Author Archives: Alexandra

Story by Linnea Crowther and Connie K. Ho, JAWS members | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

At the Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP) in Roanoke, Va., attendees participated in topic tables. Each of the tables had a different issue for discussion, including the topic of overcoming imposter syndrome. Here are a few takeaways from the participants regarding overcoming imposter syndrome.

Story by Connie K. Ho, JAWS web manager | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

Some remarks from Amy Resnick, editor of Pensions & Investments; Teresa Schmedding, managing editor of Rotary International; and Sheila Solomon of the Democracy Fund and Rivet Radio.

Story by Angilee Shah, 2016 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

Cuban journalist Cristina Escobar has been to the United States six times. And for the most part, she feels that she has common cause with those attending the Journalism and Women Symposium conference in Roanoke, Va., in October.

Story by Mary Pember, 2016 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

Although the faces and names are new, a panel at JAWS CAMP about Islamaphobia reaffirmed a shamefully persistent problem in today’s newsrooms: Too few people of color and diverse religious backgrounds are at the table when journalists decide how to cover communities that fall outside of the knowledge and comfort zones of mainstream white America.

Read the tweets from the third day of the Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP).

Story by Brenna Goth, 2016 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

Journalists never know when they might be called to cover a mass shooting or other violent tragedy.

Reporters are not always prepared. National publications might send them to an unfamiliar place or local media could pull them off their normal beats. Unreliable official sources, misinformation spread through social media and competing narratives can complicate the chaos.

Story and photos by Jigna Kotecha, 2016 JAWS Fellow

How do journalists report stories of people who are distrustful of news media? How can a journalist establish trust to get invited into people’s lives? Fernanda Santos, Phoenix bureau chief of The New York Times, answered these questions at an Oct. 29 JAWS panel on the art of storytelling by sharing her experience reporting about a wildfire in Arizona that killed 19 firefighters in 2013.

Story and photo by Shahla Farzan, 2016 JAWS Fellow

Like many workers, journalists face a range of issues in the workplace, from harassment to discrimination. Feelings of powerlessness and isolation often prevent journalists from voicing concerns about issues, particularly for freelancers and other contractors. At a panel on workplace challenges at JAWS CAMP on Oct. 29, five panelists spoke about their personal experiences and suggested potential ways to navigate difficult situations.

Story and photo by Olivia Smith, 2016 JAWS Fellow

Google is much more than a search engine: It can help journalists in many ways, according to Victoria “Vix” Reitano, who taught a workshop on Google tools at JAWS CAMP in Roanoke this weekend. Vix dived deeper into what Google can offer in terms of searching, writing and gathering information.

Story and photos by Angilee Shah, 2016 JAWS Fellow

If you feel like you are being asked to do it all, you’re not alone.

Three journalists spoke on a panel at the Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS) conference Oct. 29 about the challenges of doing good journalism while juggling text, video, images, sound and social media. Their main message? Stand up for yourself and your stories and resist the urge (and the pressure) to tell stories on all platforms.

Story and photo by Katherine Sullivan, 2016 JAWS Fellow

Statistics show that one-quarter to one-third of women in the United States experience intimate partner violence. With a “pandemic” of violence abuse across the country, why aren’t we seeing this addressed in much of media?

Story and photo by Laura Onyeneho, 2016 JAWS Fellow

No matter what your income level, you should be creating a financial plan that will benefit you and your family in the long run, financial adviser Maureen O’Brien told JAWS attendees.

She shared her top 10 tips during her “Financial Planning for Journalists” session at CAMP on Oct. 29.

Story by Jigna Kotecha, 2016 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Mary Pember, 2016 JAWS Fellow

When starting to walk the road to becoming a freelancer, it is vital for writers and journalists to stay on the top of their bookkeeping to protect intellectual property and earn enough to pay bills on time.

Story by Shahla Farzan, 2016 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

As journalism evolves into an increasingly digital profession, college professors must expand their courses to include a new set of skills. For instructors in smaller academic programs with limited budgets, it can be particularly difficult to get equipment and technical support.

Story and photo by Sarah Ellis, 2016 JAWS Fellow

The media and the public don’t have a great relationship these days. Trust is low.

“If you’ve seen the Gallup polls year after year after year about which institutions people trust, journalism is way down there,” said Jane Elizabeth, of the American Press Institute, told JAWdesses attending the “Trust Us, We’re Journalists!” workshop on Oct. 30 at JAWS CAMP 2016 in Roanoke.

Story by Rachel Sapin, 2016 JAWS Fellow | Photo by Erica Yoon, CAMP photographer

Aminda “Mindy” Marqués Gonzalez, executive editor and vice president for news at The Miami Herald, is somewhat of an anomaly in the newspaper industry.

“There are only two female editors at the top 25 newspapers in America,” said Mindy, the dinner keynote speaker on Oct. 29 at the Journalism and Women Symposium’s annual conference in Roanoke, Va.