Somer Van Benton’s Biography
Somer Van Benton is an award-winning journalist covering culture, community, and entertainment. Her reporting explores how individuals, institutions, and cultural moments shape one another, with a particular focus on Black communities and the broader forces that influence everyday life.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Howard University and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School. Her work has appeared on WBEZ Chicago and NPR, where she combines rigorous reporting with immersive storytelling that helps audiences understand not only what happened, but why it matters. Drawing on her background in consumer brand marketing, Somer brings an audience-first perspective to journalism, connecting complex issues to the people and communities at the heart of every story.