Bringing Unseen Stories to Light
Hosam Elattar covers Anaheim and North Orange County, food insecurity, housing & homelessness, the Arab & Muslim American community, religion and education.
Elattar, who is Egyptian American, considers his work on Little Arabia and the Anaheim corruption scandal to be his most impactful.
In addition to his work at Voice, Elattar also teaches public affairs and investigative journalism as an adjunct faculty professor at Chapman University.
Elattar is an alumnus of California State University, Fullerton, where he studied communications with an emphasis in journalism and worked at the Daily Titan. He has lived across the globe in countries such as Botswana, Nepal, Uganda, the Dominican Republic and India. He is also trilingual, speaking English, Arabic and Spanish.
[Read: Little Arabia Archives]
[Read: Pulling Back Anaheim’s Curtain Series Archives]
Favorite Book: The Autobiography of Malcolm X
What is your favorite movie?
- The Godfather
- City of God
- Casino
- Heat
What is your favorite food? Shawarma
How did you join Voice of OC?
“I started off as an intern in 2020 then I became a fellow and eventually a full time staff reporter.”
What is your favorite part about being on the Voice of OC team?
“Being able to write and report on stories without restrictions, getting guidance and mentorship from seasoned editors and working with talented reporters who all help me grow as a journalist, writer and human being.”
What is your favorite story that you’ve covered for Voice of OC?
“I’ve enjoyed covering dozens of stories on Little Arabia, its business owners and the city’s decision to officially recognize it after years of advocacy.
I have also found tremendous value in my coverage on food insecurity in OC and the organizations helping ensure families across the county have enough food on their plates amid a high cost of living.
However, My personal favorite story I covered was about parents pushing for street lights in the Edison community in Anaheim. To see, the lights get brighter in that community shortly after that story was published shows the power of journalism.”
“Enough is Enough”: Anaheim’s Edison Community Demands Safer Streets
“I love that every day is something new, as you’re not always covering the same stuff,” Elattar said. “Being able to go out in the field and speak with the community, talk to residents and being able to cover the Arab American community has been really, really great and exciting. Every day is a bit of a surprise.”
“Voice is unique to other newsrooms in Orange County and maybe across the country,” he said.
“The work we do is really felt by the communities we cover, really appreciated by the residents.”
What makes nonprofit news so important to Orange County?
“Nonprofit news is essential to protecting the freedoms and democracy we in Orange County have and enjoy that people elsewhere around the world do not have the privilege of experiencing. Nonprofit news protects those treasured rights by keeping residents out of the dark and holding officials accountable on a daily basis.”
Impacting Quality of Life
Noah Biesiada covers the county government, public safety, department of education, Huntington Beach and disaster news.
His most impactful series include his work on All American Asphalt and the OC Power Authority.
[Read: Something’s In the Air: Irvine Residents’ Yearslong Battle For Breathable Air]
[Read: Irvine To Convert Shuttered Asphalt Plant Into Nature Preserve, Housing]
[Read: Orange County Power Authority Fires Controversial CEO After Two Years of Unrest]
He moved to La Habra at the age of 9 and has been an Orange County resident since. Biesiada attended California State University, Fullerton, studying communications with an emphasis in journalism. During his time at Cal State, he worked at the Daily Titan, growing into a role as a news editor.
Biesiada currently works as an adjunct faculty professor at Chapman University, teaching intro and advanced digital journalism.
Favorite Book: The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
What is your favorite movie? Arrival
What is your favorite food? Burgers
How did you join Voice of OC?
“I met some of the staff while I was working for my college newsroom and applied for an internship.”
What is your favorite part about being on the Voice of OC team?
“I love getting to run down any story that interests me in Orange County and working with a team that I truly enjoy being around.”
What is your favorite story that you’ve covered for Voice of OC?
“My first investigation I ever got published into special property taxes at the Great Park. It was an incredible opportunity to work with Tracy Wood before she passed and to develop my skills as a reporter and see the changes that came after that story. That story and that city will always hold a special place in my heart.”
What makes nonprofit news so important to Orange County?
“Orange County is one of the largest counties in the country, and we need every news outlet we can get. A nonprofit like Voice of OC is the most sustainable form of news you can support, and there’s no better place in the county to find news about what your government is doing.”
