Asia Alexander to deliver annual Pulitzer Center Lecture

South Dakota State University’s School of Communication and Journalism is hosting its annual Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Lecture Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. in the University Student Union’s Hobo Day Gallery.

The Pulitzer Center is a nonprofit organization providing financial and editorial support and intensive training for journalists to pursue complex, high-impact reporting projects.

Asia Alexander is a reporter and editorial fellow at Forbes on the Wealth team. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism with a minor in political science from Howard University. Her experience includes covering economic policy, interviewing political figures and managing communications for high-profile clients, including NFL players.

With expertise in media relations, digital content creation and social strategy, Alexander is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and shaping impactful narratives at the intersection of media, culture and advocacy.

This lecture examines the long arc of educational inequality in Mississippi — from the unfulfilled promises of Brown v. Board of Education to today’s policy debates surrounding the future of the U.S. Department of Education. Centering the voices of Black educators, it explores how historical segregation, chronic underfunding and racial bias continue to shape classroom conditions.

“Through this lecture, I hope the audience gains a clearer understanding of what education looks like for Black individuals, particularly those working within the system,” Alexander said. “More importantly, I want to emphasize the critical role teachers play and why supporting them is essential.” Alexander hopes to raise awareness not only about the policies and changes unfolding today, but about the unfairness that has existed for years.

This event is free and open to the public.