The Why Report

The Why Report is a youth-powered journalism project that helps young people become curious, thoughtful, and confident storytellers.

Through pop-up newsrooms, community events, and hands-on reporting experiences, children step into the role of journalist for a day. They receive a reporter badge, learn to use professional cameras and microphones, interview community members, ask meaningful questions, and document the stories that shape their neighborhoods.

Our signature approach begins with one simple question: Why?

Rather than memorizing facts, young reporters learn to investigate, listen, verify information, and understand multiple perspectives. Every interview, portrait, and video contributes to a growing archive of community voices while helping participants develop communication, critical thinking, creativity, and media literacy skills.

Whether filming at New York City's Open Streets, documenting neighborhood history, or asking residents about the issues that matter most, The Why Report empowers the next generation to become active citizens and compassionate storytellers.

Everyone has a story. Every story begins with a question.
Why?

OUR TEAM

A woman with curly black hair smiling outdoors, wearing an orange and black jacket with teal accents and a silver necklace with a green gemstone pendant.

Avantika is a recent graduate of Princeton University, where she majored in Economics with minors in Art History and English. A creative at heart, she strives to pair interests in design and film with a strategic, analytical approach shaped by her work in media-focused consulting. Her art has been recognized internationally at programs such as the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and Venice Art Biennale. She is currently a fellow with the Gotham Institute for Film and Media. She aims to bring this same blend of creative and strategic thinking to her work with Open Streets.

A woman with dark hair pulled back, smiling, wearing a light-colored shirt with red and pink floral patterns, against a dark background.

Anisa completed her master's in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at New York University. She studied gamification, training programs, and development practices. Anisa is motivated by her own academic and emotional growth, which she believes makes her diligent in her efforts over each task she completes. She is passionate about the needs of others that she sees around her, and her life goal is to make a positive change in the lives of those who interact with her work.

A young woman with curly hair smiling, wearing a dark gray off-the-shoulder sweater, sitting against a black background.

Sarah is an educational consultant and multidisciplinary teaching artist whose work sits at the intersection of creativity and education. With over 10 years of experience working with children and youth, she has served as a classroom teacher and teaching artist in a variety of educational and creative settings. She is passionate about using the arts to inspire self-expression, build confidence, and create meaningful learning experiences for young people.

A young woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a black graduation gown with white trim, smiling against a blue and gray mottled background.

Sabrina graduated as a Master's student from New York University in Consumer Psychology, building on a background in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Toronto. Her curiosity about how people think and connect has taken her from global marketing campaigns at The Coca-Cola Company and Philip Morris International to advertising operations at the New York Post and marketing intelligence at 8am, where she's built a career out of understanding what makes people tick and translating that into stories others can connect with. A native Spanish and Portuguese speaker with a soft spot for R&B and horror movies, Sabrina is excited to bring that same curiosity to the streets of NYC — this time, letting kids do the talking.

(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking educator and speaker with a passion for empowering communities and creating access to opportunities. In his current role as an academic support teacher at New Brunswick Public Schools, Aquaus’ mantra is to inspire belief, inspire change, and inspire possibility. During his tenure as an educator, Aquaus has been featured on the PBS television segment "Think Tank" with Steve Adubato and recognized as an OnCourse Trailblazer of the Year. Aquaus received his B.A. in Communication from Rutgers University, and is a proud alumnus of City Year Miami, New Jersey Leadership Collective, and NJEA’s Justice & Equity Fellowship.

Darwyn Stygian is currently working on a Master's degree in Psychology at NYU. They recently graduated from the University of Arizona, focusing on interdisciplinary subjects including film and cognitive science with a major emphasis in Storytelling in the Mind. He is intent on understanding why people tell stories and why they prefer one narrative medium over another. Led by a ceaseless fascination with storytelling, they take every opportunity to listen to anyone with a story to tell.

Creator

Dr. Ronah Harris is the founder and creator of The Why Report, a children’s news and media initiative designed to help young people understand the world by asking better questions.

An educator, designer, and children’s media professional, Dr. Harris has spent more than two decades creating learning experiences that connect storytelling, technology, design, and play. Her work in children’s media includes contributions to Sesame Street and The Electric Company, for which she received two Daytime Emmy Awards. Recent projects include Youtube’s Super Sema and PBS' Weather Hunters. She earned her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University, where her work explored learning, design, and technology.

Through The Why Report, Dr. Harris is reimagining news for a generation growing up in an increasingly complex media environment. Rather than simply telling children what happened, The Why Report begins with the question “Why?” By helping young people investigate context, encounter different perspectives, talk with their communities, and develop the critical thinking and media literacy skills necessary to make sense of the world for themselves.