Chandra Thomas Whitfield

Host/Producer, Colorado Matters

[email protected]

Chandra Thomas Whitfield joined CPR as a host and producer of its daily interview show, Colorado Matters, in 2022.

Professional background:
Whitfield has produced stories for NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Essence, Ebony and a number of other national media outlets. She also hosted and produced the award-winning podcast “In The Gap” from In These Times magazine, which explored how the gender pay gap and pay discrimination affects the lives and livelihoods of Black women who work in America.

A New Orleans native by way of Atlanta and Clark Atlanta University graduate, she is also an alumna of a diverse mix of journalism fellowship programs, including the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism at the Ohio University and Ted Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. Most recently she completed the Medill and The Garage Media Entrepreneur Fellowship with Northwestern University’s esteemed Medill School of Journalism.

Education:
Bachelor's of Arts degree in Journalism, Clark Atlanta University.

Awards/recognition:
Whitfield is the recipient of numerous awards for her writing, including “Journalist of the Year” awards from the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Atlanta Press Club, as well as honors from the Association for Women in Communications, the Colorado Association of Black Journalists and Mental Health America. An award-winning feature story she penned for Atlanta magazine is widely attributed with helping contribute to a change in Georgia law and a young man's early release from a 10-year prison sentence.

John Akinboyewa is pictured sitting in a CPR News studio.

Have leftover food? Or need food? A Colorado engineer’s developed an app to solve the huge problem of wasted food

Many of us have been there: you host a gathering at your home, attend a wedding, or there’s a team meeting at work, and when it’s over, there’s plenty of food left over. And many times, it ends up in the trash. An engineer in Colorado has come up with a way to keep that extra food out of landfill and help someone in need at the same time.

Nov. 21, 2024: Denver City Council considers a flavored tobacco ban; How hard is it to quit smoking?

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, causing about 1 in 5 of all deaths; the rate is similar in Colorado. During the Great American Smokeout — when the American Cancer Society encourages people who smoke to make a plan to quit — we look at a proposal in Denver’s city council that aims to address the issue, calling for an end to the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the city to protect kids and advance health equity. Then, we speak with a vape shop owner. Also, quitting smoking is hard, but there are health benefits to be found with success, and the impact of menthol cigarettes on communities of color.
Three parents in the CPR News studio talking about the causes of parental anxiety and ways to cope.

Nov. 20, 2024: Why parents are stressed out, and ways to cope

The U.S. Surgeon General says almost half of American parents report feeling completely overwhelmed by stress. He now calls it an “urgent public health issue.” To get perspective, we asked three parents to join us: Craig Knippenberg of Denver is a dad and family counselor, Kelli Clifton Ogunsanya is a mom and the chief operating officer at local corporation, and Jess Pramov is also a mom and a telecom executive.
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Nov. 19, 2024: Colorado begins racial equity study; Will recreational cannabis come to Colorado Springs?

The state is launching a racial equity study to research whether systemic harm has been done to Black Coloradans. We hear from state Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, who co-sponsored the bill to create a new commission to carry out that work, and from advocate Sade Cooper, executive director of C.H.I.C., the Collaborative Healing Initiative within Communities. Then, the debate continues after voters allow the sale of recreational cannabis in Colorado Springs. Plus, the benefits, and pressure, of the Michelin guide. And the Swans of Harlem on their dancing legacy.

Nov. 5, 2024: How E.coli outbreak changed a local burrito chain; Embracing fatherhood in Indigenous families

The recent E.coli outbreak at McDonald’s has the owner of Colorado-based burrito chain “Illegal Pete’s” rethinking food safety. Then, a mother’s search for accountability after her son endures years of racist slurs in a Weld County middle school. Plus, a program that helps Native American fathers connect with their families. And Colorado Wonders about grocery bag fees.
Author Evette Dionne stands next to Manual High School student Jaci Colllins-Falcon and Colorado Matters host Chandra Thomas Whitfield in front of a CPR News sign at an event at the Blair Caldwell African-American Research Library in Denver.

Oct. 31, 2024: From civil rights to suffragists, the legacy and power of Black women in elections; how to engage young voters

When it comes to elections, Black women are historically a voting block that can wield a lot of power. Evette Dionne, the author of “Lifting as we Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box” joins Chandra Thomas Whitfield at the Blair Caldwell African-American Research Library, along with future voter, 17-year-old Jaci Collins-Falcon, a senior at Manual High School. Plus, how some Denver students are using technology to help people register to vote and to understand the ballot.

Oct. 24, 2024: Support for domestic violence survivors as cases remain high; Nuggets are back in action

The number of people killed by domestic violence in Colorado is down by more than a third, but the number of cases is still high. Then, the Denver Nuggets open their NBA season tonight. What will it take to be a contender again for the championship? Plus, hometown hero Chauncey Billups gets his Basketball Hall of Fame moment. And later, Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, begins next week. It’s a time of remembrance and a celebration of life.  And food… is a central part.