# George Chidi > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/George_Chidi > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/George_Chidi.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Chidi > Source revision: 1346429662 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American journalist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = George Chidi | image = George Chidi.jpg | caption = | birth_name = George Amaefule Njoku Chidi Jr. | birth_date = March 31, 1973 | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | years_active = 1995-present | employer = {{plainlist| *[The Guardian US](/source/The_Guardian_US) (2024–present) *[Central Atlanta Progress](/source/Central_Atlanta_Progress) (2015–2019) }} | education = *[University of Massachusetts at Amherst](/source/University_of_Massachusetts_at_Amherst) ([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts)) *[Georgia Tech](/source/Georgia_Tech) ([MBA](/source/Master_of_Business_Administration)) | occupation = {{hlist|Journalist|political commentator|podcaster}} | television = | partner = | URL = }} '''George Amaefule Njoku Chidi Jr.''' (born March 31, 1973) is an American journalist and political figure, currently writing for ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/george-chidi|title=George Chidi | The Guardian|website=www.theguardian.com}} Chidi is best known for reporting on the politics and social issues of race and criminal justice in Atlanta, coverage of the [YSL Records racketeering trial](/source/YSL_Records_racketeering_trial), and his role as a witness in the 2020 [Georgia election racketeering prosecution](/source/Georgia_election_racketeering_prosecution) of Donald Trump. ==Early life and education== George Chidi was born in [Worcester, Massachusetts](/source/Worcester%2C_Massachusetts). His father is a Nigerian-American immigrant and physician, while his mother is an American of French-Canadian and Polish descent. Chidi grew up in nearby [Northbridge, Massachusetts](/source/Northbridge%2C_Massachusetts), graduating from [Northbridge High School](/source/Northbridge_High_School). He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the [University of Massachusetts at Amherst](/source/University_of_Massachusetts_Amherst) in 2000. He was the first news director for future CNN host [Audie Cornish](/source/Audie_Cornish) while working as news director for [WMUA](/source/WMUA). Chidi earned an MBA from [Georgia Tech](/source/Georgia_Tech) in 2010. ==Military service== Chidi served from 1994 to 1999 in the U.S. Army as an enlisted military photojournalist and reporter, primarily with the 25th Infantry Division. Chidi was an observer on the [Multinational Force and Observers](/source/Multinational_Force_and_Observers) mission in [Sinai Peninsula](/source/Sinai_Peninsula), Egypt in 1996. He left the Army as a specialist. ==Journalism career== His civilian career began with work as a tech journalist for the [International Data Group](/source/International_Data_Group)—publisher of Computerworld—during the crash of the dot-com bubble. Chidi has written for [CNN.com](/source/CNN), Network World Fusion, the [Rocky Mount Telegram](/source/Rocky_Mount_Telegram), the [Atlanta Journal-Constitution](/source/The_Atlanta_Journal-Constitution), [Inc.(magazine)](/source/Inc._(magazine)), Decaturish, [The Intercept](/source/The_Intercept), [Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone), [Atlanta Magazine](/source/Atlanta_(magazine)), [Slate](/source/Slate_(magazine)) and other publications. Chidi is currently a staff writer for [The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)’s U.S. wing, covering politics and the issue of democracy. ===Reporting in Atlanta=== A profile George Chidi wrote in October 2014 about a far-right political candidate in [DeKalb County](/source/DeKalb_County%2C_Georgia) became a highly publicized First Amendment incident after the subject filed a temporary protective order, accusing him of stalking.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/george-chidi-tom-owens-georgia-111718|title=Court to blogger: Leave pol alone|date=October 8, 2014|website=POLITICO}} A judge quickly lifted the order. George Chidi hosted a quarterly civic affairs news program—The Next Atlanta—on [Fox 5 Atlanta](/source/WAGA-TV) from 2020 to 2023, which earned an Emmy nomination in 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/video/1212932|title=Videos|date=April 12, 2023|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}{{Cite web|url=https://southeastemmy.com/emmy-awards/nominees-winners/|title=Nominees & Winners}} While covering the armed takeover of the site of the [Rayshard Brooks shooting](/source/Killing_of_Rayshard_Brooks) in south Atlanta, two weeks before the murder of Secoriea Turner, Chidi was assaulted by several members of the group.