Oakland Voices Director Rasheed Shabazz was selected as one of 10 journalists nationwide for the 2026 fellowship hosted by the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting.
Named after pioneering anti-lynching crusader and investigative reporter Ida B. Wells, the Society works to increase the number of traditionally underrepresented voices in investigative journalism. The six-month fellowship provides intensive investigative training, mentorship, and professional development.
“This year’s class proves that some of the most vital watchdog reporting is now happening outside of traditional legacy outlets,” Ron Nixon, a co-founder of the Society, said in an announcement. Nixon is a long-time faculty member of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, Oakland Voices’ umbrella organization.
Inspired by Ida B. Wells
The fellowship is both an exciting professional opportunity and a personal honor, Shabazz said.
“Ida B. Wells is one of my sheroes,” Shabazz said. He said he named his 2010 Oakland Freedom School class after Wells. Shabazz has also compared her work documenting lynchings to the lack of a national database documenting extrajudicial killings by police in the U.S. “With the fellowship, I hope to expand my investigative skills, think critically about verification, and improve my ability to ‘make it plain.’”
Shabazz’s investigative experience began as an independent journalist. In 2018, his investigation with the East Bay Express helped uncover a predatory tow truck scheme that later led to a district attorney investigation and restitution payments. More recently, he has reported extensively on Flipcause, an Oakland-based donation platform that filed for bankruptcy after withholding more than $29 million from nonprofits nationwide.
A life-affirming opportunity
Shabazz’ fellowship project will examine how the City of Oakland is managing the homelessness crisis. He hopes to understand the human cost of removing homeless encampments and the success of providing housing to unhoused residents.
“I want to produce life-affirming investigations,” Shabazz said.
He added that he looks forward to learning alongside other journalists.
“The fellowship is an opportunity to grow my professional network,” Shabazz said. “I’m hopeful to learn from more experienced investigative reporters, and from other emerging storytellers who are doing vital watchdog work in their communities.”
2026 Ida B. Wells Investigative Reporting Fellows
The 2026 Investigative Reporting Fellows include: Stephanie Casanova, independent journalist; Juliana Erikson, correspondent, World News Group; Brittany Foster, digital journalist, Court TV; Keerti Gopal, reporter, Inside Climate News; Nyah Marshall, reporter, NJ.com; Deon Osborne, independent journalist and contributor, Oklahoma Eagle; Natalie Holly Purviance, independent journalist, Haitian Times; Gabriella Henriquez Stoikow, reporter, 285 South; and Candice Wilder, reporter, Mississippi Today.
The fellowship kicked off its first of four weeklong training sessions in Atlanta on Feb. 22. Topics included project and time management, data journalism, data visualization, and web scraping.
Learn more about the Ida B. Wells Society. Membership is free.
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