Angela Dennis is an award-winning journalist, writer, and storyteller and Knoxville native who joined the Knox County Community Gardens and Growers Alliance in March 2026, where she uses her storytelling, communications, and media skills to further the organization’s mission and amplify conversations around food justice, community empowerment, and equitable access to healthy food. She also has served on the board of Battlefield Farm & Gardens since 2024, supporting efforts to address food disparities and invest in sustainable, community-driven solutions in East Knoxville and beyond.
Dennis remains an independent journalist whose work can be seen in Tennessee Lookout, Capital B News, Compass Knoxville, and Inside of Knoxville. A former columnist and reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel and USA Today Network, her reporting centers African American history, culture, community development, and social justice through both historic and contemporary lenses. Her work often explores the intersections of race, place, policy, and identity in Black communities across East Tennessee and the broader South.
Dennis is a National Maynard 200 Fellow through the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education and has received multiple honors from the Tennessee Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists for her work in community-centered reporting. She is a member of the Leadership Knoxville Class of 2023, a YWCA Tribute to Women finalist, and part of Knoxville’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2021. She previously co-hosted the “Black in Appalachia” podcast on East Tennessee PBS, helping document and amplify overlooked Black Appalachian stories and voices. Through her reporting, Dennis has covered issues ranging from reproductive justice and education equity to neighborhood redevelopment, food access, voting rights, and Black cultural preservation.
Raised in Tampa Bay, Florida area and now based once again in her hometown of Knoxville, Dennis is also a mother of one daughter. Beyond journalism, she remains deeply engaged in community advocacy and storytelling initiatives focused on literacy, historic preservation, equity, and cultural memory. Her work consistently aims to preserve the stories of underrepresented communities while uplifting resilience, culture, and legacy.