IWMF

Applications are officially open for our 2026 Lauren Brown Fellowship! Created in memory of Lauren Alix Brown, a founding editor at Quartz Media and a dedicated mentor to emerging journalists, the fellowship provides reporting grants and professional development opportunities to reporters from underrepresented backgrounds.

Lauren believed in the power of new voices and the importance of bringing traditionally overlooked perspectives into journalism. We're proud to continue that legacy through this fellowship and the journalists it supports.

Applications are open through October 30th!

Apply: https://www.iwmf.org/programs/the-lauren-brown-fellowship/

Applications are officially open for the 2026 Gwen Ifill Mentorship Program!

The Gwen Ifill Mentorship Program is a career-changing professional development opportunity for women and nonbinary journalists from underrepresented backgrounds. Participants are paired with esteemed mentors and have the opportunity to learn from media experts on a wide range of topics while building community with fellow journalists.

Named in honor of our dear friend and incredible role model Gwen Ifill, the program is designed to help journalists advance their careers and lay the groundwork for future leadership in the news industry.

Applications are open through October 30th. Apply: https://www.iwmf.org/programs/gwen-ifill-mentorship-program/

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Steak 48 in Los Angeles for an inspiring dinner focused on addressing the rising tide of misogyny in the U.S. and its direct impact on press freedom, women’s rights, and democracy.

A special thank you to Willow Bay () for co-hosting and leading such a vital conversation, activist and lawyer Cheyenne Hunt (.l.hunt) for sharing her powerful insights on the media and political forces targeting women journalists, and for generously hosting us.

As misogyny in political discourse aims to silence and disqualify women from reporting, building strong coalitions and community support is more critical than ever.

Together, we can turn the tide.

Swipe through for a look inside the evening ->
📸 Pictures by

is part of the story.

Journalists don't just tell stories. They build communities, create new spaces for journalism, and help make it possible for others to keep reporting.

This , we're celebrating April Alonso (), a visual journalist, co-founder of Cicero Independiente, and IWMF Safety Ambassador whose work connects community journalism with journalist safety.

April was also part of the team behind 's "Better Protection for Freelancers Facing Online Violence" handbook, a practical resource created to help journalists and newsrooms prepare for and respond to online abuse.

Explore April's work at and check out the handbook at https://bit.ly/IWMF_SafetyGuides

📍 Washington, DC, we’re coming your way!

Join the in partnership with the National Press Club () and The 51st () for a free, one-day newsroom safety training on October 30.

Designed for freelance and staff journalists, the training will cover practical tools for physical, digital, legal and emotional safety.

🗓️ Apply by October 11
Space is limited.
Free to participants; travel and lodging are not covered.

Apply at bit.ly/NSAA-DC

👏 ¡Felicitaciones a nuestras grantees!

Nos llena de orgullo ver a Camila Parodi (.camila), Arlen Buchara (), María Paz Tibiletti (), Camila Vautier () y Euge Murillo () entre las finalistas del de Periodismo en Salud 2026 por su trabajo en .

Un reconocimiento al periodismo que investiga, cuenta y amplifica historias que importan. 💜

Lxs ganadores se anunciarán el 7 de octubre durante el Roche Press Day 2026 en San José, Costa Rica.

✨ ¡Les deseamos muchos éxitos! ✨

Last week, we gathered in Washington, D.C., with founding mothers Susan King and Judy Woodruff (judywoodruffpbs) to celebrate the life and legacy of the late PBS anchor Gwen Ifill.

2026 Gwen Ifill Awardee Yvonne Latty () and 2019 Awardee Nikole Hannah-Jones () joined Susan and Judy for a powerful conversation about journalism, mentorship, representation and the role of women journalists in strengthening democracy.

Yvonne reflected on what it means to help the next generation of journalists find their voice, make underrepresented stories accessible and have the courage to do what’s right. Her words also offered a beautiful reflection of Gwen’s legacy: One rooted in courage, generosity and a commitment to helping others be seen.

Swipe through for moments from an evening celebrating Gwen, Yvonne and the journalists carrying this work forward. →

This month, we’re celebrating the Latine and diaspora journalists in the network who are asking that question through their work, and telling stories that matter.

Meet Ana Clara Otoni () and Amanda Magnani ().

Two journalists. One powerful example of the journalism being created across our communities.

Swipe to meet them and explore their work.
https://bit.ly/IWMF_ReadTheStory

Covering the midterms?
Don't head into the field without a security plan...

From Sept. 29 to Nov. 17, The U.S. Journalist Assistance Network and partners are hosting Election Ready: Safety and Resilience for Journalists, a four-part webinar series covering legal defense, digital security, physical safety, and burnout recovery.

🗓️ First session (Sept. 29): The & team up on legal readiness, subpoenas, and preparing for newsroom raids.

Details & registration: https://bit.ly/ElectionReady-S1

President Trump's ban of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House is a blatant attempt at censorship – and one that disproportionately impacts women journalists. Unprecedented attacks on press freedom require unprecedented levels of solidarity: We're grateful to the five news networks that decided to suspend their TV pool coverage of the White House today following this ban. Read our full statement: https://www.iwmf.org/2026/09/iwmf-applauds-networks-solidarity-in-suspending-pool-coverage/.