Fast 15: Christina Grace Long

Christina Long did not set out to become one of Arkansas’ most recognized sports journalists. She set off for college intent on a future in photography. By her mid-20s, she was leading a magazine, and in January, was named Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.

Since becoming managing editor for Hawgs Illustrated Magazine in January 2024, she has overseen editorial strategy for a high-frequency print product while expanding its digital reach. Her work includes assigning, editing and writing enterprise stories, managing content and coordinating design, visuals and multimedia coverage.

“I want to write interesting stories and work on projects that stand out,” Long said. “When we’re doing something creative, that’s when it feels the most rewarding.”

Long grew up in Fayetteville, moving there in third grade, and discovered journalism through yearbook and sports photography in junior high and high school. She enrolled at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., intending to pursue photography but shifted to writing after confronting the instability of the profession.

“I kept seeing that photography mostly was a freelance thing,” she said. “I was really afraid of freelance. All my friends were writers, and I liked it enough to try.”

She began with campus news before moving into sports, covering local teams and later Missouri athletics. Internships, including a stint at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, helped her reporting foundation.

After graduating in 2021, Long took her first full-time job at the Times Record in Fort Smith, where she often worked alone.

“By the time I left, it was just me,” she said. “It was tough, but you learn how to do everything.”

That experience shaped her approach to leadership. Long said she values organization, collaboration and working with other writers. While she holds an editor title, she still balances reporting with production responsibilities.

“I like working with writers and thinking about why we cover things the way we do,” she said. “I really enjoy kind of that bigger picture sort of working.”

Outside the newsroom, Long is an avid runner, a habit she picked up in the past two years, and a regular reader.

At its core, she said, journalism remains simple.

“My job is to learn about things and tell people about them,” Long said. “That’s a good job.”