Five international journalists named inaugural Press Freedom Fellows

Five journalists with deep international reporting experience will report on press freedom issues and create resources for journalists as Press Freedom Fellows at the National Press Club Journalism Institute. 

Journalists Allaa Azzam, Asmamaw Kassa, Le Nguyen, Jazmin Lopez and Hubbah Abdi will spend the next six months as institute employees, creating original resources for journalists navigating today’s press freedom challenges, including physical safety risks, legal attacks on journalists, and restrictions on digital and information freedoms. 

The fellows, who previously worked for USAGM-affiliated stations including Voice of America and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, will also receive key career development, coaching, and networking opportunities to grow their career as press freedom experts and practicing journalists. 

“Being in this fellowship means I'm back in the newsroom. You've given me back the pen,” Abdi said.

Fellows say that the fellowship will deepen their knowledge of press freedom and its vital role in democratic societies.

“This fellowship gives me the tools to go beyond the headline and understand the structural pillars that make a free press possible. I come not only to learn, but to put that experience to work alongside colleagues navigating those same pressures from every corner of the world,” Lopez said.

The fellows are:

• Allaa Azzam is an Egyptian journalist with more than 15 years of experience reporting across Egypt, Turkey, and the United States. Her work focuses on human rights and accountability, with a strong record of reporting on state abuses. 

• Asmamaw Kassa is an Ethiopian journalist with 15 years of journalism experience. He has extensively reported on a broad spectrum of political, economic, and diplomatic issues in Ethiopia, with particular emphasis on human rights, press freedom, and good governance.

• Le Nguyen is a journalist originally from Vietnam. For 17 years, has written in both Vietnamese and English on Vietnamese politics, the US-China strategic rivalry, US-Vietnam bilateral ties, and the South China Sea dispute, among other topics. 

• Jazmin Lopez is a bilingual Colombian broadcast journalist and storyteller with over 10 years of experience covering U.S. and Latin American issues. She focuses on digital content and marketing, blending investigative journalism with strategic branding.

• Hubbah Abdi is a Kenyan multimedia journalist with over 15 years of experience reporting on governance, migration, press freedom, and human rights in both Kenya and the United States.

The 2026 fellowship comes at a critical time for journalists in the U.S. and abroad, as reporters face growing legal, digital, and physical threats that challenge their ability to report freely and safely. 

“Allaa, Asmamaw, Le, Jazmin, and Hubbah will be at the forefront of the National Press Club’s efforts to meet the moment in press freedom by equipping journalists with the resources they need to navigate current challenges,” said NPCJI Executive Director Beth Francesco. “We are honored to work with these talented journalists.”

To stay up to date with the resources produced by our fellows, follow the National Press Club and National Press Club Journalism Institute on LinkedIn and on our dedicated Press Freedom resources page. 

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