I'm an award-winning freelance writer, reporter, and editor with a troubling fixation on debris and detritus. I make audio documentaries, write feature articles, and dabble in trash ceramics.

My work has appeared in print and radio at Defector, The Philadelphia Inquirer, VICE, Philadelphia Magazine, WHYY, The BBC, PRI’s The World, WHYY, Next City, Snap Judgment, and High Country News, among others.

Currently available to write feature articles and edit documentary podcasts.

PROJECTS & FEATURES

Barb’s Bling
Philadelphia Inquirer. March 2026.

When Lisa’s mother-in-law died, leaving behind a mountain of costume jewelry, she did the only sensible thing: call a drag queen.

Seven Days at the Bin Store
Defector. June 2025.

“This spring, a new business opened on the main drag of my West Philadelphia neighborhood, provoking both excitement and trepidation. “I saw it just the other day and feared it,” one friend texted. “Like what the actual fuck is that shit,” said another. “Why?!!!” said a third. “Who is that for?”

Why did ICE lock up Mario Guevara?
Question Everything. February 2026.

In June, journalist Mario Guevara was arrested while covering an anti-ICE protest in Georgia, transferred to ICE detention, and locked up by the federal government for more than 100 days. And that wasn’t even the worst of it. 

Stumbling Blocks
Philadelphia Magazine. October 2025.

The song of the summer, once again: Why can’t Baltimore Avenue have nice things?

Monaea: A 2020 Diary
Vice News Reports. December 2020.

2020 has been a YEAR, and it’s not done yet. This episode, we hand over the mic to Monaea Upton in North Minneapolis. She’s 17 years old, and she’s been keeping an audio diary of her senior year of high school. Also aired on Snap Judgment.

Armed
Vice News Reports. September 2020.

Three-part podcast series about teachers who carry guns in schools, the policies that allow it, and the trainings where current and former police teach gun skills to the teachers.

The global tear gas business is booming
PRI's The World. November 2018.

Tear gas links rural Pennsylvania with Egyptian protests

City Under One Roof.
2012 - 2014.

A documentary project in photographs, writing and archival materials about the town of Whittier, Alaska.

PRODUCING, REPORTING, & EDITING

I’m currently a contributing editor at Question Everything from Placement Theory & KCRW, where Brian Reed re-examines everything about journalism, the profession he thought he knew.

I previously produced weekly documentary news podcast Vice News Reports, where I reported ARMED, a three-part series on schools arming their teachers, and “Monaea, a 2020 Diary,” which I co-produced with then-17-year-old Monaea Upton.

I also co-produced limited-run series The Sicilian Inheritance and Silenced: The Radio Murders from Kaleidoscope and Philadelphia Revealed from Rowhome Productions & WHYY.

I edited Thriving from Rowhome Productions, Spiraled from 101 Studios, and have consulted on podcast development for Wired, Talkhouse Media, and HyperObject Industries.

I previously a regular contributor at Next City and WHYY, where I also helped develop a new Things to Do segment for radio and web.

AND

I curate what are you doing, a weekly Philadelphia events newsletter.

I’m a board member at the Pen & Pencil Club, the oldest continuously running press club in the country. Get in touch to become a member or host an event!

I make ceramics using shipping and packaging trash. Some are currently in the showroom at Manayunk Timber / Umbria Arts.

I’ve guided bike and kayak tours in Philadelphia, Alaska, and Washington. In a past life, I was a photographer.

I’d love to talk to you about your story idea or editing your podcast.

GET IN TOUCH

jkjenkinney@gmail.com