I try to tell stories about how policies and systems affect people’s lives. I want people’s experiences to be at the center of the stories I write. Our Race, Class and Communities desk at MPR News is dedicated to expanding the stories told by journalists about what it means to be indigenous, working class or a person of color in Minnesota. Our goal is not only to point out that disparities exist, but to tell our audience how they were created and what systems or policies are perpetuating them.

A free press is critical to a healthy and functioning democracy because it holds powerful figures and institutions accountable to the public. But journalists have a responsibility to build trust with the people who share their stories with us and with our audience. We’ll try to help people understand our role by telling you how and why we do our jobs. I’m a big fan of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, which instructs journalists to seek truth and report it, minimize harm and act independently.

Tell me what I don't know!

Twitter: @jonscollins | Email: jon.collins@mpr.org | Phone: (651) 290-1429 (contact me securely on Signal)