Meet our team: Christina Sturdivant Sani
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.?
I’m a fourth-generation Washingtonian. I grew up in River Terrace, a cul-de-sac community on the edge of the Anacostia River. My grandmother purchased our row house for $16,000 in 1963 — more than a decade after the Supreme Court ruled that exclusionary covenants designed to keep Black people from buying homes in certain neighborhoods were unconstitutional. By then, white flight had taken place and the neighborhood was majority Black.
Most of my grandmother’s seven children, some of their spouses, and several of my cousins lived in the home at some point in their lives. It was a hub for communal gatherings and a headquarters for decision-making.
For better or worse, I was shaped by D.C. public and charter schools, attending River Terrace Elementary, Ron Brown Middle School in Deanwood, and Friendship Collegiate Academy on Minnesota Ave NE.
D.C. has played many roles in my life: a ride-or-die friend, a wise mentor, a schoolyard bully, a fierce protector, and a wellspring of love.
What did you like most about growing up in D.C.?
While my cousins in Maryland were picked up on yellow school buses, I had to navigate public transportation as a middle schooler. Learning how to ride the bus and train at 12 years old opened up the world for me. Whether my friends and I caught the train to idly walk around Union Station or spontaneously ride each Metrorail line from one end to the next, we gained a level of independence that many youth don’t have. Growing up in a city like D.C. forces kids to take on more responsibilities, constantly think critically, and cultivate an abundance of curiosity and wonderment.
What do you love about local news?
As a high schooler, I envisioned my future as a journalist interviewing celebrities and writing cover stories for a glossy entertainment magazine in New York City. But after college, I found myself back home in D.C., building a journalism career centered on issues impacting folks in my community.
My neighbors wanted to prevent displacement, bring more support for senior residents, and improve access to quality food and healthcare without driving across the city. They wanted more resources in their schools, less crime in their communities, and policing that made them feel safe and protected. They wanted transparency from government officials who influenced their livelihood with the laws they employed.
Effectively reporting these issues became crucial to my career, and I find it a privilege to amplify the voices of everyday people and local communities who have been historically marginalized by society and mainstream media.
Why did you decide to join The 51st team?
I worked as a staff writer at DCist from 2015 until the first shutdown in 2017. I came in as a D.C. native who thought I knew everything about the city. Boy, was I wrong! As a local reporter, I learned so much about how the city operates, what makes it come alive, and what could lead to its downfall. It was exhilarating.
But it was also exhausting. That’s why I chose not to return to DCist when it was resurrected by WAMU and, instead, freelance for seven years. I decided to join The 51st team because of its worker-led model, and I was excited to work collaboratively with colleagues who are like-minded in beliefs but diverse in perspectives. I have learned a lot about journalism — and life — over the past several years. I’m thrilled to contribute to a new model of media, get back into local reporting, and keep telling stories that matter most to D.C. residents.
