Chandra Thomas Whitfield

Host/Producer, Colorado Matters

chandra.whitfield@cpr.org

Chandra Thomas Whitfield joined CPR as a host and producer of its daily interview show, Colorado Matters, in 2022.

Professional background:
Whitfield has produced stories for NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Essence, Ebony and a number of other national media outlets. She also hosted and produced the award-winning podcast “In The Gap” from In These Times magazine, which explored how the gender pay gap and pay discrimination affects the lives and livelihoods of Black women who work in America.

A New Orleans native by way of Atlanta and Clark Atlanta University graduate, she is also an alumna of a diverse mix of journalism fellowship programs, including the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism at the Ohio University and Ted Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. Most recently she completed the Medill and The Garage Media Entrepreneur Fellowship with Northwestern University’s esteemed Medill School of Journalism.

Education:
Bachelor's of Arts degree in Journalism, Clark Atlanta University.

Awards/recognition:
Whitfield is the recipient of numerous awards for her writing, including “Journalist of the Year” awards from the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Atlanta Press Club, as well as honors from the Association for Women in Communications, the Colorado Association of Black Journalists and Mental Health America. An award-winning feature story she penned for Atlanta magazine is widely attributed with helping contribute to a change in Georgia law and a young man's early release from a 10-year prison sentence.

Image shows an old wooden sign. "The Descendant" is written on the sign.
Colorado Matters

From mining to mafia, ‘The Descendant’ lifts the veil on Colorado’s Italian history

Italian immigrations helped shape Colorado, from their work in mines to yes, even the mafia. Award winning journalist and best-selling novelist Linda Stasi’s family roots run deep here. Her new historical fiction book is “The Descendant,” which has been described as a sweeping family saga drawn from the true story of her Sicilian ancestors and the early roots of organized crime in Colorado.
By Chandra Thomas Whitfield
Photo shows a man in a white chef's outfit with a woman on either side. All three are holding plates of Italian cuisine.
Colorado Matters

March 19, 2026: Colorado’s Italian connections; Kids kicking nicotine; Warm weather birding

If you think “The Godfather” only happened in New York, you might need to think again. A new historical novel, “The Descendant” by Linda Stasi, reflects on how Sicilian immigrants helped shape Colorado, from miners to the mafia. Then, one of the founders of the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver talks about keeping Italian heritage alive in our state today. Also, kicking the nicotine habit can be tough; we visit a school that’s trying to help kids who are hooked. Plus, a lawsuit challenges the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle NCAR, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, in Boulder. And, the warm weather this winter has one classroom of kids wondering if it’s affecting birds.
By Chandra Thomas Whitfield
Photo shows a grey car and a woman is smiling from the driver's side window with her arm and elbow resting on the door.
Colorado Matters

March 17, 2026: Aging Matters looks at the decision to stop driving, from safety to fear of losing independence

As we get older, it’s one of the toughest decisions we face: when to stop driving. Colorado has nearly a million people over the age of 65 behind the wheel. And although getting older does not automatically make someone a bad driver, AAA says many people are outliving their ability to drive safely by 7 to 10 years. In Aging Matters, we talk through what to look for and how to have what can be a hard discussion within the family.
By Chandra Thomas Whitfield
stylized line drawing in red pigment on a rock wall of a bison. words are also carved on and around the image, that is likely vandalism from another time
Colorado Matters

Feb. 26, 2026: Colorado pushes back against federal health guidance; Exploring the state’s petroglyphs and pictographs

Colorado continues to push back against the federal government’s dismantling of science-based health care. Then, tucked away in deep canyons, or even hidden in plain sight, you might find images on rock walls from long ago — made by Indigenous people in what’s now Colorado. We go exploring with Colorado Wonders. Plus, we “Raise the Curtain” with actress Annie Barbour, known for her approach to high language. And for Black History Month, we celebrate the legacy of the late jazz icon, Denver’s own Purnell Steen.
By Chandra Thomas Whitfield
Colorado Matters

Feb. 24, 2026: Denver advances law enforcement mask ban; Coloradans share what they saw in Puerto Vallarta

The Denver City Council has unanimously advanced a proposal to ban law enforcement from wearing masks and to require them to show identification. It was prompted by the actions of unidentifiable ICE agents who’ve been arresting people across the country. Then, Coloradans vacationing in Puerto Vallarta share their experiences after violence and explosions following the death of a notorious drug cartel kingpin. Also, how one woman’s quest to get a birth certificate is changing guidelines in Colorado. And “Black History Live Chautauqua” honors the legacy of Paul Robeson.
By Chandra Thomas Whitfield
Colorado Matters

Feb. 19, 2026: Building affordable housing in mountain towns; Lion dancing ushers in Lunar New Year

Finding affordable housing has been a challenge in Colorado for years. A measure passed by voters statewide four years ago is starting to make a difference. We’ll talk through what it’s meant for the state’s small mountain towns and what still needs to be done. Then, we remember civil rights activist, Reverend Jessie Jackson, who died this week. We also remember the loss of the occasionally high-strung, legendary coach of the Denver Nuggets, Doug Moe. And we celebrate Lunar New Year with a behind-the-scenes look at the tradition of lion dancing!
By Chandra Thomas Whitfield
Photo shows an actress in a full-length black coat wearing a black hat standing in front of stairs in front of a black background on stage.
Colorado Matters

Feb. 17, 2026: ‘Godspeed’ elevates the Black cowboy; Finding emergency shelters for domestic violence survivors

The history of Colorado and the West is the history of the Black cowboy; now it’s inspired the play “Godspeed” which just had its world premiere in Denver. Plus, we visit a museum that shares an often untold and overlooked aspect of the history of the West. Also, about half of counties in Colorado do not have emergency shelters for people trying to leave abusive situations at home. We hear from a researcher who’s mapped the state about what she found in the search for a solution. And later, for Aging Matters, we revisit a that pairs older volunteers, with older companions, leading to bonds of friendship and helpfulness as we age.
By Chandra Thomas Whitfield