Raisa Habersham

Career Trajectory: From Local Reporting to National Impact

Raisa Habersham has carved a niche as a journalist focused on systemic inequities, blending crime reporting with cultural analysis. Her career began at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she covered intown Atlanta communities and crime trends[3][8]. She later joined the Miami Herald as a race and culture reporter, amplifying stories about Black communities in South Florida[1][2]. In March 2025, she transitioned to Wired as a business reporter, expanding her focus to include technology’s intersection with racial equity[6].

Key Articles and Investigative Depth

• John Charles Thomas recalls fondly what it was like being in his father’s office as a child in the 1960s

This 2025 piece for the Miami Herald explores the legacy of Lawson E. Thomas, a pioneering Black lawyer who fought for educational equity and beach desegregation in Florida. Habersham uses archival research and family interviews to contextualize Thomas’ impact on civil rights law, drawing parallels to contemporary voting rights debates. The article’s emphasis on intergenerational advocacy earned recognition from the National Association of Black Journalists[2][5].

• Black-owned businesses forge ahead despite pandemic

Published in Poynter, this 2023 analysis combines economic data with firsthand accounts from entrepreneurs in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood. Habersham highlights innovative survival strategies like community-supported agriculture cooperatives and digital literacy partnerships. The piece became a reference for policymakers designing COVID-19 recovery programs targeting minority businesses[4].

• Transition to Tech Journalism

Her March 2025 Bluesky announcement outlines plans to investigate algorithmic bias in financial technology at Wired. While not a traditional article, this social media post signals her evolving focus on systemic inequities in emerging technologies[6].

Beat Analysis and Pitching Recommendations

1. Pitch Stories About Technology’s Impact on Marginalized Communities

Habersham’s move to Wired reflects her interest in how tools like AI lending algorithms or gig economy platforms disproportionately affect Black entrepreneurs. A successful pitch might explore how Latina-owned startups are using blockchain to verify sustainable sourcing practices. Reference her Poynter article’s focus on adaptive business strategies[4][6].

2. Highlight Historical Context in Crime Reporting

Her Miami Herald work demonstrates that she contextualizes crime within broader patterns of disinvestment. Instead of pitching standalone crime statistics, propose stories examining how redlining maps correlate with modern opioid overdose rates. This aligns with her methodology in the Lawson Thomas profile[2][5].

3. Focus on Solutions-Oriented Cultural Reporting

While she documents systemic challenges, Habersham prioritizes stories of community resilience. Pitch pieces about Black land trusts preserving generational wealth or HBCU partnerships with tech incubators. Avoid superficial “inspiration porn” angles—her Poynter piece balanced struggle and innovation effectively[4].

Awards and Recognition

“The office [...] was where Lawson E. Thomas worked on high-profile cases, such as fighting for equal education for Black students in Broward County and playing a role in Virginia Key Beach becoming Miami’s first Black beach.”

Habersham’s investigative rigor earned her the 2024 IWMF Courage in Journalism Award finalist designation for her Miami Herald reporting[1]. Her ability to connect historical civil rights battles to modern policy debates was recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists’ Emerging Journalist Award in 2023[10].