Bridging the Digital News Divide with Former Resolve Philly Reporter Kristine Villanueva

Newsroom collaborative Resolve Philly recently won the Online News Association (ONA) 2023 Impact Award. City Cast Philly spoke to former Community News and Information Director Kristine Villanueva, about how Resolve serves Philly.

Why did you decide to study journalism?

“After a challenging first semester in my first reporting class at Rutgers, I learned something about journalism: it’s hard and sometimes unpredictable. But I realized how it could be improved to better serve and reflect communities we’re a part of. Ultimately, I see how civic engagement and staying informed can greatly improve someone’s life and especially during COVID age — can literally save it.”

What has been your favorite piece of Philly journalism?

“I have two favorites. The first is a story I did for Billy Penn about the significance of Jollibee, a Filipino fast food chain restaurant, opening on Bustleton Ave. The second is a crowdsourced resource guide for people overcoming addiction that I managed with Billy Penn. The project resulted in 50 verified organizations in the city by community members.”

What is Equally Informed Philly and how does it serve the city?

“Equally Informed Philly is an initiative under Resolve Philly that bridges the digital divide in the city. It has a free English and Spanish text line where our team sends important updates about living in Philly to subscribers. We have a community-level reporting program where Philly residents contribute to our print newsletter that we distribute via community partners across the city. You can follow us @Equalinfo215.”