Under-Reported Communities
The impact of federal immigration policy in New Hampshire has reshaped daily life for many residents. Faith communities gather outside the Manchester field office each month to support immigrants checking in with federal authorities. Residents have organized boycotts of deportation flight contractors. Local officials are adjusting to new state laws that require police to cooperate with federal immigration agencies. Stories such as these highlight how policy decisions made far from New Hampshire ripple through families, neighborhoods and local institutions.
The Labors of Love series highlights another set of gaps affecting vulnerable communities. Doulas, nurses and rural providers are working to strengthen a maternal‑health system strained by distance, closures and uneven care. Mental health advocates push for ongoing postpartum screening while emergency medical teams train for roadside births and rural hospitals collaborate to keep essential services available. This series highlights the stories of Granite staters working to overcome these challenges.
This work is strengthened by Reporter Lau Guzmán, who joined NHPR in the summer of 2024. She brings empathy, cultural fluency and a strong understanding of the challenges facing people who are new to the state. Her reporting helps us reach audiences who have historically been overlooked and ensures that stories from under-represented communities are covered with accuracy, respect and care. Guzmán’s work expands what NHPR’s journalism can do: she builds trust, asks culturally nuanced questions and shines a light on issues that might otherwise go unreported.
Photo credits, top to bottom: Faith communities at a vigil in downtown Manchester (Reporter Lau Guzmán/NHPR); Nnenne Odukwu, a nurse and a doula, featured in Labors of Love (Reporter Olivia Richardson/NHPR); Dancers celebrating Chinese New Year (Reporter Lau Guzmán/NHPR).
Locally produced, locally powered
Behind the headlines you read on our website, there’s a dedicated team of journalists working hard to bring you local news you can trust. On any given day, that can look like:
Reporters hustling to track down sources, get the facts and hold powerful officials accountable
Producers coordinating interviews with people who offer perspectives that go beyond soundbites
Editors carefully vetting our stories to make sure they’re accurate, fair and easy to follow
I believe that journalists, when we do our jobs well, can play a crucial role in connecting people and making communities stronger. But we can’t do this work without you.
Your donations, in any amount, can help keep independent journalism vibrant in New Hampshire — and accessible to everyone, no paywall required.
Sincerely,
Dan Barrick
News Director
