Planet Detroit is an independent nonprofit local news organization designed to inform you about the environment and public health in Detroit and Michigan.
Hold power accountable. Uncover solutions. Connect and empower the community.
Our mission is to produce quality climate, equity, health and environment journalism in the public interest that centers grassroots voices, holds power accountable, spotlights solutions and serves the community.
You can read our ethics policy here.
Our team
Executive Director
Laprisha Berry Daniels, the Executive Director of Planet Detroit, draws on her extensive experience in public health and environmental justice to drive strategic journalism at the organization. With a background in nonprofit and governmental sectors, she has a strong track record of implementing and evaluating public health interventions. Previously, as the Executive Director of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, she successfully expanded the organization’s capacity and funding. Berry Daniels holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and is deeply committed to using journalism to drive public health interventions and cultivate meaningful change through community engagement and partnerships. More by Laprisha Berry Daniels
Executive Editor & Founder
Nina Misuraca Ignaczak is an award-winning Metro Detroit-based editor, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. She is the founder, publisher, and editor of Planet Detroit, a digital media startup focused on producing quality climate, equity, health, and environment journalism that centers grassroots voices, holds power accountable, and spotlights solutions. Planet Detroit has received awards and recognition from the Society for Professional Journalists Detroit, the Institute for Nonprofit News, and LION Publishers since its establishment in 2019. Prior to her journalism career, Nina worked in urban planning in local government and nonprofit sectors, holding a Master of Science in Natural Resource Ecology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. More by Nina Misuraca Ignaczak
Senior Reporter
Brian Allnutt is a senior reporter and contributing editor at Planet Detroit. He covers the climate crisis, environmental justice, politics and open space. More by Brian Allnutt
Community Reporter, Report for America
Isabelle Tavares covers environmental and public health impacts in Southwest Detroit for Planet Detroit with Report for America. Working in text, film and audio, she is a Dominican-American storyteller who is concerned with identity, generational time, and ecology. More by Isabelle Tavares
2024 Health & Environment Reporting Intern
Jada Vasser is a junior journalism major with a minor in documentary production at Michigan State University, with future plans of gaining her Master’s and doctorate at MSU. Her main goal is to uplift the Black community and tell their stories, giving them their voice back. She works for The State News as the copy chief and participates in The New York Times Corps program, aimed at helping young journalists of color in the ever-changing journalism world. She is Planet Detroit’s 2024 summer intern, focusing on health and environmental impacts on the Black community. Her internship is supported by the MSU Knight Center for Environmental Journalism with grant support from the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments at the University of Michigan. Jada hopes to one day write and edit for National Geographic. More by Jada Vasser
Community Journalism Director
Martina Guzmán is an award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker known for her work covering race, justice, and systemic inequality. She is the Director of Community Journalism at Planet Detroit, where she leads the Neighborhood Reporting Lab and mentors residents to tell community stories. Martina is a 2023 John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University and the founder of the Race & Justice Reporting Initiative at the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights. As a lifelong Detroiter, Martina has garnered accolades for her community reporting and has received grants and fellowships to support her investigative work. She is committed to supporting independent and freelance journalists and holds a degree from the Journalism School at Columbia University. More by Martina Guzmán
Audience Growth Strategist
Jennifer Hack Wolf is an independent newsroom consultant and Planet Detroit’s audience growth strategist. She is passionate about engaging diverse audiences through strategic insights and cultivating strong team cultures that drive success. With a background rooted in media, journalism and community engagement, she is on a mission to make a transformative impact through her leadership strengths, communications skills and work ethic. More by Jennifer Hack Wolf
Audience Engagement Producer
Tarryn Mento is a digital, audio and video journalist based in Syracuse, N.Y. She’s covered the pandemic in San Diego, reported on law enforcement in Phoenix, Ariz. and led a daily newsroom. She’s the force behind Planet Detroit’s social media and audience engagement efforts. More by Tarryn Mento
Planet Detroit’s non-discrimination statement
Planet Detroit is committed to dismantling systemic racism in our communities and in journalism. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. We proactively work to include marginalized groups in our journalism and our business operations.
Our commitment to defending democracy
American democracy is facing a systemic crisis, and at Planet Detroit, we fight for our democratic ideals by bringing you truthful, comprehensive, and intelligent reporting on local environmental and health issues. We believe in your right to be informed to vote and engage in your local government confidently.
We commit to serving you. Learn more about our commitment to defending democracy.
The Planet Detroit manifesto
We firmly believe that the environment stands as the most pressing issue of our era. The looming specter of global warming, along with the ensuing climate disruptions it brings, represents a tangible and urgent threat.
We believe that independent journalism is the most critical component of our democracy and that it is only through seeking and exposing the truth that we can overcome the environmental challenges facing us.
Independence means we cover issues without bias, with close emphasis on facts and without a predetermined agenda.
However, this does not mean we don’t think the threats to our environment are real, or that global warming is not happening, or that humans should not address environmental problems.
Our editorial independence policy
Planet Detroit subscribes to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News.
Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect its best journalistic and business interests. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and revenue sources. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services, or opinions.
We accept gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals and organizations to support our activities in general, but our new judgments are made independently and not based on donor support.
Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but we maintain editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content or unauthorized distribution of editorial content.
Our organization will make all donors who give a total of $5,000 or more per year public. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the donation expenditure is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.
What it does mean is that we remain agnostic about the solutions we cover. We evaluate them without bias.
Because the environmental issues we face can seem overwhelming and confusing, we are focused on providing background and context and covering solutions (but not advocating for them).
Because environmental issues often disproportionately impact low-income people and communities of color, we focus on making sure their stories are told.
Also, the environment is beautiful and amazing. We’ll try to take some space to appreciate that.