Jen St. Denis is now a staff reporter with The Tyee, an online, independent publication focusing on B.C. One year ago, St. Denis was hired by The Tyee as a beat reporter, covering Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Funding for the new position was provided through Heritage Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative, the same program that funds The Pulse.

One year in, and Jen St. Denis reflects on her time as the DTES beat reporter. She mentions her experience as a reporter covering Vancouver City Hall, “...and as part of that City Hall coverage...all reporters in Vancouver cover the Downtown Eastside because it's such an important neighborhood in the city.”

Since people in the neighbourhood have for decades been exploited, and stigmatized, it came as a surprise to St. Denis when she introduced herself as a new beat reporter, “...[W]hat I found was that there was actually...a huge belief in in the power of journalism, which you actually don't see in the wider public.”

After the first round of LJI funding came to an end, she joined The Tyee as a staff reporter and continues to cover the DTES beat.

You can follow Jen St. Denis on Twitter @JenStDen, and read her stories at The Tyee..