Emyle Watkins
Multimedia ReporterEmyle Watkins is an award-winning multimedia investigative journalist with experience in newspapers, TV, and radio. Emyle is currently BTPM’s Disability Reporter and hosts the station's weekly Disabilities Beat segment. Their work has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, UpFirst and Morning Edition. Watkins has also appeared on the BBC World News and BBC 5Live during breaking news.
Outside of their work as a reporter, Emyle authored the Global Investigative Journalism Network’s Guide to Investigating Disability Issues and serves on Investigative Reporters and Editors' LGBTQ+ membership committee.
Emyle provides free and low-cost workshops to colleges, journalists, and organizations on improving coverage of people with disabilities and disability representation in newsrooms. Emyle's passion for disability reporting comes from their lived experience as a disabled and neurodivergent person who grew up with a stay-at-home disabled parent.
Buffalo-born and raised a short drive from the city, Emyle (pronounced like Emily, despite the spelling) got their bachelor's degrees in Multimedia Journalism and Digital Media Arts at Canisius University.
Emyle’s journalism career began at the early age of 16, when they became the primary sports reporter/photographer for their hometown newspaper, The Springville Journal. Since then, they have also freelanced or had work published in other newspapers, including The Buffalo News, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and The Public.
While Emyle started as a sports journalist, early on in college, they realized they wanted to pursue investigative journalism as a way to make a difference for communities and hold those in power accountable.
In college, Emyle quickly moved into an editorial position at The Canisius Griffin and served as the managing editor there, leading the investigative team, often looking into finances and covering student government/college administration. Emyle also redesigned the newspaper’s website and print product to be more accessible to readers with visual disabilities.
As part of Canisius’ Video Institute, Emyle co-produced and was the reporter for the documentary “NewBorn: Maternal Resources in New York State,” which won a Telly Award in 2020. While on a fellowship at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, they won a Pennsylvania Golden Quill by co-writing “There are Black people in the future,” a series of artist profiles.
Emyle interned at BTPM in 2020. Before joining BTPM, Emyle was an associate producer on the digital and investigative teams at WGRZ-TV (Channel 2). At WGRZ, Emyle helped develop stories on such topics as unsolved shootings in Buffalo and how over 900 graves were lost in a Cheektowaga cemetery.
Follow @EmyleWatkins.
Email Emyle at ewatkins@btpm.org
Desk (call only): 716-845-7000, ext 233
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On Friday, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law, which includes sweeping changes to Medicaid. This bill is expected to both directly and indirectly impact people with disabilities. -
A proposed settlement is expected this week in a federal lawsuit over New York’s CDPAP transition. Plaintiffs say the state violated disabled consumers’ Medicaid rights. -
Stephanie Orlando took over as CEO of Western New York Independent Living Tuesday, succeeding longtime leader Doug Usiak. She discusses future goals and challenges ahead. -
On Tuesday, Olean’s mayoral primary faced an interesting upset. A business owner beat out the long-time mayor for the Republican endorsement with 58% of the vote. But she’s also already endorsed by the Democrats. Amy Sherburne discussed with BTPM her unique race for mayor that’s not over yet. -
Sylvia's House will now have time to transfer their clients – but won’t be able to continue to operate in the same location beyond that. -
A judge has ruled the shelter, Sylvia's House, can remain open for now, while their case is heard in court. It was originally ordered to close last Friday by City of Buffalo officials. -
This week, it's expected the Senate will begin voting on Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill", which includes substantial cuts to Medicaid. However, New Yorkers with disabilities maybe be impacted by these cuts in both direct and indirect ways. -
While the city of Buffalo’s mayoral primary dominated news headlines, there were dozens of notable races across Western New York. -
On Thursday Sylvia's House, an emergency shelter on Bailey Avenue, was told by the City of Buffalo they would have to cease operations no later than noon on Friday, potentially displacing between 60 and 80 people before a major heatwave. City officials say it has to do with code and permit issues.
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Last weekend, fights at the annual Juneteenth festival drew attention away from the focus and importance of the holiday. Today, on Juneteenth itself, local organizations responded to what young people say they need at this moment.
