Liz Baker
Liz Baker is a producer on NPR's National Desk based in Los Angeles, and is often on the road producing coverage of domestic breaking news stories.
Since joining NPR as an Arts Desk intern in 2010, Baker has worked on each of NPR's newsmagazine programs and dozens of hours of special coverage, including every election night and inauguration special since President Obama's second term. She has covered natural and man-made disasters, including Hurricanes Maria, Ida, and Ian, the catastrophic 2019-2020 wildfire seasons in California, Oregon, and Australia, and the Surfside condo collapse in Florida. She also covered mass shootings in Buffalo, NY, Uvalde, TX, and Monterey Park, CA, and high-profile court cases such as the hate crime and murder trial against Ahmaud Arbery's killers in Brunswick, GA, Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault trial in Los Angeles, and Britney Spears' conservatorship hearing.
In 2020, Baker produced on-the-ground coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the summer of racial justice protests following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She reported extensively on the protests in her hometown of Rochester, NY, which were sparked by police body camera video of Daniel Prude's death and contributed to renewed conversations about policing reform and mental illness.
From 2015 to 2019, Baker produced and directed Weekend All Things Considered; working closely with host Michel Martin to revitalize the program after its move to Washington, D.C. following a 2-year run in Los Angeles.
In her spare time, she enjoys climbing, camping, and clomping around the Santa Monica mountains with a too-heavy pack, always ready to lend first aid and snacks to others on the trail.
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A jury in Brunswick, Ga., found defendants Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan guilty of hate crimes in the 2020 shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery.
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Prosecutors relied heavily on racist evidence from cell phones and testimony from acquaintances, but the defense called only one witness. -
Offensive memes, racist songs and slurs against Black people from the cellphones and social media accounts of the three men on trial portray a history of bigotry.
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A year after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a new NPR/Ipsos poll finds that Americans are pessimistic about the future of democracy, as false claims about the 2020 election persist. -
Faith leaders from around the country gathered outside the Glynn County Courthouse in defiance of a defense attorney's efforts to keep Black pastors away from the trial. -
Georgia prosecutors have focused on testimony from law enforcement and neighbors in the trial of Greg and Travis McMichael and Roddie Bryan, accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery. -
Marvin Weeks memorialized Ahmaud Arbery in a mural after he was killed while jogging in 2020. His latest work delves into Brunswick, Georgia's history with a focus on race relations. -
Even as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, two-thirds of U.S. adults say if their home is hit they'd rather rebuild than relocate. -
Hurricane Ida and its remnants left a path of destruction from Louisiana to the Northeast. Communities are assessing the damage, and prepping for a hurricane season that hasn't reached its peak.
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Four nursing home residents in Louisiana have died after being evacuated to another facility ahead of Hurricane Ida. Health officials are investigating reports of unsafe conditions at the site.
