Assistant Journalism Professor Charles “Stretch” Ledford is in Uganda on assignment for Special Olympics International in cooperation with the University of Miami School of Communication. Professor Rich Beckman, director of Miami's Graduate Program for Journalism and Media Management, asked Ledford to accompany and mentor graduate student Emmy Petit-Frere in the production of a video showcasing Special Olympics Uganda’s work with intellectually disabled individuals. Ledford has worked as a photojournalist and multimedia producer in 53 countries. This is his 14th visit to Africa.  

“Beretta, Jordan, Cassie and Gaitlynn,” a photograph from Assistant Professor of Journalism Charles “Stretch” Ledford’s project, “The Cultural Geography of Firearms,” has been selected for the “Power and Politics” exhibition at the Filter Photo Gallery in Chicago.  The image is part of Ledford’s series of portraits of families with children named after guns. 

University of Illinois College of Media journalism student Ryan Wilson recognizes an underreported story when he sees one. Last week, Wilson traveled back to the university’s Urbana campus from his home near Springfield, Illinois, to cover the annual basketball camps hosted by Disability Resource and Educational Services and the Wheelchair Athletics Office.