Reentry Think Tank's Media Justice Fellowship
For the paid fellowship ($2000 stipend) 6 formerly incarcerated media justice fellows will be trained to become Philly's newest criminal justice journalists. Fellows will create their own news stories, each focusing on a different reentry barrier(s) that identify grass-roots and systemic solutions to those barriers. These will then get published and shared by media outlets across the Philadelphia region. Applications due Friday, March 1st at 5PM
How would criminal justice journalism change if it were written by those who knew the issues best?
The Reentry Think Tank’s Media Justice Fellowship will train, fund, and support formerly incarcerated men, women, and youth to be Philadelphia’s newest criminal justice reporters. Fellows will research, produce, and publish a series of media pieces throughout spring 2019. The fellowship centers formerly incarcerated Philadelphians as the criminal justice experts who are best suited to create media and messaging that challenge stereotypes, illuminate hurdles to reentry, and present solutions to these urgent and systemic issues.
The Fellowship will be offered to 6 formerly incarcerated Philadelphians
Fellows will meet twice a week for 12 weeks + time outside of workshops to create their media pieces
Workshops will take place between March 13th - June 1st
Fellows will receive meals and 2 septa passes (if needed) for every workshop
Participants who complete* the full fellowship will receive an $2000 stipend (split into three monthly payments; $500, $500, $1000)
Fellows will get trained to be professional journalists
Workshops will be broken into three sections:
Wednesday workshops: weekly workshops where we will identify ideas for stories, conduct research for stories, plan/schedule interviews, and get feedback on our stories from journalism professionals
Saturday workshops: weekly trainings taught by local experts Including: interview training; story research; the ethics of journalism; media literacy; public speaking; and audio/video/photography recording skills.
Out of workshop time: Independent time for fellows to conduct and record interviews for their stories, do research, etc
Fellows will get their work, stories, and journalism in area newspapers, tv/radio stations, and news websites: Media Justice Fellows will research, produce, and publish a series of radio, tv, digital, and print pieces through partnerships with local media outlets. Through our diverse array of media and community partnerships, we will use media created by fellows to engage city officials, reentry system stakeholders, and communities impacted by the criminal justice system.
What is required to receive the final stipend?
Show up on time, and stay the whole time for at least 22 of 24 FULL workshop sessions
Participate fully in all workshops, projects, and public events you are attending
Help design, plan, and participate in the culminating event for the fellowship
****Fellows that do not participate in at least 22 of the 24 full workshops will still receive all other program benefits but will not receive the full final stipend. It’s important that we are working as a team throughout the spring to help make everyone’s stories a success.