In communities across the country, children are quietly being poisoned by lead, asbestos and other toxins, while local governments and school districts delay fixes and fail to hold violators to account.

These hazards are ripe for local watchdog reporting, as The Philadelphia Inquirer's Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman demonstrated through their groundbreaking series "Toxic City," a 2019 Pulitzer finalist that was produced in partnership with the USC Center for Health Journalism National Fellowship.

In a free Center for Health Journalism webinar [1] on June 6 from 10-11 a.m. PT / 1-2 p.m. ET, Laker and Ruderman will share their bold and unconventional strategies for environmental testing — from digging out contaminated soil samples themselves during a harsh Philadelphia winter to persuading school teachers to secretly take samples of water, paint and hazardous materials.

Attendees will leave with fresh ideas for reporting and a renewed sense of urgency to tackle hidden threats in their communities.

For more information and to register, click here [1].