Carla Murphy

Carla Murphy serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Africana Studies, Arts, Culture and Media at Rutgers University–Newark, bringing 15 years of social justice reporting experience focused on journalism for, with, and by marginalized communities of color. Her work prioritizes community-driven questions about local and national issues through frameworks of rigor, verification, and solutions-oriented practices.

Educational background includes degrees from New York University (night school), London School of Economics, and CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism.

Her research centers on participatory civic media, nonprofit newsrooms, and Afrofuturist thought in journalism, with foundation-supported surveys documenting journalists of color experiences including "Leavers" (101 former journalists) and "JOC Worker Project" (117 working journalists). This work emphasizes making power visible, self-reflexivity, and truth-seeking in democratic processes.

Scientific awards include:

• ILA Visiting Fellow at Boston College
• The Nation Institute’s Investigative Fund Fellow

Dr. Murphy advises journalism organizations on race and equity research while strengthening Rutgers-Newark’s ties to local newsrooms and community stakeholders. She actively participates in coalitions including Future of Local News, Online News Association, National Association of Black Journalists, and OpenNews, focusing on community health and high-quality multilingual local news.