Tracy Wood Fellows Carrying on Civic Editor’s Legacy

The Voice of OC’s legendary Civic Editor’s bequest lives connected done the Tracy A. Wood Fellowship — a programme that promotes and mentors women successful journalism. 

Wood was a erstwhile authorities reporter, overseas analogous successful Asia, California investigative newsman and editor. She besides covered the California legislature and governor’s bureau for some United Press International and the Los Angeles Times. As a UPI reporter, she was 1 of the archetypal women combat correspondents during the Vietnam War.

Friends and household of the writer created the fellowship to grant Wood’s journalistic bequest aft her passing successful 2020 by promoting women successful journalism.

Meet our existent fellows:

Angelina Hicks

Angelina Hicks was hired arsenic the inaugural Tracy Wood Fellow successful 2022 but has been filing stories and mentoring students with Voice of OC since her freshman twelvemonth astatine Chapman University successful 2020. Hicks discovered her passionateness for journalism successful precocious school, wherever she joined her school’s integer pupil newspaper.

Hicks, who returned to field arsenic a journalism lecturer this year, graduated from Chapman successful 2023. There, she served arsenic Editor-in-Chief of The Panther, the university’s student-run newspaper.  She precocious gained a Master’s of Science successful journalism from USC successful 2024 connected a afloat scholarship, wherever she worked arsenic managing exertion for Annenberg Media. 

At Voice, Hicks reports connected southbound region quality and civics, including issues on the coastline. She besides covers the county-run carnal structure successful Tustin and topics regarding the OC Fair & Event Center, including the fairgrounds and equestrian center. 

Her “Pets of the Week” bid – which publishes each Friday – highlights pets disposable astatine section carnal shelters, including OC Animal Care.

“Being surrounded by large mentors and editors has been incredibly rewarding, particularly truthful young,” said Hicks. “I’m truthful gladsome that I’m capable to walk the aboriginal years of my vocation moving for a nonprofit quality bureau that’s dedicated to accountability journalism, covering metropolis halls and paying adjacent attraction to section government.” 

“It’s thing that I’ve been fortunate to acquisition firsthand portion I learned the value of assemblage reporting.”

Read Angelina’s stories here.

Erika Taylor

Erika Taylor joined Voice of OC as a Tracy Wood chap successful 2023. Taylor – an Orange County autochthonal – began moving with Voice pursuing a photojournalism internship funded done the Scott Marshutz Endowed Journalism Fund astatine Chapman University, wherever she is presently studying selling and ocular journalism. 

Under the mentorship of our Director of Photography Julie Leopo, Taylor regularly publishes photograph essays connected libraries, transportation, civilization and unfastened space. During her clip with Voice, she besides started the “Free Things to Do this Weekend Across OC” play series. 

“It has been an grant and a privilege to beryllium portion of the Tracy Wood fellowship for the past year,” said Taylor. “It has fostered my curiosity and fixed maine a spot to larn investigative skills portion moving connected my education.”

“Working wrong a nonprofit newsroom similar the Voice of OC has allowed maine to immerse myself successful my assemblage and motivate existent alteration done accountability reporting.”

Taylor looks guardant to finishing her grade astatine Chapman University this December and continuing her fellowship.

Read Erika’s stories here.

Gigi Gradillas

Gigi Gradillas joined the fellowship programme successful 2024. Raised successful La Habra, Gradillas archetypal started in  journalism during precocious school, wherever she joined the quality team. 

Her passionateness carried her to Fullerton College’s pupil paper The Hornet, wherever she was co-published with the Voice of OC done the California Humanities Emerging Journalist Fellowship Program successful 2022. She besides interned for the La Habra Journal and wrote for a euphony website wherever she interviewed musicians, wrote medium reviews and had a conception connected a podcast.

Gradillas continued her studies astatine California State University, Fullerton, she worked successful editorial reporting roles astatine the Daily Titan, the university’s pupil newspaper, and Tusk Magazine.

Gradillas has covered cannabis ordinances, lodging mandates, crossing defender programs, section elections and different civic issues crossed Orange County.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to person recovered myself nether the guidance of the newsroom leaders astatine Voice of OC. Growing up successful Orange County and getting to present study connected the issues surrounding the region has been precise rewarding,” said Gradillas. 

“I look guardant to continuing my learning and reporting astatine Voice and carrying connected Tracy Wood’s legacy.” 

Read Gigi’s stories here.

For much accusation astir the Tracy A Wood Fellowship oregon to donate click here.