ABOUT US – Transient Children of Alachua County (TCAC) is a solutions-oriented journalism project led by six students enrolled in Social Media and Social Responsibility at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. Our goal is to tell the stories of children who qualify for McKinney-Vento services in the Alachua County School District because they lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.
Put more simply, we hope to amplify the voices of local children without a reliable place to sleep at night. Due to the often temporary nature of homelessness, as well as the unfortunate stigma attached to the word, we chose to describe these kids as “transient.”
But it doesn’t stop with journalism. TCAC hopes to raise awareness, gather resources and provide solutions.
MEET THE TEAM
DANIELA ABRATT is a University of Florida journalism senior with a minor in international development and humanitarian assistance. She currently writes for the Medical Tourism Association and is applying to law school to study international and human rights law. She is also a music maniac and loves singing in the UF Pazeni Sauti Africa Choir.
JING BAi is an art director, freelance writer, photographer, and self-admitted social media junkie. She is receiving her master‘s in advertising from University of Florida. However, she is more interested in understanding the shape and color of the world than of a product.
MEGAN DUNCAN is working on her master’s in journalism. With experience as a paginator, copy editor and reporter at newspapers in the Pittsburgh area, she is glad to enjoy the weather in Florida while she learns more about journalism at UF. She is excited to exercise her reporting muscles once again and spread the stories of children who need help to succeed.
CHENFENG LIANG is a University of Florida graduate student majoring in international and intercultural communications. She had several internships as a reporter, editor, and writer in Chinese newspaper, radio, television and website. She also worked a summer with UNESCAP in Thailand. She is interested in world history and culture. She is glad to have this chance to help the children.
HENRY TAKSIER is a freelance reporter, photographer, and soon-to-be graduated journalism major at the University of Florida. He graduated in 2011 from Narco News’ School of Authentic Journalism and currently serves as a managing editor for The Fine Print, a nonprofit investigative magazine in Gainesville, Fla. His lifelong goal is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.
MORGAN WATKINS is a senior journalism and political science major at the University of Florida. She spent her summer interning with the Society of Professional Journalists and reporting on Freedom of Information issues. She currently serves as the crime reporter for the Independent Florida Alligator and has interned at two daily newspapers in Florida. She strives for accuracy in her stories and believes that journalism can inspire people to right the wrongs in their communities.
