Nora Reichardt, the first openly transgender TV reporter in Iowa, says goodbye to WOI-TV
WOI-TV reporter Nora Reichardt signed off for the last time Friday night, but her legacy will continue on in Iowa.
The on-air reporter became the first openly transgender on-air TV journalist in Iowa ― and one of a few in the nation ― when she publicly reintroduced herself to viewers on-air last fall. Reichardt noted that she first joined WOI in July 2021 and that "the person who initially signed that contract does not really look much like the person who ended it."
More: This Iowa reporter came out as transgender on TV. That's just the beginning of her story.
Announcing her departure on Twitter, she did not reveal the reason for her departure or whether she has another job lined up. She called her two years at WOI "the most formative of my life," not only because of her journey of self-discovery, but also because of the lessons she learned from meeting Iowans every day through her work.
"I loved getting to go out and meet all these folks and see what mattered to them," she said in an interview with the Des Moines Register. "And I was really consistently impressed by just how much kindness the average Iowan has to offer, and I'm really grateful that I was able to receive so much of it."
Reichardt reflected on her coverage of the 2022 Winterset tornadoes and the closure of Iowa Wesleyan University as some of the proudest moments of her career so far.
"I also owe a debt of gratitude to Iowans and everyone else who embraced my transition last fall," she wrote on Twitter. "I’m honored to have received so much kindness and interest since coming out, and wherever I go next, I want to continue to be involved in the fight for trans visibility and equality."
Reichardt says she achieved her dream as her authentic self
Reichardt, who grew up in rural Minnesota and attended Drake University, said she had long dreamed of becoming a professional reporter and was thrilled to accomplish that goal as her authentic self. Though she's not ready quite yet to reveal what's next in store, she said she hopes she can stay in journalism and continue telling stories.
"I still feel like there's other stories I can tell other ways that I can put my skills to use and helping make people's voices heard," she said. "I'm hoping that I will be staying and doing this sort of work that I've really just turned into my career."
As far as her Channel 5 colleagues, Reichardt said she will still be cheering them on, this time on the other side of the TV.
"I think that the station is really on a good track right now, and I'm excited to see where it goes even if I'm not the one in the editorial meetings every day," she said.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described which station Reichardt joined in 2021. She has worked only for WOI in Des Moines.
Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at@francescablock3.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Nora Reichardt leaves WOI-TV for next stage of her journalism career
