As a writer, I was trained to include a diverse range of perspectives in my reporting. That hasn’t changed. It’s important to me that all people are represented by the media that serves them. I’m always looking for ways to share my platform with marginalized voices.

Thank you for engaging with my work. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, feedback or story leads, and why yes, I am available for assignment, thank you for asking. See you around!

Raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Ben Ackman is studying photography and economics at American University in Washington, DC. He contributes photos to several print and online publications on campus, primarily AWOL Magazine, where he leads the Multimedia Department. In April 2025, his reporting broke the news of the federal government revoking international student visas at AU and was sourced in trackers of visa revocations across the United States by Inside Higher Ed and the Chronicle of Higher Education. He is also editor of AU Photo Collective’s biannual zine and interned for the Jersey City Times in the summer of 2025.

Having gotten his start in visual arts from machinima and 3D graphics, Ben is inspired by CG art and animation. He is interested in photographing the upkeep of communities, traditions and institutions against systemic pressures. He is currently pursuing an independent project on the pigeon fancying community of the New York suburbs, supported by grants from AU and the Alexia program at Syracuse University.