ONA Weekly #282

By on October 30, 2019

Supporting diversity among journalism newcomers

Everyone’s path to journalism is different. As part of our #Happy20thONA podcast series, ONA on Air Producer Andrea Gutierrez spoke to educator Michelle Johnson about supporting newcomers with underrepresented backgrounds in the industry, and journalist Priscilla Villlareal, a.k.a Lagordiloca, on her nontraditional path to reporting. Listen to the episode.

Last chance: Apply to the Women’s Leadership Accelerator

Tomorrow is the deadline to apply for the Women’s Leadership Accelerator — ONA’s tuition-free, yearlong program that aims to supercharge the leadership skills of women pushing innovation in digital media. The program features an intensive workshop March 1-6, 2020, in Los Angeles; one-on-one mentorship from industry experts; a year of coaching and an expenses-paid trip to ONA20 in Atlanta. Submit your applications by midnight PT on Oct. 31.

Collaborating for impact

Last year, Newsy, Reveal and ProPublica filed more than 100 FOIA requests and undertook heavy data analysis to investigate how police statistics were misleading the public on rape cases. Mark Fahey, Investigative Producer at Scripps/Newsy, talked to the ONA19 Video Team about how the “Case Cleared” collaboration came together to tell a story that spurred FBI action, new legislation in Texas as well as a state order to retrain Austin’s 300 detectives. Watch the interview.

Deadline reminder: Start an ONA Local group

ONA Local is our global network of volunteer organizers who are fostering innovation in their local journalism communities through networking and training meetups. ONA Local organizers hone leadership skills as they bring together digital journalism professionals to collaborate, share resources and connect. Apply to start an ONA Local group by Nov. 1.

Represent students on ONA’s Board of Directors

Applications are now open for the Student Representative seat on ONA’s Board of Directors. During a two-year term, the Student Representative will work closely with the rest of the Board to ensure ONA’s initiatives serve the interests and needs of student journalists. We’re seeking exceptional candidates who are passionate about the media industry, active members of ONA and currently enrolled in a U.S. college or university. Apply to be ONA’s next Student Representative.

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Workplace Integrity: Train the trainers

Discover what 100 media organizations have already learned. Join world-class trainer Jill Geisler for our next “Workplace Integrity: Train the Trainers” workshop, Nov. 12-13 in Washington, D.C. Qualified applicants receive free tuition and travel subsidy.

From the archives: The Journalism Mentorship Collaborative

We are sharing resources and stories from the ONA archives throughout 2019, as we celebrate 20 years of inspiring innovation and excellence in digital journalism.

Thinking about how we can support journalism newcomers with underrepresented backgrounds encouraged us to revisit the Journalism Mentorship Collaborative, ONA’s initiative to discover and share best practices for creating more inclusive mentoring opportunities in newsrooms. Participants discussed their experiences at ONA18 — listen to the session recording to see what they learned.

Community stories

How has your ONA experience impacted your work and career? Contribute your story to #Happy20thONA.
ONA provides constant growth for members. I’ve met colleagues in technology + journalism who also seek ways to prepare for changes and challenges. #ONA has also been another network for me to share ideas and support colleagues – a digital family. Thanks @ONA. #Happy20thONA! — Ebony Reed
I was introduced to @ONA through the @CNN Diversity Fellowship back in 2015. Since then, the organization has provided valuable tools + connected me to others in the field. Now as a leader for ONA Triangle, I have enjoyed being part of the organization locally.
#Happy20thONA — Taylor Shaw

Upcoming events

ONA Local groups regularly host events for digital journalists all over the world. Find a group near you or learn how to start a new one.

Jobs in journalism

ONA’s Career Center is an excellent resource for jobs in digital journalism. Recent postings include:

On our radar