The Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS), the premier not-for-profit organization dedicated to the professional growth and empowerment of women journalists, has awarded the 2024 JAWS Health Journalism Fellowship to eight new and emerging health reporters who will examine disparities and inequities in U.S. health care.

With critical support from The Commonwealth Fund, the fellowship is in its second year. The goal of the fellowship is to train more journalists in health reporting and help diversify the reporting pool for better and more inclusive reporting on health issues across the nation.

Each fellow will spend the next seven months working on a substantive reporting project, assisted by a reporting grant of $4,000. Additionally, fellows receive a one-year membership to JAWS and registration and travel expenses to the JAWS annual conference.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these eight bright reporters,” JAWS Executive Director Molly Schar said. “This fellowship is one of the most significant ways we invest in mentoring women reporters out there telling important stories. The entire JAWS community will benefit from the contributions of these fellows – our newest JAWS members.”

“I’m excited to continue this important program, and help emerging journalists better understand the many nuanced issues of health reporting. It’s so important that we continue to bring evidence-based, scientific rigor to the health beat, and shed light on many underreported issues so prevalent in society,” said fellowship program director and veteran health journalist Liz Seegert.

The eight fellows and their projects:

Jasmine Aguilera, El Tímpano: A series on the experiences of undocumented Latino and Mayan people living in the San Francisco Bay Area as they navigate the complicated health insurance system and access California’s Medicaid program for the first time.

Sammy Caiola, Kensington Voice: A series examining sexual assault care in Philadelphia hospitals, including the availability of evidentiary exams and solutions for offering more trauma-informed care to sexual assault survivors, particularly those from Kensington who are unhoused, living with drug addiction and/or engaged in sex work.

Eleanore Catolico, NY & MI Solutions Journalism Collaborative: A solution-based long-form story examining efforts to increase the number of people of color participating in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s drugs.

Tamia Fowlkes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A long-form story examining why people in Wisconsin have difficulties in accessing assistive mobility technology, such as wheelchair lifts and vans, how those difficulties impact their daily lives, and local legislative pushes to address the problem.

Jayme Lozano Carver, The Texas Tribune: An in-depth story on women’s health in the Texas Panhandle, particularly the impact of ordinances such as the abortion travel prohibition in Amarillo, which would outlaw the use of Amarillo roads to transport a pregnant person for an abortion in another state.

Elizabeth Moss, independent journalist: An in-depth story or podcast examining why most cases of domestic violence strangulation, which are felony offenses in Missouri, are charged on the same level as traffic tickets in Kansas City and never make it to state court.

Anika Nayak, independent journalist: A series about the lack of access to contraceptives, gynecological care, and other reproductive health care services in upstate New York, as well as state-wide efforts to bring more services to areas that need them.

Roxanne Scott, independent journalist, New York Amsterdam News: A series examining the recurring groundwater flooding in Southeast Queens, including how and why Black people bought houses in the area, why the ecology and development of the region make it susceptible to flooding, and the ensuing health consequences of living in this environment, as well as the long-term financial and medical costs to homeowners of color.

To receive updates on the Health Journalism Fellowship and other JAWS news, subscribe to the JAWS newsletter.

About the JAWS Health Journalism Fellowship

The fellowship includes a reporting grant to cover project-related time and expenses along with ongoing mentoring from two experienced health journalists: Naseem Miller, senior health reporter with The Journalists Resource, and Margarita Birnbaum, independent journalist and health beat leader for health equity at the Association of Health Care Journalists.

Additionally, fellows receive membership in JAWS and travel to the JAWS annual conference in fall 2024 to present their published projects.

Fellows were selected from a pool of diverse applicants, based on their knowledge and depth of understanding of their proposal issue, the proposed project’s contribution to public discussion and debate, its potential impact on the intended audience, challenges to conventions or stereotypes, and ability to meet high journalistic standards.

About the Commonwealth Fund

The Commonwealth Fund — among the first private foundations started by a woman philanthropist, Anna M. Harkness — was established in 1918 with the broad charge to enhance the common good. Today, the Fund supports independent research on health care issues and makes grants to promote an equitable high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for people of color, people with low income and the uninsured.

About the Journalism & Women Symposium

JAWS has been for working journalists, journalism educators and researchers from across the country since 1985. Members meet in person and online to share resources, support, training and information about the issues that affect women in the industry. JAWS advances the professional empowerment and personal growth of women in journalism and advocates for more inclusive coverage of the diverse experiences and cultures that comprise our society.