Henri Gendreau, 29 / Founder/Editor, The Roanoke Rambler
Henri Gendreau
After moving to Roanoke in 2018 to work as a reporter at The Roanoke Times, where he covered public safety and later higher education (with an emphasis on Virginia Tech), Henri Gendreau collaborated with veteran reporters on the new bus station downtown; through crime data analysis, his reporting brought to light important information for the public. He was awarded a 2019 Virginia Press Association award in data journalism, and helped spearhead the Timesland News Guild in March 2020, a union of newsroom employees, and served as a vice chair. He founded The Roanoke Rambler in 2021, an online, weekly newsletter and website featuring investigative, local news and original literature. He has since published hundreds of stories about local issues as the publication’s sole full-time employee, juggling the editorial and business ends, while reporting, writing, publishing and doing all the social media postings, as well as doing accounting and so much more. “My passion for journalism led me to establish a local and investigative news site in Roanoke focused on local government, the environment and social and racial justice,” he says. “...I believe any community is stronger when it has a more robust local news ecosystem; I would like to think The Rambler has contributed to this environment.”
- Co-founded and edited a magazine dedicated to long-form journalism at Kenyon College; its inaugural edition won a Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press organization
- Pursued business and political reporting for Bloomberg News in Washington, D.C. and technology and culture writing for WIRED magazine in San Francisco before moving to Roanoke
- The Rambler was chosen as one of 24 startups nationwide to participate in the Google News Initiative Startups Bootcamp, run through the Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION) group; has resulted in more than $10,000 to The Rambler
- Has attended every single meeting of the Roanoke City Council; makes a point to go to other government meetings that are less well known; often the only reporter in the room at some of these meetings, which includes the city’s audit committee, the Gun Violence Prevention Commission, the Equity and Empowerment Advisory Board and the Greater Roanoke Transit Company board
- Presented at the Roanoke Kiwanis Club on the state of local journalism
- A member of the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists
From the Nomination: “... In April 2021, Henri was laid off by the Roanoke Times with eight other employees. Shortly thereafter, he founded The Roanoke Rambler, an online, weekly newsletter and website featuring investigative, local news and original literature. Since launching, The Rambler has published hundreds of stories about local issues, many of which would otherwise have gone uncovered. … The Rambler is not Henri’s first foray into creating a media outlet. While at Kenyon College, he co-founded and edited a magazine dedicated to long-form journalism. He solicited donations and drove around to local businesses for advertisements to fund the venture. In its inaugural edition, the magazine won a Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press organization. The magazine exists to this day. … As mentioned, Henri publishes all of his candidate interviews free of charge to non-subscribers. He takes the time to go out into the community and meet with leaders and everyday citizens to hear from them about what's going on in their neighborhoods. … As many traditional news journalists do, Henri purposefully refrains from getting formally involved in partisan, political and civic organizations. That is to maintain a sense of independence and dispel any potential conflicts of interest. The Roanoke Rambler itself is a wonderful example of community service. Especially with the decline of local news, across the country and in Roanoke, it is admirable that Henri has dedicated himself to launching an independent local news site in our community. Research has shown that a decline in local news leads to increased political polarization, corruption and a decline in civic engagement. Henri is helping fill the local news gap and combat these trends. Besides local government, The Rambler has also focused on issues related to the environment and racial and social justice. Unlike most mainstream media outlets, Henri has explored and often written about some of the city’s racist past, such as urban renewal, lynching and disparities in incarceration rates across neighborhoods. I am constantly blown away that such a young person, not even yet 30, much less 40, produces such a high quality publication. I believe we are extremely lucky to have Henri and the Rambler in Roanoke and think his great works deserve recognition.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Gendreau: “I step out my front door and walk across an historic neighborhood, through one of Roanoke's oldest parks, and onto the city's Greenway trail. Along the way, I stop into independent, locally owned businesses and run into people I know. While it's almost become a cliché, I do believe Roanoke has a great blend of big-city amenities and small-town vibes — all of which is surrounded by beautiful mountains and farmland. I love Roanoke for its people, diversity and history.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Gendreau: “My passion for journalism led me to establish a local and investigative news site in Roanoke focused on local government, the environment and social and racial justice. Over the last year, we have brought residents hundreds of stories about issues affecting their lives, including many stories which otherwise may gone uncovered. I believe any community is stronger when it has a more robust local news ecosystem; I would like to think The Rambler has contributed to this environment. With readers' support, we look forward to many more years of telling this community's many stories!”