Minnesota Star Tribune feature writers find the human story in the ICE surge: An SFJ webinar
The other day I was chatting about the chaos unfolding on the streets of Minneapolis with Sue Campbell, The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Food & Culture Editor and SFJ's new vice president.
“One of my culture writers got tear-gassed today,” Sue said. “We’re supposed to be the fun team!”
This chat got us thinking: What if SFJ pulled together a panel discussion of — not cops reporters, not war correspondents — but feature writers who have been tasked with helping the Star Tribune cover the actions of immigration and border agents in their communities? What could a discussion like this reveal about the power and importance of local journalism — journalism that’s so good it’s being recognized at the national level? (See this AP story for details!)
We are excited to announce that this free virtual panel discussion will be happening on Feb. 12, 2026. We hope you’ll be able to tune in!
Details:
When: Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT / 10 a.m. PT
Click here to register and receive your Zoom link.
Minnesota Star Tribune panelists
Moderator:
Allie Shah, Food & Culture Deputy Editor
Panelists:
Laura Yuen, Minnesota Life Columnist
Sharyn Jackson, Food and Drink Reporter
Reid Forgrave, Feature Writer
About the panelists:
Allie Shah has written for the Chicago Tribune and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her work has been recognized by Columbia University’s School of Journalism, the South Asian Journalists Association, and the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists. A native of Iowa, she graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Laura Yuen writes opinion and reported pieces exploring parenting, gender, family and relationships, with special attention on women and underrepresented communities. She looks for the deeper resonance of a story, to humanize it, and make it universal. Before joining the Star Tribune in 2021, Laura spent 13 years at MPR News, most recently as editor of a team covering race, class, communities and education. She also reported for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader. Her column writing has earned national honors from the National Headliner Awards and the Society for Features Journalism. At MPR, her investigative reporting on the company’s handling of allegations against Garrison Keillor received some of journalism’s highest awards for ethics. She gravitates toward telling stories that answer good questions, that make people laugh or cry, and that expand on the truths and nuances of life that often go beyond the daily headlines. To follow her work by email, subscribe to Laura's newsletter at startribune.com/yuenalert.
Sharyn Jackson, a New Jersey native, moved to Minneapolis in 2014, when she joined the Star Tribune as a general assignment features writer. She was previously a news reporter for USA Today and the Des Moines Register, and an arts writer and editor at the Village Voice in New York City. She earned a Master of Science from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Jackson is a leader of the Minnesota chapter of NLGJA - the Association of LGBTQ Journalists. She has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Society for Features Journalism and the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, and is a Livingston Award finalist.
Reid Forgrave's career has spanned the gamut, from a national sportswriter and national magazine writer to chronicler of small-town stories in Iowa and the Mississippi Delta. Prior to the Star Tribune, Forgrave worked at CBSSports.com and CBS Sports HQ and FOXSports.com and Fox Sports 1. He's worked for several newspapers around the country, most recently The Des Moines Register, and has written long-form stories for The New York Times Magazine, GQ and Sports Illustrated, among others. His first book, based on a piece he wrote for GQ, was published in 2020. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri's School of Journalism and lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two children.
We hope to see you at this important webinar!
Laura T. Coffey is the immediate past president of the Society for Features Journalism and a longtime editor and feature writer. She’s also the author of the bestselling nonfiction book “My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts.” Connect with Laura here.
