Local journalism requires local journalists. Meet the Enquirer staffers who serve our community. Here's how you can support the work we do.
Meet Julia Fair
Position at The Enquirer: Report for America corps member and Northern Kentucky government watchdog reporter since 2019
Why I became a journalist
I’ve always enjoyed writing. When I was 15, I learned how I could use that passion in a career to tell people about what was going in their neighborhoods. I lived across the street from a recreational community lake in Solon, Ohio, which desperately needed a new dam that was part of the city’s flood infrastructure. But no one could agree on who should pay for the dam: The neighbors, the city, or the state? My dad called the local journalist every time there was an update to the story. It took 10 years, but the dam finally got replaced and I think journalism helped it happen.
What I like best about my job
I like to take government legalese language and explain it in plain-speak to our readers so they know exactly what’s going on in their communities and how it may impact them.
A story I worked on that has had a lasting impact on me
In college, a woman who had been sexually assaulted her first week on campus granted me an interview for the student newspaper. She had been using university resources to get counseling, but those services shifted when the program director took a new job. I felt an enormous amount of responsibility to tell the woman’s story right with such a sensitive topic. I think about that interview whenever I tackle sensitive topics.
What is the biggest challenge I face
I wish I could be in five places at once! We don’t have the resources to cover every single government meeting. But the community helps me keep a pulse on what’s going on so I can tell the most important stories.
[ FROM THE EDITOR | Keeping us connected: It's one reason journalism matters ]
What I like to do when I’m not working
I love to cook, hike, and spend time with my cat George. If you have a trail, restaurant, or recipe you love, please let me know!
Favorite event or Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky tradition
Right now, I like going on long walks to get coffee at Fort Thomas Coffee, eat to-go lunch at Bellevue Beach Park, and walk along the Ohio River in Newport.
Why journalism matters
Information makes individuals and communities stronger.
Editor's note: Julia is the Northern Kentucky government reporter through the Report For America program. The Enquirer needs local donors to help fund her grant-funded position. If you want to support Julia's work, you can donate to her Report For America position at this website or email her editor, Carl Weiser, at [email protected] to find out how you can help fund her work.
Do you know something she should know? Send her a note at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @JFair_Reports.
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