About Us
Flint Beat was launched by veteran journalist Jiquanda Johnson in 2017 to fill news gaps in an underserved community after Flint, Mich. residents said they needed more from their news coverage. Before our launch, community members said they were tired of seeing news filled with only crime, sports, and Flint’s ongoing water crisis. There was and is much more to Flint than that. Our parent company Brown Impact Media Group, spearheaded by Johnson, is focused on developing news products in underserved and marginalized communities starting with Flint.
Since Flint Beat debuted March 13, 2017, they have taken the lead as a news platform for the Flint community to be heard. Flint residents are not voiceless. They have a voice, Flint Beat is here to give them an opportunity to share that voice and to empower, impact and inform the community we serve.
Staff
Jiquanda Johnson
Flint Beat‘s founder and publisher, Jiquanda Johnson is a Flint-area native with more than 16 years of experience in journalism including print, television and digital media. She has worked for The Detroit News, NBC25, Fox and MLive Media Group/The Flint Journal, where she covered the city of Flint.
As a reporter covering Flint for MLive, Jiquanda discovered that the community needed a news publication focused only on Flint, Mich. Flint Beat was launched on March 13, 2017 to fill that need.
Kate Stockrahm
Kate is Flint Beat’s associate editor. She joined the team as a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Kate is thrilled to be back in her home state of Michigan after graduating with a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. She tries to stay off of social networks (because otherwise she will scroll TikTok for three hours), so it’s best to reach out to her at kstockrahm@flintbeat.com.
Emilly Davis
Emilly Davis is Flint Beat’s Government Accountability Reporter. She is a proud alumna of Central Michigan University, and worked for Central Michigan Life, where she held various editorial roles, showcasing her dedication and leadership within the field. Emilly’s commitment to local news brought her to cover the cities of Flushing and Flint, Michigan, over the years. She interned at MLive at The Flint Journal, where she gained valuable insights into the dynamics of reporting in a regional context. Additionally, Emilly served as a reporting fellow for The Arizona Republic. She can be reached at edavis@flintbeat.com
Sophia Lada
Sophia is Flint Beat’s City Hall reporter. She joins the team after previously reporting for the Livingston Daily and the Lansing State Journal, along with some freelance work with The New York Times. Sophia grew up in Wixom, Michigan and then attended Michigan State University where she studied journalism and political science. To keep up with her work, follow her on Twitter at @sophia_lada.
Ramona Watson
Ramona Watson is a 28-year-old Flint native with a love for art, culture, and the written word, as well as a keen interest in learning more about Flint not only as a city but as a community. Ramona graduated in 2014 from Flint Southwestern Academy. From there, she went on to become a student at Michigan State University where her main field of study was English with a focus on literature, and a minor in Women’s Studies.