Dante Chinni of the American Communities Project

Kudzu Vine

Dante Chinni is a data and political journalist and director of the American Communities Project, which is based at the MSU J-School. He is a winner of the Knight-Batten Award for Innovation in Journalism and co-author of the book Our Patchwork Nation. Chinni is a contributor to and writer for the Wall Street Journal and to NBC News's Meet the Press, for which he produces the weekly Data Download segment. Starting in November of 2022, the American Communities Project is embarking on a three-year study of American Fragmentation, funded by a $2.4 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. That study will combine survey research, data analysis and on-the-ground reporting in an effort to better understand what is dividing the country and what might help stitch it back together. A graduate of Michigan State, when Dante is not in East Lansing he can usually be found living in Washington with his wife Christina Ianzito and their dog Skeeter.