Danny McArthur is the community voices reporter for the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, Mississippi. She writes about social issues and nonprofits. In her first year at the Daily Journal, she received the third place award for general news story from the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Broadcasters and Media Editors and second place for general news story from the Mississippi Press Association. She is a proud Georgia native and Georgia Bulldog.
Where is your work featured/what organizations are you affiliated with?
I joined the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in May 2019. I was initially the breaking news/trending reporter, but naturally gravitated toward social justice. I became the community voices reporter in November 2019, which is a new beat for my organization.
Before that, I worked at the Red & Black student newspaper as a contributor, staff writer, and enterprise reporter. In the summer of 2018, I was the Carter intern at the Brunswick News in Brunswick, Georgia, where I developed a love for local news.
I’ve been a member of Investigative Reporters & Editors since college, and attended the IRE conference and NICAR. From January 15 to February 12, 2021, I participated in Trust 101 with Trusting News to learn strategies on earning trust from newsreaders.
Where did you go to school?
I’m a proud graduate of the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!), where I graduated with a B.A. in journalism and minors in African American Studies and Women’s Studies.
How many years have you been in journalism/related field?
May marks three years as a professional journalist, plus three years as a student journalist.
What are you doing now? (i.e. any projects you’re working on; partnerships; advancements; or noteworthy stories)
Right now, my work focuses on portraying the rural South in all its complexity. I try to highlight the rich history of activism, past and present, in the region. I recently wrote a brief account of the United League, a late 70s civil rights group whose impact on racial relations in NortheastMississippi continues today. I’ve also written about the Great Migration, efforts to remove Confederate monuments, and the lasting impact of the 2008 and 2019 immigration raids.
It’s a passion of mine to show Southern life outside of mainstream portrayals: I’ve written about the people of color and LGBT folks who call Northeast Mississippi home, community initiatives to address social issues, and the people who shape the region.
What pushes you to keep doing the work?
Hearing that the community notices and appreciates our increased coverage of marginalized folks. I think the South is a complicated, often contradictory place that, if understood, represents the soul of the nation. It’s also a place that needs committed reporting. As I advance in my career, I’d love to add investigative skills to my role, since I believe local communities deserve passionate people who’ll hold their leaders accountable the same way bigger publications do.
You can connect with Danny on Twitter at @Danny_McArthur_
