Leon Dash is a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a former reporter for the Washington Post, and a Pulitzer Prize winner.
Dash introduces himself as a "barefoot boy from Harlem," a humbling reminder of his roots that keeps him grounded.
Imagine a young Leon Dash, shivering in the cold Washington winter, desperately seeking an indoor job. With nothing but hope and determination, he walks into Robert Kennedy's senatorial office, heart pounding, palms sweating. No luck there, but a sympathetic staffer points him towards the Washington Post. In a moment of serendipity, Dash races across town in a taxi, praying there isn't already a line of applicants.
He arrives, breathless, to find he's the only one there.
What started as a night copyboy position in 1965, born out of pure necessity, would blossom into a distinguished career spanning decades.
Throughout his career, Dash consistently challenged middle-class assumptions about poverty and social issues. His Pulitzer Prize-winning series, "Rosa Lee: A Generational Tale of Poverty and Survival in Urban America," is more than a story - it's a four-year journey into the heart of urban poverty.
Dash didn't just interview his subjects; he lived among them, breathing the same air, facing the same daily struggles. He slept in cockroach-infested apartments, witnessed the cycle of addiction and despair firsthand, and saw how teenage pregnancy wasn't just a statistic, but a rite of passage for many.
His work forces us to confront uncomfortable truths: that the American Dream is often just that - a dream - for those trapped in generational poverty. It challenges us to question our assumptions and to see the humanity in those society often overlooks.
Leon Dash's work challenges us to look beyond our own experiences, to seek understanding in the stories of others, and to never stop questioning the world around us. In a time when division seems to be the norm, Dash's career reminds us of the importance of journalism that bridges gaps, challenges assumptions, and gives voice to the voiceless.
His story isn't just inspiring - it's a call to action.
It asks us to consider: What truths are we overlooking? Whose stories are we not hearing? And most importantly, what are we going to do about it?
As you watch this interview, let Dash's words sink in. Let them challenge you, inspire you, and maybe even change you. Because in the end, that's what great journalism - and great lives - do. They show us the world as it is, and inspire us to make it better.
EPISODE LINKS:
Leon Dash's Website: https://afro.illinois.edu/directory/profile/leondash
Leon Dash's X: https://x.com/DashDeCosta
Leon Dash's Pulitzer Prize-Winning Work: https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/leon-dash-and-lucian-perkins
Rosa Lee (book): https://amzn.to/3yT323y
When Children Want Children (book): https://amzn.to/3ACRQsB
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