We’re excited to announce a partnership that will extend and deepen community-centered coverage of local immigrant and refugee communities: Journalist Sophia Qureshi, founder and publisher of 285 South, is joining the Canopy Atlanta family as a Writer-in-Residence.

Qureshi launched 285 South in 2021 as a weekly newsletter with stories that uplift the true depth and diversity of immigrant communities in Metro Atlanta. 285 South has been a breath of fresh air in our local media ecosystem. Some of our favorite examples of Qureshi’s reporting include a recent dive into obstacles faced by non-English speakers in acquiring driver’s licenses, as well as how a middle-school friendship created more halal food options in Gwinnett public schools.

Qureshi's parents are from South Asia, and she grew up in the northern suburbs of Metro Atlanta. Before launching 285 South, she worked for over 15 years in media and communications at organizations including Al Jazeera, CNN, the United Nations Development Programme, and South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). She also writes for Atlanta magazine, Atlanta Civic Circle, and the Atlanta History Center.

“I’m so honored and excited to have the support of the team at Canopy Atlanta,” Qureshi says. “I’ve been blown away by how they so courageously challenge the way traditional media works, through their community-led approach to telling stories that matter in communities we need to hear more about.”