Meet the 2023 Pulitzer Center Fellow

By Reut Cohen Schorr

GCC's 2023 Pulitzer Center Fellow will be focusing on the intersection of fast fashion and feminism in her research "I read this scholarly journal that stated that the average American throws away roughly 80 pounds of clothing and textiles yearly," said Brittany Klintworth, who will represent the college during Washington Weekend in October 2023 "That statistic blew me away "

It also proved to be a starting point for a research proposal submitted for fellowship consideration Klintworth explained that the journal article left her asking a lot of questions. "Why are people throwing away so much clothing?" she mused "Are people not buying clothing with long-term wear in mind? It makes me wonder, is clothing sold so cheaply that people see it as disposable?"

Klintworth said her reading and research showed her that sustainability in fashion was a feminist issue, which led her to reading more peer edited research

"The reasoning behind this is that the mass consumption of fast fashion aids in exploiting garment workers," she explained about her proposed research "Statistically, garment workers are predominantly women In addition, many of these women are women of color and low income " Klintworth added that people generally link sustainability with the environment, and don't always see it as a women's issue :Finding out that people are suffering because we have the privilege of being able to over-consume clothing made me look at the issue of sustainability in fashion with a greater sense of urgency."

Klintworth has experience reporting for GCC's El Vaquero News and GCC Insider, but is conscious that interviewing garment workers on the record may be difficult "Garment workers are the heart of the issue, so it is essential that I have their voices present in my article," she said. "I found a garment workers union, so I am hoping someone from there can get me in contact with some garment workers "

Klintworth will receive support and mentorship during her news research from the Pulitzer Center in Washington, D.C.

Notably, when asked to supply a headshot, Klintworth chose a photo of herself wearing a dress that has a tag stamp from the International Ladies Garment Workers Union In her interview with El Vaquero News reporter Simone Warren recently, Klintworth explained she has a love for all things vintage. "I think The Twilight Zone television series influenced my love for vintage," she said "I have such fond memories of watching that show with my family, and the way the women presented themselves on that show always stuck with me "

The new fellow credits GCC for finding an interesting in writing for news and media, and also said her counselor, Denise, has been valuable in pinpointing institutions she may want to attend as a transfer

Klintworth, majoring in Mass Communication and Journalism, expects to finish her time at GCC in the fall of 2023 and hopes to continue her education afterward Currently, Penn State and Ohio State University are at the top of her list, but she reserves the right to change her mind as her career interests evolve "I may change my mind because I still have some stuff to work out, but as of now, those are my top two choices," she said

"I am so grateful to have taken courses with Dr. Reut Cohen Schorr and Professor Stonis, and glad to have crossed paths with them," Klintworth said. "I hope to make both of them and GCC proud with the article I produce "

In its third year GCC's Pulitzer Center Consortium has welcomed four student cohorts It is the only community college in the state of California with this unique opportunity for students

The Pulitzer Center Consortium is a collaboration between History 111, taught by Michelle Stonis, and Journalism 103 History 111 focuses on gender, which gives students a research primer on their reporting topic and serves to inspire them with potential proposal topics Stonis also serves as a mentor during the research process

The Journalism program, under the Language Arts Division, serves a diverse student body that reflects both the campus and the Los Angeles community Students learn to report and write the news, gain valuable experience that will apply in careers stretching from communications to public relations, and work with experts in the field. In their reporting for the Pulitzer Consortium, students focus on a major topic that intersects with gender In this, students have the opportunity to network with other students, staff, and expert faculty outside of journalism in their newsgathering process

Glendale Community College’s various journalism classes beyond the Pulitzer Center Consortium focus on newsgathering, reporting, newspaper design, news photography, digital journalism, and teamwork Students, in collaboration with their faculty advisor and professor, produce newspapers, magazines, podcasts, and more