Summer Journalism
@ NYU

At 28, award-winning actor, producer, singer, and television personality Kalen Allen has captivated millions worldwide through his social media and online content. Discovered in 2018 by Ellen DeGeneres, Allen rose to fame with his witty “Kalen Reacts” videos. Ellen quickly recognized his talent, leading to a collaboration where Allen produced content and served as her correspondent, attending high-profile events like the Billboard Music Awards and the MTV VMAs. He also hosted the award-winning digital series “OMKalen,” offering unique commentary on trending topics. Recently, Allen joined former talk show host Ricki Lake as a co-host for the podcast “Raised by Ricki” for Lemonada Media.

Allen has also established himself in journalism. He covered the 2024 Democratic National Convention, served as a correspondent for CBS News discussing the 2024 election, and conducted numerous red-carpet interviews at high-profile events, notably the VMAs, Billboard Music Awards, and Streamy Awards.

Read More

Craigh Barboza is a critic and reporter who covers arts, lifestyle, race and culture, particularly the world of film. His writing has been published in Cineaste, America’s leading publication on the art and politics of cinema, and A.frame, the digital publication of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, as well as The Criterion Collection and The Hollywood Reporter, which publishes his annual Oscar Quiz.

He has also contributed to CNN, The Credits, Entertainment Weekly, Film Comment, GQ, IndieWire, The Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, MTV, New York magazine, The New York Times and Washington Post. He works in Career Services at NYU Journalism, where he helps run the internship program, and teaches the summer courses Film Journalism and Journalism Goes to the Movies. His book John Singleton: Interviews, a study of the Oscar-nominated director’s work, is part of the acclaimed series Conversations with Filmmakers (University Press of Mississippi).

Read More

Anna Kodé is a features reporter with The New York Times, where she covers the intersection of culture and real estate. Her reporting has taken her to Mattel’s Barbie archives, Joan Didion’s estate sale and a town for spiritualist mediums. Two years in a row, she’s won silver awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors for best architecture story — for her reporting on the cultural significance of stainless steel fences and the rise of “anytown architecture.” She’s passionate about stories that are hidden in plain sight and allow us to re-examine subjects we thought we already knew.

Anna started at The Times in 2021 as a reporting fellow on the Styles section, where she wrote about fashion, youth trends and internet culture. Prior to that, she worked as a fact checker at Time Magazine. Anna graduated from Cornell University in 2019, and grew up between upstate New York and Hyderabad, India.

Jessica Minkoff was the Fashion Content Editor at Bergdorf Goodman where she oversaw fashion content across digital platforms including social media, email marketing, and the luxury retailer’s 5th/58th St blog. Prior to that she was the Editorial Director at Soho boutique Kirna Zabête as well as a freelance fashion news editor at Harper’s BAZAAR.  She has also held the Market Director at Large title at Fashion Unfiltered, as well as Senior Fashion Editor titles at Teen Vogue and Marie Claire US. Jessica started her career as an assistant editor at Style.com upon graduating from New York University’s College of Arts and Science with a B.A. in Journalism and Sociology. Jessica is based in New York City.

John Surico is a journalist and researcher. Focusing on cities and how they’re changing, his writing can be found in The New York Times, Bloomberg CityLab, VICE, and other major publications. He has reported from a number of global capitals, including Rio de Janeiro, London, and Mexico City. His monthly newsletter ‘Streetbeat‘ covers the immense challenges that cities face in the years ahead, from a rapidly warming climate to inequities in transportation. He has authored policy reports with Center for an Urban Future and the Aspen Institute.

He is an NYU alumnus (’13), and holds an MSc in Transport and City Planning from University College London. A New York native, he is a proud resident of Queens.