Envisioning Justice Grant Writing Workshop

Judith McCray is a multiple Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist, documentary filmmaker, and media activist with over 30 years in television and media production. Her experience includes working both full-time and as an independent producer for public broadcasting stations WNET/New York, WTTW/Chicago, WBEZ/Chicago, WYCC/Chicago, WSIU/Carbondale, and Common Ground/weekly radio series on world affairs. She’s also written, directed, and produced independent documentaries for PBS Primetime and national public television.

Born and raised on a small family farm in eastern Iowa, on land her grandfather purchased after fleeing Jim Crow racism in Mississippi, McCray has always fought for social justice using media to examine these issues and advocate social change. Her passion for finding the “ah-hah” moment in every story that can inspire and compel deeper understanding has taken her to the Sudan, Egypt, Kenya, Switzerland, Brazil, and across the U.S. to uncover hidden truths, the unheard and little recognized. 

Judith McCray received the 2023 Leaders for a New Chicago award from the Field and MacArthur Foundations for her work. As Senior Professional in Residence in DePaul University’s journalism program, she teaches documentary production, social justice reporting, media ethics, and broadcast writing. She holds a B.S. degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and an M.A. in politics and public policy from Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics. 

Founder of Reparations Media, McCray serves as board chair and executive director for this media education and production organization with a mission to provide quality information through multi-media productions regarding issues affecting marginalized and communities of color across the United States and globally.

Dr. Keyria Rodgers' professional experience extends eighteen years in government program development, and public policy and fourteen years in higher education as a Professor of Criminal Justice, Public Management, and Policy. 

Dr. Rodgers is the Operations Coordinator for The City of Springfield’s Office of Planning and Economic Development. She also serves as an Illinois Juvenile Justice Commissioner (appointed by Governor J.B. Pritzker), Illinois Humanities Grants Team Consultant, and has served on many other boards and commissions. 

In previous appointments, Dr. Rodgers served as Millikin University's Director of Criminal Justice and the Macon County State's Attorney's Director of Grants and Special Projects, Director of the Teen Justice Diversion Program, and Grant Administrator for the Adult Redeploy Illinois program in Decatur, Illinois.