Q&A with 2026 Ralph O. Nafziger Award Winner Kynala Phillips

Kynala Phillips is a communications specialist and engagement journalist whose work centers on local narratives with national impact. She is passionate about connecting with new audiences through strong reporting, creative content and memorable events. When Phillips was 14 years old, her mom and big cousins launched a now-defunct website called Wisconsin Soul. It was one the first Black-owned, digital-first websites in Madison, Wisconsin, with a mission to “inspire, educate, entertain and inform” the city’s young Black community. Phillips’ job was to write articles, take pictures and help promote the brand at events. Thanks to the vision and stewardship of her family, Phillips has since committed her career to exploring and promoting this paradigm of community-based media.

Today, Phillips serves as the editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Neighborhood Dispatch, a new initiative that partners with residents to produce neighborhood news with care. Through this work, Phillips leads a five-person team that works closely with residents and leaders in the Harambee, Layton Boulevard West and Metcalfe Park neighborhoods to cover community voices, concerns and improvements. Prior to working at the Journal Sentinel, she worked at Kansas City PBS, where she produced the local TV station’s monthly magazine, led the award-winning events program and co-founded the annual Reel Black Film Festival. She is also an alum of the Kansas City Star, where she was a service journalism reporter. Phillips’ work can be found in Madison Magazine, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Belt Magazine, ESSENCE Magazine, the Wisconsin State Journal and Madison365.

What does receiving this award mean to you?

I am thrilled to be receiving this award from the SJMC. It means so much to be recognized by the school that jump started my journalism career.

What is your favorite memory from your time at the SJMC?

My favorite memory of SJMC is probably taking the AP style guide quizzes in Professor Wagner’s class. It was my first journalism class, but it taught me so much about how to think on my feet, retain important information and the fundamentals of good journalism.

Who is one SJMC professor who made a lasting impact on your career, and why?

Before I applied to the SJMC, I had a bet with a cousin of mine who believed that within 10 years, I would come back home a failure because that’s how hard it would be to make a living in the field. I shared this story with Sue Robinson my freshman year and she encouraged me to apply for the SJMC anyway. That conversation was one of the first times someone told me that they believed I could be a successful journalist. I’m incredibly thankful for Sue’s advice that day and for her continued mentorship over the years.

What is one thing you learned at the SJMC that you have carried with you throughout your career?

One thing I learned at the SJMC is the importance of building and maintaining a strong community of journalists, outside of work. During my time in the J-School, I served as an editor of The Black Voice, which was led by several SJMC students. This was one of the few spaces on campus where I got to work with other Black journalists. Those friendships helped me get through college and continue to support me to this day.

What has been keeping you busy since your time at the SJMC?

Right now, I am focused on building a strong neighborhoods program that not only reports on underserved areas in Milwaukee, but partners with people who live in the neighborhoods we cover. I love being a community-oriented journalist, and this work really energizes me.