Meet the Recorder’s environmental reporter, Jayden Kennett

The Indianapolis Recorder recently welcomed a new environmental reporter to the team. Jayden Kennett will cover how the environment shapes the lives of the Black community in Indianapolis.

Kennett was hired through a partnership with The Nature Conservancy.

“Many people lack awareness of the issues facing the environment and our natural world and the understanding of how those issues affect humans and our communities,” said Melissa Moran, director of community programs at The Nature Conservancy.

Kennett’s reporting will help raise awareness of how the environment — from climate change to brownfields — impacts everyday life, as well as offer steps toward solutions.

“Each of us in this generation can take positive action to ensure high quality air, water, and soil are available to the generations that follow us,” Moran said. “TNC wants Hoosiers to know that their individual actions to care for the natural world do matter and benefit their health and wellbeing.”

Kennett answered some questions to help the Recorder’s audience get to know her.

What high school did you attend?

I attended a small school in a small town called Shakamak High School.

What college did you attend?

I am a proud University of Indianapolis alum.

Do you have siblings?

I have two older siblings — Tyler and Kelsey. I also have five nephews and a niece, who is my twin. My nephews are Jeramiah, Jenson, Brody Jr., Cayden and Kailer. Teagan is my niece, also known as mini-me.

What did you do in college to prepare for a job in journalism?

Most of my time in college was spent with my friends in the newsroom. Even when we weren’t working, we were hanging out in the newsroom together. I began working for The Reflector as the opinion editor my first semester as a freshman. I quickly moved up to feature editor and managing editor my sophomore year and to editor-in-chief my junior year. Some of those semesters I was holding two positions on staff as co-photo editor and distribution manager. Needless to say, I was busy. I spent every other Friday of my collegiate career hanging out with my friends at production and putting the paper together. We probably should have been paying rent with how much we were in the newsroom.

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I also worked as a Hoosier State Press Association Pulliam intern for The Daily Journal for 10 weeks the summer before my junior year. There I made some great connections and met some really great people in Johnson County. I also worked as photography and editorial intern at a fashion magazine in Indy. It was there that I honed in on my photography skills and learned to develop creatively as an artist.

I also got to attend a College Media Association conference in Washington, D.C., where I connected with other journalists from around the country and attended skill workshops.

What’s your favorite way to relax?

My favorite way to relax is playing video games on my PC or Switch. My favorite games are Minecraft, Stardew Valley and Fallout 4. I also like to watch movies on the couch with my dogs and boyfriend.

What has being a college student during a global pandemic taught you about life?

Being a college student during a global pandemic taught me to cherish good memories and showed me that I can persevere through anything. It also sparked a newfound inspiration for journalism that I thought I once lost.

What made you interested in being a reporter for the Recorder?

I always tell people that not only did the Recorder choose me, but I also chose the Recorder. I wanted to work for an organization that valued its workers and readers and not just its stakeholders. I wanted to work for an organization that aligned with my values and morals and allows me to express those as a journalist. I wanted to love my job and not just work for a paycheck.

The environment affects so much of our lives, and it’s not just climate change. What is your vision for this beat?

The environmental beat is so challenging but also rewarding. There are so many mundane things that relate back to the environment or that affect the environment that people — myself included — have no idea about. From weather conditions to health effects to potholes — they all have environmental effects or are affected by the environment. My vision for this beat is to explore how the Black community is impacted by the environment, educate others and get them interested in the climate crisis as well.

You were hired at the Recorder through a partnership with The Nature Conservancy, an organization working to solve climate change and biodiversity loss. How does it feel to know that you’re a part of not just a historical, Black-owned newspaper, but also an organization that’s dedicated to solving big problems?

Like I said, I chose the Recorder for a reason, and this is it. The Recorder does important work in educating the Black community of Indianapolis, and I am happy to help get others interested in the environment. That is the exact reason I chose the Recorder.

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