Cal State LA Associate Professor April Brown has earned a regional Emmy for her work as co-director of a documentary examining the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, and its impact on the surrounding community.
Brown, a faculty member in the Department of Television, Film and Media Studies in Cal State LA’s College of Arts and Letters, received a National Capital Chesapeake Bay Regional Emmy® Award for Key Bridge Disaster: Reflect, Recover, Rebuild. She served as the documentary’s editor and co-directed, co-wrote, and co-produced it with Sandy Petrykowski.
The film was honored in the Director – Program category during the 68th Capital Emmy Awards on June 20 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
The Emmy recognition reflects Brown’s outstanding work as a film writer and director, which she draws on to prepare students for careers in journalism and media.
“As both a faculty member and documentary filmmaker, I’m especially grateful for opportunities to bring current professional experiences like this back into the classroom,” Brown said.
Key Bridge Disaster: Reflect, Recover, Rebuild—which premiered on Maryland Public Television and WBAL-TV—examines the March 26, 2024, collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the container ship Dali lost power and struck the bridge.
The documentary combines archival news coverage with exclusive interviews with more than 20 people, including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. It chronicles the experiences of affected families, first responders, public officials, and community members while honoring the six lost lives.
The film also examines the disaster’s broader consequences, including disruption to the Port of Baltimore, regional commerce, and supply chains. It highlights the resilience of communities such as Turner Station, one of Maryland’s few historically African American neighborhoods, and explores ongoing efforts to rebuild.
Brown is an award-winning journalist who teaches courses in research, writing, broadcast journalism, investigations, and documentary production at Cal State LA.
Before joining Cal State LA, Brown was a producer and special correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, where she focused on education and foreign affairs while also reporting on science, technology, and innovation. She earned a master’s degree in international broadcast journalism from Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom.
The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presents the Capital Emmy Awards to recognize excellence in television and media in the region.
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