Dr. Allissa Richardson

Biography

Allissa V. Richardson researches how marginalized communities leverage mobile technology to create innovative forms of journalism, particularly in crisis situations. Her award-winning book, 'Bearing Witness: Black, African Americans, Smartphones, and New Protest Journalism' (Oxford University Press, 2020), explores the experiences of 15 mobile journalist-activists who documented the Black Lives Matter movement using smartphones and Twitter. As the founding director of the USC Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab, she focuses on saving, studying, and sharing Black media that has transformed society. In February 2023, the Bass Lab launched the University’s AI-powered project featuring Lora King, daughter of Rodney King, to preserve oral histories. Richardson's work has been published in notable journals including the Journal of Communication, Digital Journalism, and Journalism Studies. She has lectured at diverse venues worldwide including SXSW, SnapChat, and Microsoft. Her expertise in mobile media activism has made her a frequent commentator for news outlets such as ABC, BBC, and MSNBC. Richardson is an inductee of Apple's elite Distinguished Educator program and has received prestigious fellowships from Harvard University's Nieman Foundation and Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. She holds a PhD in journalism studies from the University of Maryland College Park, a master's degree in magazine publishing from Northwestern's Medill School, and a BS in biology from Xavier University of Louisiana, where she was recognized as a 'Top 40 under 40' alumna.

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