Amy Silverman

Amy Silverman's picture
Executive Producer - The Show

Amy Silverman is a journalist, author and teacher based in her hometown, Phoenix.

Over the last 30 years, she has covered everything from juvenile justice to the history of the Valley's food scene to the John McCain only Arizonans knew.

Her work has appeared on KJZZ, as well as the radio shows Here & Now, The Pulse and This American Life, and in The Forward, Literary Hub, The Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post, Lenny Letter, Motherwell, and Brain, Child. Previously, Amy worked for 25 years as a staff writer and managing editor at New Times, the alternative weekly in Phoenix.

Amy co-teaches the long-running Mothers Who Write workshop and is the co-curator of the live reading series "Bar Flies" at Valley Bar in downtown Phoenix as well as the co-editor of the essay collection "Bar Flies: True Stories from the Early Years."

Along with Phoenix, Amy's work has focused on issues related to disability, often weaving narrative with investigative reporting to tell stories about her daughter, Sophie, who has Down syndrome, and others with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

In spring 2021 Amy was a Visiting Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, where she developed Wordslaw, a storytelling workshop for people with intellectual disabilities.

In 2020, Amy worked with the Arizona Daily Star and Pro Publica's Local Reporting Network on "State of Denial," a year-long project focused on services for Arizonans with intellectual and developmental disabilities with an emphasis on making the work accessible to people with IDD.

Amy is a three-time winner of the Arizona Press Club’s Journalist of the Year award, most recently for State of Denial. The series was a finalist for the Anthony Shadid Award for Ethics in Journalism and the Online Newspaper Association’s Gather Award for Engagement Journalism. It also won first place for public service from the Arizona Press Club and first place in community service from the Arizona Newspaper Association, as well as the President’s Award from Lee Enterprises.

She’s a member of the advisory board of the National Center on Disability and Journalism, where she has updated two editions of NCDJ’s disability language style guide.

Amy's first book, "My Heart Can't Even Believe It: A Story of Science, Love, and Down Syndrome," was published by Woodbine House in 2016. A graduate of Scripps College (B.A. American Studies) and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism (M.S.), she lives in Tempe with her husband, Ray Stern, the state politics and issues reporter for the Arizona Republic. They have two daughters.

Title Author(s) Publication Date
At the end of Saguaro Land, we worry about future of the iconic cactus Amy Silverman March 21, 2024
For Arizona special education students, graduating high school isn’t always a good thing Amy Silverman Jan. 30, 2024
Saguaro Land artists talk about their maps of the Sonoran Desert Morgan Kubasko, Amy Silverman Dec. 22, 2023
How teaching your kids gratitude changes as they grow up Amy Silverman Nov. 22, 2023
Some Arizona students with disabilities are being forced to graduate high school too early Amy Silverman June 2, 2023
How a cookbook author makes matzo ball soup — the Sonoran way Nick Sanchez, Amy Silverman April 5, 2023
Plan would make guardianship automatic for some Mark Brodie, Amy Silverman, Nick Sanchez March 20, 2023
LOVE IS ALWAYS: Meaningful connections for people with IDD Amy Silverman March 21, 2023
Housing is key to creating community for Arizonans with disabilities. But is it enough? Amy Silverman Feb. 17, 2023
Extended interview with the mother of the woman who gave birth at Hacienda Amy Silverman Dec. 29, 2022
Million-dollar question: How to find safe homes for people with complex needs Amy Silverman Dec. 19, 2022
SOAPBOX: Pink star cookies Amy Silverman Dec. 15, 2022
Have a ghost story? The Show wants to hear it! Amy Silverman Sept. 26, 2022
How to turn cactus fruits into delicious prickly pear juice Amy Silverman, Steve Goldstein, Lauren Gilger Aug. 25, 2022
A patient at the Arizona State Hospital has been fighting to get his service dog for 2 years Amy Silverman July 29, 2022
From kinder to college, hear from Arizona's Class of 2022 Amy Silverman, Sativa Peterson May 31, 2022
Amy Silverman: Sophie graduates from high school Amy Silverman May 19, 2022
Favorite Mexican food spot? The Show wants to know! Lauren Gilger, Amy Silverman March 7, 2022
Amy Silverman: All I want for Christmas is you Amy Silverman Dec. 22, 2021
Arizona Voices Of COVID-19: Jennifer Lopez Amy Silverman, Kaely Monahan March 25, 2021
Arizona Voices Of COVID-19: Len Kirschner Amy Silverman, Kaely Monahan March 18, 2021
Arizona Voices Of COVID-19: Waiting For A Vaccine Amy Silverman, Kaely Monahan March 5, 2021