Apply to Our Movement News Fellowship

Applications close April 11, 2025.

Author

Shift Press
April 02, 2025

Shift Press is facilitating a paid Movement News Fellowship and we want you to apply.

Three fellows will learn from journalists and organizers who’ve been dedicated to justice movements. We’ll teach fellows how to fairly report on movements, critically engage media ecosystems, and thrive as writers in a hostile industry. We’re big on active learning, so fellows will produce six pieces throughout the program. The program is hybrid. The majority of sessions are virtual and fellows are expected to additionally meet with staff for 30-60 minutes each month of the program. Here are our 2025 Movement News Fellowship topics:

  • Child hunger

  • Christian nationalism in schools

  • Cops, Jails, Safety

  • Immigration

  • Local anti-colonial movements

  • Reproductive justice

  • Tech: AI, Social Media, ChatGPT, Privacy

Stipend

Fellows will receive a total learning stipend of $8,000, which will be dispersed at the end of each month, as seven payments of $1,143.

This fellowship does not lead to employment. To our great dismay, our fiscal sponsor Social Good Fund Inc. is unable to pay undocumented folks.

About You

  • You’re a student journalist, living in the Greater Houston area. 

  • You’re older than 13 and have transportation to occasional weekend and evening educational assignments and gatherings (daytime in the summer months).

  • You’ve written news or opinion pieces for a newspaper (academic or non-institution affiliated)

  • Folks who have a strong interest in local youth movements

Application Process

  • Application Opens: Fri. Mar. 28

  • Application Closes: Fri. Apr. 11, 11:59 PM CT

  • Applicants Notified of Interviews: Mon. Apr 14

  • Interviews: Wed. Apr 16 – Fri. Apr. 25 (Phone Call, 30 minutes)

  • Applicants Notified: Tues. Apr. 29

Fellowship Timeline 

Each monthly session date is collectively decided between program staff and cohort. The following dates are the options available to the cohort:

  • Session 1: Onboarding, Adultism in Local News (May 19-24 or May 26-31) 3 hour session, Virtual-Zoom

  • Session 2: Engaging with editors as a movement journalist (June 9-18) 2 hour session, In-Person

  • No session in July

  • Session 3: Getting paid as a movement freelancer (August 4-16) 2 hour session, Virtual-Zoom

  • No session in September

  • Session 4: Covering breaking news as a movement journalist (October 6-18) 2 hour session, Virtual-Zoom

  • Session 5: Celebration, Reflections (November 20-25) 2 hour session, In-Person