Much lip service has been paid to increasing diversity in media, but the number of non-white people making and reporting news remains shockingly low. Newsrooms are glaringly white. People of color makeup only 13% of newsroom staffs.
If that's going to change, organizations will have to be intentional about seeking out talent and providing adequate resources.
The Investigative Fund at the Nation Institute is looking to do that with the launch of the Ida B. Wells Fellowship. They will provide a $10,000 stipend to four journalists from underrepresented groups to help promote diversity in news coverage.
The one-year fellowship helps reporters complete their first substantial work of investigative reporting, by providing a $10,000 award and editorial advice from a dedicated Investigative Fund editor. Fellows will receive funds to cover travel and other reporting costs, and the costs associated with attending the annual Investigative Reporters and Editors conference. They will also enjoy access to research resources, legal assistance, professional mentors, and assistance with story placement and publicity.
The fellowship is named after heroic anti-lynching reporter Ida B. Wells. Wells endured violent clashes with racism and sexism, often risking her life, to shed light on the inhumanity of lynching across the south. The bulks of which can be found in Southern Horrors.
More information on the fellowship and how to apply can be found here.
Photo: Chicago History Museum