An independent narrative and immersion journalist, Maggie Messitt has spent the last decade reporting from inside underserved communities in southern Africa and middle America. Typically focused on complex issues through the lens of every day life, her work is deeply invested in rural regions, social justice, and environmental sustainability. A dual citizen, Messitt lived in South Africa from 2003 to 2011. During this time, she was the founding director of a writing school for rural African women, editor of its community newspaper and international literary magazine, and a freelance reporter. Messitt currently resides in southeast Ohio where she’s completing her doctorate in creative nonfiction at Ohio University. When she's not teaching or writing, she spends her time exploring the foothills of Appalachia (with her South African dog, Shinga), kayaking the Ohio River, and collecting stories in places you'll never visit.

Photo credit: Zak Kelley