Nya Belcastro is a journalism student at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. 

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

Marlon Bedoy is a Pima Community College student and intern with Tucson Spotlight.

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

Zoey Oberstein is a University of Arizona student majoring in journalism and a Tucson Spotlight intern.

Isabel Vidrio is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Christy Russell is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern.

Lily Cottam is a journalism major at the Universsity of Arizona and intern at Tucson Spotlight.

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

Quentin Agnello is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist living in Tucson. His work has been published in Tucson Spotlight and The Daily Wildcat.

Ryder Jerome is a student at Ironwood Ridge High School and Tucson Spotlight intern. Follow his work at instagram.com/shot.byryder/

Trinity Norris is a freelance journalist and the founder of O’odham Media. She has a master's degree from the University of Arizona in Global Media Studies.

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.