MARCH 31 -APRIL 2, 2026
ABOUT FIRST AMENDMENT WEEK
The Knight Chair in Inclusive Journalism at Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism & Graphic Communication presents First Amendment Week 2026, a series of events focused on the importance of press freedom, the impact of student journalism and the evolving challenges facing today’s media professionals.
The week brings together leading voices in media and law, including Bobby Block, executive director at the First Amendment Foundation and Grace Nzekwesi, legal fellow at the First Amendment Foundation; student media leaders from The FAMUAN, Journey Magazine, FAMU TV-20 News and WANM-FM 90.5; and Emmy Award-winning journalist Georgia Fort. Through panel discussions, classroom engagements and public conversations, the initiative will provide students and the university community with opportunities to examine the rights, responsibilities and real-world practice of journalism in a democratic society.
TUESDAY, MARCH 31
1:30 – 1:50 p.m. • SJGC Lecture Hall (2002)
The First Word: A First Amendment Quiz
Students will have the opportunity to win prizes by answering questions about the First Amendment.
2:00 – 2:15 p.m. • SJGC Lecture Hall (2002)
Introducing The First Amendment Foundation
Bobby Block, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation, will discuss the origin story of the Foundation and the role it plays in defending First Amendment rights.
2:15 – 3:15 P.M. • SJGC LECTURE HALL (2002)
Student Voices: A Roundtable on Student Journalism and Press Freedom
SJGC media leaders will examine their rights and responsibilities as student journalists, while also exploring First Amendment challenges encountered in their work.
Panelists: Grace Nzekwesi, legal fellow at the First Amendment Foundation; Naji Rutherford, editor in chief, The FAMUAN; Ashton Johnson, editor in chief, Journey Magazine; Alicia Adams, producer, FAMU TV-20 News; Janelle Sears, host & producer, WANM-FM 90.5.
THURSDAY, APRIL 2
PROGRAM
5 – 6:15 p.m. • SJGC Lecture Hall (2002)
Journalism, Justice and the Power of Truth: A Conversation with Georgia Fort Emmy Award-winning journalist Georgia Fort will join the Florida A&M University community for a conversation on the vital role journalism plays in advancing transparency, accountability and justice in society. The event is open to students, faculty, staff, and members of the SJGC community.
Keynote Speaker: Georgia Fort Award-winning Independent Journalist
Facilitators:
Prof. Ottavia Spaggiari
Knight Chair in Inclusive Journalism FAMU SJGC
Prof. Leah P. Hunter, Ph.D. Associate Professor FAMU SJGC
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. • SJGC Lecture Hall (2002)
The First Word: A First Amendment Quiz
Winners will be announced.
MEET OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
BOBBY BLOCK
Robert “Bobby” Block began serving as the Executive Director of the First Amendment Foundation in 2023. He’s expanded its mission beyond the traditional role of protecting government transparency and public records access to defend individual rights of expression and other First Amendment issues. His four-decade career in journalism includes contributing to the Wall Street Journal’s coverage of 9/11, which earned a Pulitzer Prize. He co-authored the book “Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security,” a 2006 Washington Post “Book of the Year,” and reported on conflicts across the globe, including the civil war in El Salvador, the Rwandan genocide, and the executions of more than 8,000 men and boys by Serbian forces. He also traveled the world tracking terrorist financing after 9/11.
GEORGIA FORT
Georgia Fort is a three-time Midwest Emmy Award-winning journalist and one of only two reporters in the courtroom for the sentencing of Derek Chauvin. Her mission as a storyteller is to change the narrative by amplifying truth, elevating diverse sources, and providing context around social justice issues.
With more than 15 years of experience in commercial and nonprofit radio and television news, Fort has distinguished herself as a thought leader in equitable journalism. In 2023, she launched “Here’s the Truth,” an independently produced television news program that earned 12 Regional Emmy nominations and three wins.
Fort is the founder of the nonprofit Center for Broadcast Journalism to increase representation in media across Minnesota. The organization later acquired Power 104.7 FM to further its mission of mobilizing the next generation of media professionals.
MEET OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
GRACE NZEKWESI
Grace Nzekwesi is a first‑generation Nigerian American and Texas native who is a licensed attorney in Texas and Washington, D.C. Her legal interests focus on constitutional law, the First Amendment, and government transparency.
She currently serves as a Legal Fellow with the First Amendment Foundation, where she works on initiatives that promote and protect First Amendment rights. She has contributed to projects highlighting First Amendment issues in Florida, including the Foundation’s book ban guide and other public education efforts. She also helps respond to inquiries through the organization’s First Amendment hotline for Florida residents.
MEET OUR ORGANIZERS AND FACILITATORS
OTTAVIA SPAGGIARI
Ottavia Spaggiari is an award-winning investigative journalist, long-form writer, and the FAMU SJGC Knight Chair in Inclusive Journalism. She teaches Social Justice Thought & The Media.
Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The New Yorker, Al Jazeera, The New Humanitarian and others. From development aid to migration issues and from gender-based violence to police brutality, Prof. Spaggiari has covered a wide range of topics, reporting from several European countries, sub-Saharan Africa, and the United States.
LEAH P. HUNTER, PH.D.
Leah P. Hunter, Ph.D., is an associate professor at FAMU SJGC. She teaches Intro to Mass Media, Language Skills, and Communication Law & Ethics. She has authored and co-authored several publications on topics including student achievement at HBCUs, sister circles on social media, and Bounce TV, the first 24‑hour broadcast network to target African Americans. Recently, she published “Racialization Without Integration: The Fight for NBC Diversity in the 1940s and 1950s,” a chapter in “Racializing Media Policy.”
MEET OUR STUDENT PANELISTS
ALICIA ADAMS
Alicia Adams is a producer for FAMU TV-20 News and a senior journalism student. She is a member of the production team that launched the first‑ever Legislative Special produced by SJGC students.
ASHTON JOHNSON
Ashton Johnson is the editor in chief of Journey Magazine and a senior journalism student. She co-produced the documentary, “Positively, Plus Size,” exploring body image and beauty standards.
NAJI RUTHERFORD
Naji Rutherford is the editor in chief of The FAMUAN and a senior journalism student. She recently completed an internship as a production associate at ABC News Live Reports in New York.
JANELLE SEARS
Janelle Sears is a host and producer for WANM-FM 90.5 and a senior journalism student. She is a member of the national reporting initiative at ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & SPECIAL THANKS
THE FIRST AMENDMENT FOUNDATION
SJGC DEAN’S OFFICE
FAMU SJGC MARKETING, DIGITAL SERVICES, AND PUBLICATIONS SUPPORT TEAM
Christian Whitaker Computer Applications Coordinator
Ashleigh Beverly Visual Communication Specialist
Malkia Peterson Print Production Specialist
Kanya Stewart Communications Consultant
Kaylin Jean-Louis Social Media Manager
Curtis Smith
IT Assistant
Harry Williams
IT Assistant
Andrew Watson
Lab Assistant