Alex Kotlowitz is a renowned American journalist, author, and filmmaker. Born on March 31, 1955, he gained national recognition with his 1991 book There Are No Children Here, which became a national bestseller and won the Christopher Award and Helen Bernstein Award.

Kotlowitz is also a two-time recipient of both the Peabody Award and the Dupont Award for journalism. He co-produced the 2011 documentary The Interrupters, based on his article for The New York Times Magazine, which won an Independent Spirit Award and an Emmy Award.

His contributions to literature and journalism extend to various esteemed publications including The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, and public radio’s This American Life. He produced three collections of personal narratives for Chicago Public Radio, earning a Peabody for Stories of Home.

In addition to his written work, Kotlowitz has served as a correspondent and writer for the Frontline documentary Let’s Get Married and contributed to multiple pieces for PBS’s Media Matters. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, and The New Republic. He is currently a writer-in-residence at Northwestern University.