IIJ founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis is advocating for higher pay for freelance journalists in her latest op-ed for Neiman Lab, “How to Pay Freelancers More Without Increasing Your Newsroom Budget ”.

In it, she discusses how specifying an assignment scope, streamlining the editorial process, and drafting fair copyright terms can be mutually beneficial for both journalists and editors.

As a journalist who was a freelancer on and off for two years (and full-time for one), I encourage all newsroom leaders to read this piece.

The pride that comes with freelancing is unique in that you nurture your idea into a full-fledged, published piece. However, independent journalists are rarely fairly compensated for all the emotional and physical labor endured during this—often lengthy—process. So, it’s imperative that newsroom leaders and assigning editors understand that if they want our labor, the least they can do is properly pay us for it. We deserve equity. And, as Katherine lays out in her op-ed, it’s totally possible to achieve it.

Please share the column on social media, send it to your favorite assigning editor, or email it to a journalism professor or thought leader who might amplify it. We appreciate your help!

-Aarohi Sheth, IIJ newsletter writer

RSVP for Our Health and Science Journalism Webinar Now!

Want to pitch more science-related stories, but not sure where to start? Interested in learning what it takes to make a real impact in health and science journalism? Or, simply want to figure out if the health or science journalism beats could be for you? Please join us for our Sept. 29 webinar from 12-1:15 ET on health and science journalism!

We’ll discuss evidence-based reporting, how to pitch science and health stories, breaking down complex scientific topics to make them accessible to larger audiences, and more!

Speakers include:

Lori Leibovich is the editor of the Well section of the New York Times. A digital media veteran, she has worked at HuffPost, Time Inc., Salon, theSkimm and many other publications. She lives in Brooklyn with her family.

Kyung Song is a managing editor at WebMD. She leads a team of staff editors and writers and is the lead recruiter for freelancers. She worked for The Seattle Times for 16 years, covering Congress, aerospace, and health (not simultaneously). Kyung started her career as a business report for The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky. She was born in Seoul and grew up in Seattle.

Shraddha Chakradhar is the deputy news editor for diversity, shaping coverage of issues at the intersection of science and race, gender, and inequity and helping oversee Science’s Diverse Voices internship program. She was most recently deputy editor of the Nieman Journalism Lab, where she wrote and edited stories on digital innovation in journalism. Her work experience includes being a reporter and internship coordinator at STAT. She was the writer of the publication’s flagship newsletter, Morning Rounds.

RSVP here.

Pitch Callouts, Fellowships, and Other Opportunities

Black Public Media Open Call

If you have a climate-centered feature-length documentary or short that’s currently in research and development, pre-production, production, or post-production and presents voices of the Black community, consider submitting it to Black Public Media.

For more information or to submit, visit their site.

The deadline to apply is Sept. 25.

Awards will be announced Dec. 2023.

TransLash Media Pitch Callout

TransLash Media is commissioning original nonfiction writing about art as resistance from a Black trans femme lens for their zine, “Black Trans Artistic Legacies.”

Rates: $250-$350

For more details on how to pitch, visit their pitch guide.

The deadline to pitch is Sept. 30.

The New York Times Local Investigations Fellowship

If you’re a local beat reporter who wants to tell investigative stories in your communities, but lack resources or support to do so, consider applying to the New York Times’ Local Investigations Fellowship.

Fellows in this one-year-long fellowship will work on an investigative project focused on their state or region under the guidance of veteran editors.

The annual base pay range is between $79,214.76 and $82,000.

For more information or to apply, visit their site.

The deadline to apply is Oct. 1. However, urgent and time sensitive pitches will still be considered if submitted by Dec. 31.

Yale Review Pitch Callout

Yale review is accepting pitches on a rolling basis for essays and criticism on various subjects.

Rates: $500-$1,500 for print nonfiction, $200-$500 for online pieces.

For more details on how to pitch, visit their pitch guide.

Interesting Reads

This week, we’ve been reading about equity-oriented teacher trainings, how Florida parents are faring amid the state’s increasing censorship in schools, and an investigative reporter’s start in the flower business.

• Read Katherine Reynolds Lewis’ investigative piece “​​Schools spend billions on training so every student can succeed. They don’t know if it works” for USA TODAY. In it, she breaks down equity professional development with various graphs and charts and explains what school leaders are doing to end bias and disparity as well as the importance of hiring teachers of color.

• Read Alexandra Martinez’s piece “Florida parents struggle with discriminatory policies in schools” for Prism. As the school year begins, parents—and of course, their children—are feeling the effects of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” policies.

• Read Norberto Santana Jr.’s op-ed “As a kid, I worked in the flower business. Here’s how I found my way into investigative journalism” for Poynter. In it, he discusses the many lessons he learned selling flowers and how they eventually nurtured his love for reporting and writing.

• We're always eager to connect with freelance journalists of color who'd like to be involved in the work of the IIJ or contribute to future programs. Email [email protected] to volunteer—or if you have an idea for a partner, funder or topic we should explore.

Calendar

We love growing the IIJ family and connecting with fellow freelance journalists, so please come to one of our events! Here are the upcoming IIJ events:

• Sept. 29 health and science journalism webinar. RSVP here to attend.

• Oct. 27 long-form journalism careers webinar. RSVP here to attend.

• Nov. 17 business and personal finance editors panel. RSVP here to attend.

• Dec. 8 travel and lifestyle freelancing webinar. RSVP here to attend.

• Jan. 19 insurance for freelancers webinar. RSVP here to attend.

• Feb. 9 sports and fitness journalism webinar. RSVP here to attend.