Juliana Marcello/Fourth Estate
A discussion with Donald Graham and President Gregory Washington at the Freedom and Learning Forum
BY JULIANA MARCELLO, STAFF WRITER
On April 10, Donald Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post and chairman of Graham Holdings Company, joined President Gregory at the Freedom Learning Forum held by the GMU Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement.
The pair discussed Graham’s numerous achievements made during his time at The Washington Post, as well as the impact of “TheDream.US.” As an enthusiastic storyteller, he shared with the group about the role his mother, Katherine Graham, played at The Post.
Graham began with the story of how the Post exposed the Watergate Scandal in 1972. At the time, his mother, Katherine Graham, was the publisher of The Washington Post. Graham told the group that while he and his siblings supported their mother, she often received pushback due to being one of the few women to own a company of the Post’s size during that time period.
“[Nixon] was trying to take away about ⅓ of the company’s revenue…” said Graham, “and she did not flinch. She wanted to tell the truth.”
After Katherine Graham gave the order to publish the Pentagon Papers and several leaked U.S. documents, she became one of the most prominent women and leaders in media. She continued to stay strong even as former President Nixon attempted to take apart the Post after he stepped down as President. Graham commented on how proud he was of his mother at the time.
President Washington then led Graham into a discussion regarding his time working in communications. Graham explained what journalism means to him, he said, “our job is to find the truth but [to] present all sides of the story…tell what you know and not a bit more.”
He discussed how polarization within the political sphere has impacted integrity in the media today. He said, “They want to persuade you to put on a red shirt or a blue shirt and tell you the facts that they think will lead you to [them.] That is not what I think news casting is about.” He continued, further defining journalism as a carrier of truth.
Graham said, “I have always wanted to be a journalist and I think it’s part of my job to be open minded. I don’t know the truth about everything and I want to find it out.”
The discussion shifted to Graham’s work as co-founder of TheDream.US. “I’ve always been interested in why young people go to college,” said Graham, “but they don’t have the same opportunity of progress.”
The organization is a college and career success program targeted towards aiding the children of undocumented immigrants. The first-generation immigrant population are not eligible to receive federal funding for education and have limited access to career oriented programs.
TheDream.US has helped over 3 million ‘Dreamers’ gain access to careers and higher-education opportunities.
During Q&A with the audience, one student asked, “With issues like immigration, and with the challenges facing us today, how do we work through polarization and partisanship to make decisions and to make change?”
“I think we will get through this polarization, [but], I dont think I’ll be alive to see it,” responded Graham, ending the discussion with, “It [wasn’t] always this way, it will change, and I wish I could say it would be for the better.”
