Overview of the Institute for Independent Journalists. Contact Katherine@TheIIJ.com for more information. See www.theiij.com

1. Support • Innovation • Advocacy
Launch Pad for Journalists of Color

2. Journalism In Crisis
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color
Disinformation &
Misinformation
Empathy Gap &
Polarized Population
BIPOC Journalists
Underrepresented

3. Sources: ASNE 2019 survey, RTDNA 2019 research
Just 19%
Of print managers
are BIPOC
Just 8%
Of broadcast managers
are BIPOC
• Covid exacerbated
the problem.
• Scarcity mentality
makes it worse.
40%
Gained racial
diversity
16%
Lost racial
diversity
(2001-2018)
44%
No change
White Newsrooms
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

4. Freelancers of Color Lack a Roadmap
to Financial Sustainability
Every Round of Layoffs or Merger
Drains Diverse Talent from Journalism
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

5. The Future Is Freelance
Sources: Pew 2021 research based on BLS data, MBO research
Newsrooms Lost
26% of Jobs in Last
Decade
Another 10% Drop
in Full-Time Jobs
Expected in Next
Decade
In All Fields,
Freelance
Workforce Grew
34% in 2021
Over Two-Thirds of
New Freelancers
Are Gen Z or
Millennials
26% 10% 34% 2/3
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

6. Tools to track income & time,
match with assignments
Talents: 30k BIPOC journalists
Technology for creator economy
Opportunity
Now
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

7. The IIJ Vision
Launch pad for
diverse talent
Independent
BIPOC
journalists
thriving &
represented
Mainstream
editors value
freelancers
Stronger
journalism
ecosystem,
democracy,
society
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

8. Connecting freelance JOCs for
learning, collaboration and
mutual support.
Creating tools, services and
shared wisdom for economic
freedom and mental health.
Advocating for best practices,
fair and equitable treatment
of independent labor.
Our Mission
To ensure financial and
emotional sustainability
for independent
journalists of color by:
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

9. Our Plan Conference,
webinars,
gather
community
Understand
roadmap,
create starter
kit
Self-sustaining
org that has
supported 3k
journalists
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

10. The IIJ Conference
March 9-10, 2023 * Live, online
10
interactive
presentations
2
live
networking
opportunities
14
hours of rich
content
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

11. 500-600
Attendees
$49 Early Bird Rate
Expected
demographics
American Indian / Alaska Native
Black / African American
Caucasian / White
Latine / Hispanic
Middle Eastern / North African
South Asian / Asian American
3%
35%
22%
15%
2%
23%
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

12. “Working as a freelance journalist
can be so overwhelming and
exhausting, from navigating elitist
and white spaces to trying to make
ends meet. This space has been
rejuvenating and affirming in ways I
didn't even realize were possible.
The labor and love you put into
organizing this really shone thru,
so thank you so much!”
“I appreciated being in a predominantly
POC space in journalism and receiving
relevant advice where money is openly
discussed and there's no assumption that
everyone has a trust fund to fall back on.
It's honesty mind-blowing how much more
relevant this freelancing advice was from
every other freelancing resource I've
looked into because it's by and for BIPOC
folks.”
“Hands down the best journo conference
I've attended including four in-person and
two other online. Just such a sense of
safety, inclusion, and not at all
intimidating.”
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

13. “I loved the wide variety of panels and
topics – this definitely felt like an ‘all you
need to know about freelancing’ two day
crash course.”
“I absolutely loved that the conference
centered women of color in all of the
sessions. It was extremely refreshing to
hear from a wide range of diverse voices.
“It was reassuring that even highly
accomplished journalists have self-doubt.
It was helpful to learn that their success
came from persistence and not giving up.
Sometimes I think I'm just not good
enough, but maybe it's just that I don't
pitch the same story more than five times.
The honesty was really helpful and
inspiring.”
“Really appreciated the gentle yet direct
way moderators set the tone at the top of
each session - no rate shaming, hold
space, etc. I haven't seen that at other
journalism conferences (virtual or in-
person) and I'd love to see more of it.”
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

14. 425 Attendees
8,000 Attendees
Builds on the success of Katherine’s prior ventures:
The
Parenting In
Place
Masterclass
Series
400 Attendees
Parenting
Journalists
Society
Conference
Center for
Independent
Journalists
Conference
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

15. Jamila
Bey
Erika
Hayasaki
Sylvia A.
Harvey
The Team
Katherine
Reynolds
Lewis
Valeria
Fernández
Ellen
Lee
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Support, Innovation, Advocacy For Journalists of Color

16. 10
CONTACT US
Contact Us
For more information, contact:
Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Katherine@TheIIJ.com
202-251-0142

17. Thank You!
Support • Innovation • Advocacy