Deepa Bharath is a reporter on AP's Global Religion team. Prior to taking on that role in February, Deepa was a staff writer for the Southern California News Group covering religion, race and health for the company's 11 newspapers in the region. She has written on a number of topics over the last two decades ranging from politics and city government to breaking news and courts for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times Community News and the Daily Breeze. Deepa has received fellowships from the International Women's Media Foundation and the International Center for Journalists to report stories about reconciliation, counter-extremism and peace-building efforts around the world.