Chips Quinn Reporter Spotlight: Krys’tal Griffin
Posting: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Krys’tal Griffin, Community Issues and Trending Reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal, brings curiosity, empathy and precision to every story she tells. A native Delawarean, Griffin is committed to helping readers understand one another and see their communities from new perspectives. Her reporting focuses on connection—between people, ideas and lived experiences—and reflects her belief that journalism should both inform and unite.
Griffin’s path to journalism began with her love of words. As an avid reader, she grew fascinated by the ways language can move people and shape understanding. “How the cadence of a sentence, the choice of words or what’s left between the lines can connect with and influence people,” she says. That appreciation for storytelling turned into a calling to write for others. For Griffin, each article is like a puzzle, piecing together interviews, research and emotion until a complete picture emerges.
She takes special pride in reporting within her home state, where her work not only keeps readers informed but helps them better understand the diverse communities around them. “Helping people consider different perspectives in an accessible way, especially in the community I grew up in, is a rewarding experience,” she says.
Krys’tal Griffin
Chips Quinn Reporter
Griffin’s first reporting internship in college gave her the foundation to pursue journalism full-time. She was encouraged to pitch her own ideas, take creative risks and work alongside professional reporters. “That experience showed me what my future could look like,” she recalls. “It gave me the confidence to build a portfolio of quality work that I’m still proud of today.”
Pictured: Griffin posed from in a story she wrote | Credits: Benjamin Chambers/Delaware News Journal
The opportunity to be treated as a peer in the newsroom solidified her interest in the field and taught her to embrace challenges early on. She credits that experience with shaping her adaptability and curiosity, traits that continue to define her reporting.
She is particularly drawn to stories that explore human resilience and intersectionality. “Each source has a unique perspective that helps portray the nuance of the human experience,” she says. “Even when reporting on the same topic multiple times, I always learn something new.”
Her feature and investigative work has been recognized for its depth and compassion. One of her most significant projects to date is a two-part series about Afghan women who fled the Taliban in 2021 after the U.S. military withdrawal. Fifteen of those women settled in Delaware to pursue higher education at the University of Delaware. The project took two years to report and required sensitivity, patience and persistence. “It was both challenging and gratifying to spend time with such resilient women and learn about their journey,” Griffin says. “Despite the distance and differences, I wanted readers to see how much we share in common.”
Why Apply for the Chips Quinn Reporter Fellowship?
Griffin applied to the Chips Quinn Fellowship seeking mentorship and community beyond her newsroom. Delaware has a small journalism scene, so she wanted to connect with peers and mentors who could offer new perspectives and insights. “The fellowship is a great opportunity to learn from reporters with experiences different from my own,” she says. “I’m excited to engage with others and think about reporting in ways that haven’t occurred to me.”
Through the program, Griffin hopes to build lasting relationships with her mentor and peers while continuing to refine her craft. She sees the fellowship as a chance to grow both personally and professionally, explore new ideas, gain confidence and strengthen her storytelling voice. “Delaware is a small state with a small journalism community,” she says. “This fellowship gives me the chance to expand my network and grow in ways I haven’t had the exposure to before.”
Advice for Aspiring Journalists
Griffin’s advice is straightforward: start where you are and go all in. “Everyone knows what it’s like to feel unprepared,” she says. “But the only way to gain experience is by doing it. Don’t count yourself out before you even begin.” She encourages new journalists to embrace discomfort and trust their unique perspectives. “Even if hundreds of people want the same opportunity, no one can replicate your voice.”
Pictured: Recent front page stories Griffin wrote.
Message from her Mentor
"Krys'tal has approached every aspect of the program with remarkable precision, dedication, and rigor. By thoughtfully discussing her strategies and tactics, Krys'tal has achieved real-world improvements in her work and continues to grow as a well-rounded journalist. Her passion for continual improvement, combined with her knack for clear and effective communication, set her apart. “
Chris Segal
Senior editor
Started by Freedom Forum, the original Chips Quinn program helped put college interns into newsrooms across the country. Since its beginnings in 1991, the program has reached more than 1,400 people, many of whom are now in leadership positions for local and national newsrooms. Today, the program aims to offer support to early-career journalists already in their respective newsrooms through a 1:1 mentorship by leading members in the journalism field as well as alumni from the program. Thanks to continued support for the program from Freedom Forum, each Chips Quinn Reporter receives a $10,000 stipend..
About Freedom Forum: Established on July 4, 1991, by USA TODAY founder Al Neuharth, the Freedom Forum is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to fostering First Amendment freedoms for all. As the nation’s foremost advocate for First Amendment freedoms, the Freedom Forum engages thousands of Americans each year in classes, conversations and celebrations of these essential rights, including through the Power Shift Project, the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, the Chips Quinn Scholars Program for Diversity in Journalism, the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media, the Free Expression Awards, the annual “Where America Stands” survey, the Journalists Memorial and Today’s Front Pages.
About JFP: The mission of Journalism Funding Partners is to strengthen the depth, diversity and sustainability of local news by building and shepherding relationships between funders and local news organizations. JFP is a recognized nonprofit that acts as fiscal sponsor, allowing foundations and individual funders to contribute directly to local news, regardless of the news organization’s business model. JFP manages the funds feeding numerous news initiatives, including more than a dozen Climate reporters in the Southeast, an Equity Desk at The Sacramento Bee, an Education and Economic Mobility Desk in California’s Central Valley, the Investigative Fund of The Miami Herald and for Inclusivity and Investigative funds at the Associated Press.
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Media Contact: Rusty Coats, Executive Director | rusty@jfp-local.org | (813) 277-8959
