Our stories belong to us.

"Resident storytellers stand at the heart of our community's narrative, offering rich, in-depth insights that bring a contextual depth to media reporting."

The Newark News & Story Collaborative believes that the most authentic and insightful stories come from the heart of our community. Our Community Media Reporting Fellowship is designed to catalyze these stories, allowing Newark residents to bring their unique narratives to the forefront.

Sign up for our newsletter for updates about our cohorts. Applications are open for our next cohort; more information is below.

COMMUNITY REPORTING FELLOWSHIP

About the fellowship

Our reporting fellows are trained and supported in storytelling, mediamaking, and other creative art forms to share and amplify their experiences & produce unique coverage of issues impacting diverse communities in Newark that lack traditional media coverage. The 12-week program is open to Newark residents 18-35.

No Experience? No Problem!

Whether you're taking your first step into media or looking to refine your skills, our fellowship is tailored for you. We welcome Newark residents aged 18-35, no matter their experience level, to join this transformative journey in media and storytelling.

Fellowship Overview:

  • Duration: A 12-week intensive program.

  • Training: Comprehensive training in storytelling, media-making, and various creative arts.

  • Project Work: Develop and complete a multimedia reporting project focused on issues identified by Newark residents.

  • Stipend: Participants will receive up to $2,000 to support their dedication and contribution.

  • Learning Outcomes: Acquire newsgathering skills, technical proficiency, effective storytelling techniques, and community engagement strategies.

Learning and Support

Newark residents selected for the program will be provided a stipend of up to $2,000 and learn newsgathering skills, technical skills, strategies for effective storytelling and you will learn various community-engagement tactics to respond to information needs and create multimedia projects.

Who should apply?

If you're a Newark resident (ages 18-35) with a curiosity for journalism, a passion for storytelling, or an interest in media-making, this fellowship is for you. We encourage applications from community organizers, aspiring writers, photographers, videographers, freelance journalists, and audio journalists. This is your chance to share the voices of your community.

Please apply to our 2024 community media cohorts by clicking the button or completing the application below.

Meet our Community.

Join our community of local content creators. When you click the buttons to the right, you’ll find the amazing Newarkers who completed our community media incubator. We tap our past reporting fellows for special projects and other opportunities.

The Akintola Hanif Multimedia Fellowship

The Newark News & Story Collaborative and Five Wards Media created this fellowship opportunity to honor the life, work, and love of Akintola Hanif. This fellowship is made possible with funding support from the New Jersey Information Consortium & the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

  • Akintola Hanif is a photojournalist and filmmaker based in Newark, New Jersey. Growing up in Brooklyn is where Hanif learned to love the culture of his people. Over the last 20 years, he has documented neighborhoods in and around Newark. Hanif's photography and film projects have been featured in such venues as the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, RUSH Arts Gallery, Princeton University, Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art, the Newark Museum and the New Jersey State Museum. 

    Hanif launched HYCIDE in 2011.

    HYCIDE is a photography magazine dedicated to subculture, art, and conflict. As the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of HYCIDE magazine, Hanif amplifies and celebrates the stories of the people primarily misrepresented in mainstream media -- communities of color. In 2017, Hanif suffered a stroke. He credits HYCIDE for saving his life. 

    Hanif also has the role of professor and mentor. For the past 15 years, he worked with Youthbuild Newark as their resident documentarian and taught two introductions to photography classes at Rutgers University-Newark. Hanif's commitment to young people is unparalleled. He centers both youth and community in his work. 

    Support the work of Akintola Hanif & HYCIDE and click here to view the trailer of his documentary film “The 5 Wards”.

  • The selected fellow will work on and publish multimedia reporting projects that focus on housing and food insecurity and the untold stories of residents and community organizations in national media and receive a stipend of $7,500.

    The collaborative, Akintola Hanif, and The Newark Journal will provide coaching and mentorship support.

Meet the Founding Akintola Hanif Fellow: Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Ogbonnaya

Manny created this Newark short in 2021.