Leah Donnella
Leah Donnella is an editor on NPR's Code Switch team, where she helps produce and edit for the Code Switch podcast, blog, and newsletter. She created the "Ask Code Switch" series, where members of the team respond to listener questions about how race, identity, and culture come up in everyday life.
Donnella originally came to NPR in September 2015 as an intern for Code Switch. Prior to that, she was a summer intern at WHYY's Public Media Commons, where she helped teach high school students the ins and outs of journalism and film-making. She spent a lot of time out in the hot Philly sun tracking down unsuspecting tourists for on-the-street interviews. She also worked at the University of Pennsylvania in the department of College Houses and Academic Resources.
Donnella graduated from Pomona College with a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies.
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The movie Southside with You is opening in theaters. The film follows Michelle and Barack Obama's very first date, and shows something we don't get too see too often in film: black romance. -
On this week's podcast, we dug into rape allegations filed 17 years ago against the highly lauded black actor and director. Join Gene Demby and the Code Switch team to continue the conversation. -
The share of multiracial children in America has multiplied tenfold in the past 50 years. It's a good time to take stock of our shared vocabulary when it comes to describing Americans like me. -
As it becomes increasingly clear that Lochte fabricated parts of his story, an interesting thought experiment emerges: What would happen if white athletes were treated like black athletes? -
When the 20-year-old won gold Thursday night, she wasn't just an athlete excelling at her sport. She was a symbol for what should have been self-evident all along: Swimming is for everyone. -
"I don't know people who weren't aware of the stats that were just published. ... We already know the score," says D. Watkins, an author and journalist who grew up in the city. -
The Obamas have repeatedly used their platform to remind the public that the White House was built by slaves. Of course, not everyone is enthralled, or even convinced that this history is real.
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Gene Demby talks with NPR's Cheryl Corley and Eyder Peralta, who reported on Philando Castile's encounters with local police — 46 of them — before he was killed during a traffic stop. -
Days of devastating events rooted in the tension between African-Americans and police prompt political leaders to speak frankly about bigotry and what they think should be done to stop it. -
Black police officers live on both sides of the debate over race and policing. In this week's episode, they weigh in on the limits of force diversity in bridging gaps between black people and cops.
