Esserman family looks to prop up local investigative news with fellowships, awards
In the years before car dealership mogul Ronald Esserman died in July 2020, he had a wish: He wanted his family to unite around a cause, something that would bring sustainable change to the world. They could choose to support anything they wanted — but they had to do it together, reports Jay Deitcher for eJewishPhilanthropy. “We could have picked women’s rights. [We could have picked] abortion. We could have picked gun rights. There are so many things that we all care about,” his daughter Laura Esserman told eJP. “But when you invest in investigative reporting and a free press, you [are] supporting all of it.”
A Miami focus: In early 2020, months before the elder Esserman passed away, the family announced the Esserman Family Fund for Investigative Journalism, beginning with a $2.5 million investment. The fund currently finances two investigative reporting fellowships for early-career reporters at the Miami Herald with an annual salary of $50,000, plus $10,000 in benefits. It also supports the Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards, a partnership with the Knight Foundation, a yearly award given to journalists based on “quality of analysis and storytelling, rigor of newsgathering, inclusion of community voices, and the impact on public understanding or action,” according to the award’s website.
Helping all the issues: The award is based on the Jewish value of freedom, said Laura Esserman. “While anyone is enslaved, no one is free,” she said. “If you are not reporting on the issues locally, you miss the opportunity to uncover where people are being oppressed… When you invest in investigative journalism, you are investing in the plethora of issues that come up. You are uncovering injustice, greed, corruption, a whole host of issues that are critically important to us, whether it’s gun violence, domestic violence, racism, antisemitism, etc. And one of the ways in which you can make an outsized impact or punch above your weight class is to honor the people who are the storytellers.”
Make it sustainable: Finances for the Esserman Family Fund are managed by the Miami Foundation, which is focused on civic leadership, community investment and philanthropy. The foundation helps nonprofits and charges the Essermans less than 1% for its services. Laura Esserman believes the fellowships and awards are completely sustainable. The endowment yields about 5% annually, allowing the family to spend $100,000-$125,000 each year and still be able to grow. The family hopes to add an additional fellow and increase the prizes in the future. “The financial part of it is incredibly significant, it can make the difference for a young reporter like me, especially as a single mother,” said Alexandra Martinez, a senior news reporter for the Prism news publication and a finalist for the Esserman-Knight awards. “It makes a difference in being able to continue in this type of work.”
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