By Ella Prieto, Managing and News Editor
On Wednesday, the Eisenhower Institute (EI) hosted Deputy Editor of Spotlight PA Sarah Anne Hughes for a Lunch & Learn in CUB 260. The event began with an introduction from the Executive Director of EI Tracie Potts, who told the audience about Hughes’ work and thanked the EI staff members who made the Lunch possible.
Hughes then took over with a PowerPoint presentation detailing Spotlight PA and their work.
“Spotlight PA is dedicated to producing nonpartisan investigative journalism about Pennsylvania government and urgent statewide issues,” said Hughes.
She asserted that they practice “watchdog journalism,” meaning they work to uncover truths. Hughes then provided examples of this: an exposé on PA lawmakers using campaign funds on lavish expenses, the Department of Labor overcharging unemployed Pennsylvanians millions of dollars and a failure by PA officials to clarify rules around medical marijuana, leading to serious consequences.
Deputy Editor of Spotlight PA Sarah Anne Hughes addressing the audience. (Photo Brigid Goss/The Eisenhower Institute)
However, Spotlight PA is more than just a watchdog, as it does other work involving election clarification, budget guides and public guides.
When covering elections, Spotlight PA aims to provide three main sections of coverage: trusted information about candidates, an explanation of how elections in PA are run (including how to cast a ballot and get involved in the process) and education for voters on how they can protect themselves against misinformation.
Hughes then spoke about Spotlight PA’s new Democracy Initiative, which involved hiring Democracy Editor Elizabeth Estrada. Her job has been creating non-text tools to engage people on their website so that they can spread more information to Spanish-speaking communities.
Speaking on the organization’s impact, Hughes said, “What we realized over the past three years is that we can have an impact on Pennsylvanians in much smaller ways that matter just as much, which again is why we launched the Democracy Initiative, why we have Elizabeth on staff to serve as a liaison between the public and us, to make sure our information is not just going into a void, that it’s getting into the hands of people who need it.”
A student asking a question to Hughes. (Photo Brigid Goss/The Eisenhower Institute)
The floor was then opened to questions from anyone in the audience. Hughes covered topics such as the dangers posed when facts are absent, the work involved in properly quoting people and how the intent of words is not always as important as the effect.
She ended by discussing the work individuals can do to fight misinformation.
“I just want to say, truly no impact is too small,” Hughes said. “If you meet with one person, have one conversation about [misinformation], that makes a gigantic difference, that’s huge.”
