IWMF

! Applications are officially open for our 2026 Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism. Honoring the longtime LA Times editor, this grant provides selected journalists with funding to develop a critical piece of long-form narrative journalism. Kari was a champion of in-depth, thought-provoking journalism that cut through the 24-hour news cycle to bring readers human stories about ongoing political, social, and environmental crises. This grant is open to women and nonbinary journalists from anywhere in the world, covering stories domestically and internationally. Apply here by July 12: https://iwmf.submittable.com/submit/c65a15f2-9ff5-4c2b-b2a3-2d897c703381/the-kari-howard-fund-for-narrative-journalism-2026

Sign up by June 10 for our Newsroom Safety Across America training in Augusta on June 25 with The Maine Monitor! This is a completely free opportunity for both freelance and newsroom journalists to learn safety best practices. From online privacy to covering protests, this training prepares participants for all the dangers modern journalists face while doing their jobs. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/NSAA-Augusta

Yesterday, President Trump continued his barrage of attacks on women journalists, telling NBC's Kristen Welker, "You're either crooked or you're stupid," during an interview on Meet the Press. Welker is an accomplished reporter and the first Black journalist to helm Meet the Press; we stand with her and her trustworthy journalism.

The U.S. President's habit of lashing out at women journalists – particularly women of color – cannot be ignored. From Catherine Lucey to Rachel Scott, Kaitlan Collins to Akayla Gardner, journalists covering the White House must be able to ask questions and be met with dignity and respect, not pejoratives and condescension. We continue to monitor these attacks and encourage journalists, newsrooms, and the media industry to support women journalists and demand truth from the nation's leaders. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/06/07/trump-walks-out-meet-press-interview-when-challenged-over-false-claims/

Efforts to document the forced transfer of Ukrainian children have become a major focus of international humanitarian research. In the United States and Ukraine, Shahrzad Rasekh reports for CT Mirror on Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab and its work tracking kidnapped Ukrainian children:

Yale lab, Ukrainian groups cast light on abductions by Russians CT Mirror visited Ukraine to meet with groups that partner with Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab, evacuating children from occupied areas.

This week, President Trump hurled another insult at CNN's Kaitlan Collins, saying she had "hatred in her eyes." We must call out the President's misogynist rhetoric toward reporters for what it is: an attempt to intimidate, silence, and evade the press. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5908663-trump-attacks-cnn-kaitlan-collins/

It's been a busy few weeks for our Newsroom Safety Across America team! In May, we hosted trainings in Akron, Ohio, and Charlottesville, Virginia, connecting with local freelancers and newsroom journalists to help them develop preventative safety protocols for reporting in the field. Check here to find free safety training opportunities near you: https://tr.ee/ZkpWT6oZ0D

The legacy of civil war continues to shape how artists engage with memory, trauma, and public space. In Lebanon, Anna Oaks reports for Hyperallergic on Rawya El Chab’s work examining the lasting impacts of the Lebanese Civil War:

Rawya El Chab Tends to the Wounds of Lebanon's Civil War The latest segment of her performance series “Crossing the Water” chronicles life under military occupation after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

Have you faced digital or physical threats because of your work as a freelance journalist?

The IWMF and want to hear from you.
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We're convening freelance and exiled freelance journalists from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific for a series of virtual focus groups on journalist safety and support.

These one-hour Zoom sessions, offered in English or Spanish will explore what outlets are doing well to support freelancers and where more work is needed.

Participants will also receive access to digital and physical security resources and support.

Interested in joining? Apply by June 11, 2026.
🔗 bit.ly/Freelance-Focus-Groups

Questions? Contact [email protected].
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¿Has enfrentado amenazas digitales o físicas debido a tu trabajo como periodista freelance?

La IWMF y quieren escuchar tu experiencia.

Estamos reuniendo a periodistas freelance y periodistas freelance en el exilio de África, América Latina y el Caribe, y Asia-Pacífico para participar en una serie de grupos focales virtuales sobre seguridad y apoyo para periodistas.

Estas sesiones de una hora vía Zoom, disponibles en inglés o español, explorarán qué están haciendo bien los medios de comunicación para apoyar a las y los freelancers y qué aspectos aún necesitan fortalecerse.

Las personas participantes también tendrán acceso a recursos y apoyo en seguridad digital y física.

¿Te interesa participar? Postúlate antes del 11 de junio de 2026.

🔗 bit.ly/Freelance-Focus-Groups

¿Tienes preguntas? Escríbenos a [email protected].

Journalists in 2026 face rapidly escalating legal threats to their First Amendment rights.

In its report, spoke with about the rising use of law-enforcement powers against journalists — from equipment seizures and surveillance to pressure targeting confidential sources.

When journalists are unable to protect their sources or work product, important stories go unreported, and the public is cut off from the information it needs to hold powerful institutions accountable. As threats to press freedom grow, legal preparedness is becoming an essential part of newsroom infrastructure.

Swipe through for key insights from RCFP →

Read the full report: bit.ly/IWMF_SafeTogether

Our final Courage spotlight is 2026 Wallis Annenberg Justice for Women Journalists Awardee Frenchie Mae Cumpio of the Philippines. Since 2020, Frenchie has been imprisoned on widely disputed charges under anti-terror and “red-tagging” policies that are often used to silence independent journalists and activists in the Philippines.

Prior to her detention, Frenchie was the executive director of the independent news outlet Eastern Vista, known for her reporting on social inequality in the Eastern Visayas region, including the killings of farmers and the impacts of militarized conflict under government policies.

The annual Justice for Women Journalists Award honors journalists who have been detained, arrested, or imprisoned because of their work.

Learn more about Frenchie and this year’s Courage winners here: https://www.iwmf.org/courage/