Washington post reporter darran simon professional#

“He made an immediate impact on his arrival,” Post Executive Editor Marty Baron and Metro Editor Mike Semel said in their note to the staff. “ ‘I am drawn to writing about suffering and trauma,’ he once noted, ‘because I am in awe of the human spirit’s ability to persevere.’ ”Įditors also praised Simon, who was a regular Journal-isms reader.

Washington post reporter darran simon professional#

In his professional life, he displayed restless curiosity as well as deep compassion for people who had endured natural catastrophe and man-made violence. Simon was born in England and spent his childhood in the South American nation of Guyana and in New Jersey. He pushed me to challenge my assumptions and see things through a different lens when we talked through story ideas.”Īccording to the Post obituary, “Mr. He took special interest in the poorest, most segregated parts of the city. “In those first weeks, Darran put me to shame with how tirelessly he worked to get to know his adopted city, arranging more meetings with community leaders and government officials than I probably had in one year. With his nudging and a well-placed FOIA, I nailed a little nugget of accountability journalism. He asked me how much taxpayers were paying for the mayor to campaign for Mike Bloomberg. Wilson Building, wrote an essay that read, in part, “ We were a good team even before he started. Rest In Peace.” Fenit Nirappilįenit Nirappil, Simon’s colleague covering city hall, known as the John A. Sarah Glover, NABJ president from 2015 to 2019, said, “I’m in disbelief and shocked to hear of passing… a bright light gone too soon.

He was a talented reporter with a bright future. The Inquirer’s Melanie Burney said, “This is devastating news. Simon was a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and other members tweeted their sorrow. “Like you I am not aware of any African-American journalists who died by suicide,” Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, messaged Journal-isms earlier Friday. The Chicago Tribune’s Leanita McClain did so in 1984. The Post’s initial failure to address the cause of death, editors’ reminder that help for troubled employees was available and the News Guild’s mention of the National Suicide Hotline number (scroll down) led to speculation that Simon had taken his own life, which would be a rarity. medical examiner’s office said a determination of the cause of death is pending further tests,” Adam Bernstein wrote later Friday for the Post. He was 43 and had worked at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Newsday, The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, The Miami Herald and most recently at CNN Digital in Atlanta, where he was a senior writer. Darran Simon once said, “I am drawn to writing about suffering and trauma, because I am in awe of the human spirit’s ability to persevere.” Joined Washington Post From CNN Support Journal-ismsĭarran Simon, who started work at The Washington Post as a city government and politics reporter last month, was found dead in his District of Columbia apartment on Thursday, Post managers told staff members on Friday.