California Local News Fellowship

Fellow Philip Salata is set to begin his second year as an energy and environment reporter at inewsource, an investigative reporting organization in San Diego. "The idea is to think about how local news radiates out to the state, nationally, and beyond," Salata said. "That's something I found to be very powerful." Salata is particularly proud of two stories: one on whether locals will find jobs amid the Imperial Valley's "white gold" rush - https://bit.ly/3zlQ1zx, and another on a nonprofit leader who made derogatory statements about and unfairly targeted two Black farmers - https://bit.ly/45JPEus. Thanks for your reporting, Philip! Read the announcement of our second California Local News Fellowship cohort: https://bit.ly/4cm4OZK

“I hope to be a local reporter who knows everything about a place and its people,” Fellow Lingzi Chen said. “I want to truly understand the local community I serve, to know people, to explore what matters, what is at stake, what has gone wrong and to report on what has not been adequately reported.”  Chen, a graduate of Columbia University - Graduate School of Journalism, will join Lake County News in Clear Lake, California, as a general assignment reporter. She will cover daily news and longer, more complex stories, while also connecting with underrepresented communities. Welcome to the Fellowship, Lingzi! Read the announcement of our second California Local News Fellowship cohort: https://bit.ly/4cm4OZK

“We get into this work to change lives and make an impact and that is most tangible on the local level,” said Tarini Mehta, a 2024 graduate of UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.  Mehta has been selected as a California Local News Fellow and will be working with The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, California. She’s looking forward to connecting with the local community, where she will cover education, reporting daily stories and investigative pieces. Congratulations, Tarini! Read the announcement of our second California Local News Fellowship cohort: https://bit.ly/4cm4OZK

Congrats to Julia Métraux, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2023, who was selected to be a California Local News Fellow with J. The Jewish News of Northern California! J. managing editor Sue Barnett said: “Julia is bright and thoughtful, and is clearly committed to community journalism. She is well-versed in reporting on Jewish and disability communities and had some wonderful ideas for stories and coverage at J." https://lnkd.in/grNaXSCn

Excited to double our fellows and newsroom partners in September!

A second cohort of California Local News Fellows and newsrooms announced today will work in news organizations statewide starting this fall as part of a state-funded initiative to invigorate local journalism, with a focus on underserved communities. The program based at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism will now support 75 early-career journalists working at small and large newspapers, public radio stations and community and ethnic media outlets across 35 California counties. "With a national crisis in local journalism upon us, every single one of these fellows and newsrooms is a sign of hope," said Christa Scharfenberg, director of the California Local News Fellowship program. “We're honored to support the next generation of journalists and help invigorate a national movement for robust local news.” Read the full announcement here. https://bit.ly/4cm4OZK

Congratulations to 2023 Fellow Semantha Norris on her win at the SoCal Journalism Awards last night! The Los Angeles Press Club recognized her feature, "Jewish Punk Band Plays in San Fernando Valley Raising Funds for Gaza," published in the San Fernando Valley Sun/El Sol, with a first-place award in the Entertainment News or Feature category. Congratulations again, Semantha—you deserve this recognition!

Congratulations Steve! 🙌

"Imposter syndrome can be your biggest enemy in journalism," writes Ximena L. in her article, "You Are All Meant to Be Here" and Other Fellowship Lessons. Loeza shares her experiences reporting for El Tímpano, highlighting how the opportunity has bolstered her community-focused journalism and empowered her as an early-career journalist. Click the link to read the full article: https://bit.ly/457SkSs

"Imposter syndrome can be your biggest enemy in journalism," writes Ximena L. in her article, "You Are All Meant to Be Here" and Other Fellowship Lessons. Loeza shares her experiences reporting for El Tímpano, highlighting how the opportunity has bolstered her community-focused journalism and empowered her as an early-career journalist. Click the link to read the full article: https://bit.ly/457SkSs