Diara J. Townes

Diara Townes is an award-winning engagement journalist who currently works as a program manager for Aspen Digital. Previously, she was an investigative researcher and the community engagement lead for the nonprofit misinformation research organization First Draft.

At Bloc by Block News, Diara builds relationships with community leaders and residents of Baltimore City by developing effective editorial engagement strategies.

Diara has a B.S. in marine and environmental science from Hampton University and an M.A. in Social [now Engagement] Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, where she currently teaches an advanced research course.