{{Cite web|url=https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/atlanta-journalist-threatened-pistol-beaten-during-rayshard-brooks-protests/|title=Atlanta journalist threatened with pistol, beaten during Rayshard Brooks protests|date=May 29, 2020|website=U.S. Press Freedom Tracker}}{{Cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/06/24/rayshard-brooks-armed-atlanta-protesters/|title=Black Vigilance Becomes Armed Vigilantism in Atlanta’s Streets|first=George|last=Chidi|date=June 24, 2020}} George Chidi’s reporting for the Substack newsletter The Atlanta Objective, covering the causes and political implications of rising crime in Atlanta during the COVID-19 pandemic, earned the [Society for Professional Journalists](/source/Society_of_Professional_Journalists)’s public service award in 2021 {{Cite web|url=https://www.spj.org/sigma-delta-chi-awards-2021-honorees/|title=Sigma Delta Chi Awards: 2021 Honorees|website=Society of Professional Journalists}} and a Good Trouble honor from Atlanta’s Center for Civic Innovation {{Cite web|url=https://www.decaturish.com/archives/george-chidi-recognized-as-center-for-civic-innovation-2022-good-trouble-honoree/article_73af5c6f-5f61-545e-bb10-11a349e460d3.html|title=George Chidi recognized as Center for Civic Innovation 2022 Good Trouble Honoree|first=Zoe|last=Seiler|date=March 23, 2022|website=Decaturish}} ===2020 election interference investigation=== George Chidi attracted national attention after witnessing and documenting a December 2020 gathering of Republican "[fake electors](/source/Trump_fake_electors_plot)" at the Georgia capitol. As a result, he was subpoenaed twice before grand juries investigating alleged election interference. ===State of Georgia vs. Jeffery Williams=== In the months preceding the arrest of Jeffery “[Young Thug](/source/Young_Thug)” Williams on racketeering and gang charges, George Chidi wrote a series of stories describing a gang war between the YSL and YFN street gangs in Atlanta that Fulton County prosecutors had described in court filings.{{Cite web|url=https://theatlantaobjective.substack.com/p/gangsters-in-concert|title=Gangsters In Concert|first=George|last=Chidi|date=March 25, 2022}} Chidi’s explanations of the details of the case drew media attention from the hip-hop blogosphere, with two appearances on [DJ Vlad](/source/DJ_Vlad)’s YouTube channel.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag7Etem8EPs|title=Atlanta Journalist George Chidi Gives Update on YSL, YFN & Trump RICO Cases (Full Interview)|date=March 27, 2024|via=YouTube}} With hip-hop reporter Christina Lee, Chidi launched the King Slime podcast covering what became the longest trial in Georgia history. The podcast was nominated for an [Ambie](/source/Ambies) award in 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ambies.com/2024-nominees-and-winners|title=2024 WINNERS & NOMINEES|website=The Ambies® — Awards for Excellence in Audio}} ==Political career== George Chidi ran as an independent candidate for a state house seat in Massachusetts in 2002, losing to [Jeffrey Sanchez](/source/Jeffrey_Sanchez_(politician)).{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2002|title=Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2002|website=Ballotpedia}} Chidi served two partial terms as a city councilman for the town of [Pine Lake, Ga](/source/Pine_Lake%2C_Georgia)., winning a uncontested special election in 2010 and a nonpartisan contested election in 2013.{{Cite web | url=https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/sites/default/files/Result_11052013.pdf | title=Election Summary Report - DeKalb County | website=www.dekalbcountyga.gov}} Chidi resigned in April 2016 to run for a county commission seat in DeKalb County, losing to Gregory Adams.{{Cite web | url=https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/sites/default/files/user306/2016%20GE%20Summary%20110616.pdf | title=Election Summary Report - DeKalb County | website=www.dekalbcountyga.gov}} ==Personal life== George Chidi is married to author and college instructor Sara Amis. He is the half-brother of wellness expert and Goop podcast co-host Erica Chidi. == See also == * [The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) * [Trump fake electors plot](/source/Trump_fake_electors_plot) * [American journalism](/source/American_journalism) * [Political journalism](/source/Political_journalism) * [Multinational Force and Observers](/source/Multinational_Force_and_Observers) == References == {{reflist}} Category:Living people Category:American political journalists Category:American people of Nigerian descent Category:American people of Polish descent Category:American people of French-Canadian descent Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni Category:Georgia Tech alumni Category:1973 births --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [George Chidi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Chidi) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Chidi?action=history)). 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