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One of the most cherished liberties we have in the United States that we can never take for granted is the freedom of speech and the press. At this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner, Jane and I were proud to celebrate this right and to be a part of such an incredibly inspiring event.

During the annual dinner, the White House Correspondents Association pays tribute to the print and broadcast journalists who, through their coverage of the White House, deadline reporting of the White House, and visual journalism of the president, play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and democracy. It was great to see so many scholars united in the commitment to making a difference through their reporting, under one roof!

Comedian Colin Jost did an excellent job hosting this year’s event. And all age jokes aside, President Biden’s speech was a great reminder to VOTE in this year’s upcoming election. “The stakes couldn’t be higher,” Biden said during his speech, calling on the journalists in the room to move past horse race coverage of the campaign and focus on American democracy as the election approaches.

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Among the many distinguished changemakers in attendance, I had the privilege of speaking with United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Senator of Pennsylvania John Fetterman, and U.S. Senator of Minnesota Amy Klobuchar, just to name a few.

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It was also great to witness Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois talking things over with Matt Moog, CEO of Chicago Media. Not to mention meeting the acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada, who I am a huge fan of!

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Many attendees wore “Free Evan” pins to raise awareness of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is still unlawfully held in a Russian prison by Putin. 

Overall, it was a great night of unwavering support for each of these journalists who impact the news we read every day in the United States and a solemn reminder that we must never take our right to freedom of the press for granted. 

Learn more about this year’s award winners here.

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