Meet our team: Teresa Frontado
It takes a village to make The 51st. We’ll occasionally dedicate some space to introducing a member of the team.
What’s your relationship to D.C.? Are you from the area, and if not, why did you move here?
I moved to D.C. in the summer of 2022 after accepting a position as executive editor of WAMU/DCist. Frankly, it was love at first sight for me. In my mind's eye, I can still see that first drive from the airport (DCA), with the river gleaming and the trees so green, and then the cars, the noise, and the blur of people walking in Adams Morgan. The happy feeling was unexpected, as I had just dropped my youngest child at college and was still in treatment for cancer. This city and its wonderful people welcomed me with a hug and helped me launch a totally new chapter in my life, and I'll love it forever for that.
What do you love about local news, and why did you decide to become a co-founder of The 51st?
Most of my career has been in local news, so I have seen firsthand how much it can make a difference in the life of a community. I think, for example, of the stories we did about tenants living in squalor in Little Havana (Miami), the coverage after the shooting at Parkland, FL, and how we documented the devastating effects of the pandemic on the artistic community in Austin.
DCist was important to many people in this area, and our work brought attention to important issues. So I was devastated when it was summarily closed. I knew what the community was losing and that there was nothing similar in the city. Maybe at another time in my life, I would have been scared to help launch something new but one of the unexpected gifts of cancer is that you lose the fear. My time here is limited, and I want to make the most of it by standing up for what I believe in. I believe communities need good journalism. Joining the team of The 51st was a natural next step.
What do you wish people knew about D.C.?
I wish more people knew about how friendly people are in this town. I have lived in Florida, Michigan, Texas, and Massachusetts and never had my postman knock on my door to introduce himself! That happened here in D.C. I've had strangers walk two blocks with me to help me carry groceries, and I’ve received random offerings of flowers and pretty painted stones. This is a cosmopolitan city that feels like a small town if you move away from the pomp and circumstance of the Mall, the Capitol, and the White House.
Where would you eat your last D.C. meal?
I would eat at Lapis, the Afghan bistro on Columbia Road. The food is outstanding (don't miss the Buranee Bademjan). For dessert, a wink to our friends in Baltimore: ice cream at any of The Charmery locations in D.C.
