
Allegra Coleman ’26 grew up surrounded by the Chicago Bears: memorabilia decorated her childhood home, and she drove past Soldier Field daily to and from school. As a lifelong Bears fan and second-year journalism major, she is pinching herself that she has become their student writer as part of the team’s Black History Month partnership with the National Association of Black Journalists Chicago Chapter.
“I feel like it is a full-circle moment and an opportunity I never would have imagined when I was younger,” said Coleman. “It is very surreal, but I feel like everything I have done and all the work I have put in at LMU has led to this moment.”
Coleman has hit the ground running, publishing pieces on ChicagoBears.com reflecting on what “Deeply Rooted” means to her and profiling player personnel coordinator Ashton Washington for National Girls and Women in Sports Day. She is also slated to interview Kevin Warren, Bears president and CEO.
“Everyone in the organization has been so generous with their time and expertise, connecting me with different people within different departments,” said Coleman.
Coleman’s grandmother, Juanita McCray, helped her discover a passion for journalism. Coleman and her twin brother, Alexandré Coleman, often had sleepovers with their grandmother. “Right before bed, she would tell us the most vivid stories about her childhood in Kentucky or running her optical business, which was catered towards African Americans,” said Coleman. “I would laugh and tell her how she did the craziest stuff and lived the craziest life. Then my brother and I would doze off while she told another story.”
Coleman’s grandmother passed away in 2018. “She was just an amazing woman, and I got to write about her in my first article with the Bears,” said Coleman. Storytelling is Coleman’s way of keeping her grandmother’s memory alive, and it is what led her to LMU. After a high school trip to California, Coleman knew it was where she wanted to be for college. “Looking at all the acceptance folders, the LMU blue one stuck out. I remember telling myself that I would do everything in my power to get to LMU, and that’s exactly what I did,” said Coleman.
Since arriving at LMU, Coleman has thrown herself into her journalism coursework. “Introduction to Journalism” with Ky Henderson taught her the “nuts and bolts” of journalism and provided her with a solid foundation. In the fall, she took “Telling L.A.’s Story” with Rubén Martínez, which allowed her to explore L.A. for the first time with field trips off the bluff to places like Little Ethiopia and Inglewood. As part of the course, she wrote a feature on Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, which entailed a lot of research and interviews to understand how the business has survived amid gentrification. “She’s a transplant from Chicago, but she told the story passionately,” said Martínez. She also took “Designing for Journalism” with Benjamin Gottlieb, where she worked on building her brand as a journalist.
Coleman, who looks up to Malika Andrews, the host of “NBA Today” and “NBA Countdown” on ESPN, is very interested in sports journalism and breaking into sideline reporting. At LMU, she worked as a sports intern at “The Loyolan” and is currently working with LMU basketball on its ESPN+ broadcasts. She is also part of a group of students producing and hosting a show for KXLU covering LMU basketball.
Coleman is proud to be from the South Side of Chicago and is grateful to have the platform with the Bears to amplify positive stories and voices. “I have had so many amazing opportunities,” said Coleman. “I know the power of sharing a good story, and I hope to inspire others and make an impact.”