Vann R. Newkirk II is a staff writer with The Atlantic magazine, where he covers politics and policy. Within that coverage, he specializes in civil rights, environmental justice, and health policy, and as part of his civil rights work has covered the 2020 Census extensively. In 2018, he was awarded the American Society of Magazine Editors’ ASME Next prize, which goes to 5 of the most promising journalists in the industry who are under 30.