Havana, Cuba December 2016

A little bit about Kalea Hall

I've wanted to be a journalist since I started reading The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio's daily newspaper, at age 8.

It was by chance that that same newspaper — my hometown newspaper — was hiring the year I graduated from Point Park University.

I got the job and covered both stories of triumph and despair in Youngstown for five years. Now, I'm covering General Motors Co. for The Detroit News.

I've covered the ups and downs of the auto industry and its impact. I've told the story of the revival of a city that suffered for decades from the loss of the steel industry. My consistent questioning of officials and dedication to writing on topics the public needs to know about led to stories that remind us all of the importance of journalism.

Being the one with the responsibility to tell these stories is a duty I don't take lightly.

It's a duty I plan to fulfill for the rest of my life.