New Featured Session: Featured at ONA26: Defending the First Amendment: The Future of Press Freedom
Join us for a powerful and timely conversation about current and future challenges to the First Amendment as we move into the last day of ONA26. We’ll touch on navigating threats to press freedom, supporting independent journalists risking attack and arrest to hold the powerful accountable, the historical context of movement and protest coverage and the institutional moves to silence voices showing a way forward. You’ll leave with a renewed commitment to the work and inspiration for how to meet this moment and support the First Amendment alongside your colleagues and members of the public. This featured session takes place Wednesday, April 1, from 9:15 a.m. – 10 a.m. CT.
Meet our Speakers:
Sasha-Ann Simons (Moderator) is an award-winning journalist and the host of WBEZ’s In the Loop. She’s an alum of Washington, D.C.’s NPR station WAMU where she was a program host, regularly behind the mic on newscasts and talk shows. Sasha-Ann was also a national reporter, focusing on issues of race, identity and economic mobility. Her many accolades include an Edward R. Murrow award, a radio feature award from the National Association of Black Journalists and a Peter Lisagor award for health and science reporting from the Chicago Headline Club. Sasha-Ann has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and studied film and television production at American University.
Karen Attiah is an award-winning journalist, editor, and global thought leader whose work explores the intersections of race, culture, gender, media, and international affairs. Born and raised in DeSoto, Texas to a Nigerian-Ghanaian mother and Ghanaian father, her commitment to international storytelling and human rights was ignited at 19 during a formative summer studying in Spain. A graduate of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and Northwestern University, Attiah is a former adjunct lecturer at Columbia, where she brought global expertise and academic rigor to her teaching. A former Fulbright Scholar to Ghana, she has reported from across the world, including Nigeria, Germany, and Curaçao. Her commentary and reporting have appeared in major international outlets such as the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and Voice of America. Attiah was formerly a columnist for The Washington Post and holds an honorary doctorate in journalism from Dickinson College.
Gunita Singh is a staff attorney for the Reporters Committee where she works on litigation, policy, and amicus work, primarily around state and federal freedom of information laws while also helping reporters and news organizations with records requests. Gunita received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She has co-authored two publications about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to public records: Access to Public Records and the Role of the News Media in Providing Information About COVID-19 (Journal of National Security Law & Policy, 2020); Prioritizing the Public’s Right to Know in a Pandemic (Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy, 2021). She also serves on the board of directors at LION Publishers. Gunita was previously an attorney at the DC-based government transparency organization Property of the People where she used the Freedom of Information Act to foster transparency and accountability of government institutions. She grew up in Palo Alto, California.
Versha Sharma is an award-winning journalist and media executive working at the intersection of culture, politics, and digital media. She most recently served as Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue, where she led the publication’s editorial vision for 5 years, helping shape conversations among young audiences about politics, identity, fashion, and culture. She previously spent seven years at NowThis, where she played a key role in advancing digital innovation in social and video-driven news reporting. Versha serves on the Board of Directors of the International Women’s Media Foundation, supporting its mission to strengthen the role of women and nonbinary journalists and advance press freedom around the world. Previously, she served for 8 years on the ONA Board of Directors.
Nick Valencia is a veteran correspondent with more than two decades of street level journalism experience. In June 2025, he launched his own media company after 19 years at CNN. In a matter of months, he saw his following skyrocket to over a 100,000 people. His platform has been viewed more than +70 million times since launch. Nick has established himself as one of the leading new media platforms in the country, according to the Pew Research Center. In his new role, Nick has bridged the gap between traditional media and new media. Led by his empathetic reporting and masterful character-driven storytelling, The Reuters Institute said Nick is one of the journalists that is transforming journalism in Latin America. He’s become of the nation’s go-to sources for immigration coverage.