Couldn’t make it to CAMP? Register here for On-Demand access and watch all of the sessions at your own convenience. Tickets cost $50 and once you have registered, you will have access to all of the #CAMPOnDEMAND resources until December 2021.

As we prepare for our annual conference, members of Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS) are deeply saddened by the news that longtime member Betsy Wade passed away at home in Manhattan on Thursday, Dec. 3. Wade’s husband, James Boylan, told The New York Times that she had learned in 2017 she had colon cancer. A born and raised New Yorker, Wade was 91. Throughout her legendary, decades-long career, she fought for women’s rights, workplace protections and equal pay in newsrooms.

We’re saying everything you’ve kept — manuscripts, scripts, first drafts, second drafts, final drafts, calendars, pamphlets, minutes, reports, diaries, blogs, letters, emails, subject files, pink slips, rejected stories, photos, rants, websites, awards, travel schedules, notes, that entire stash of stuff you usually clean out or vow to return to someday — is beyond valuable. 

Before joining the JAWS Board I was rather timid and unsure of myself. What was this organization? How could I make a difference? Through the encouragement of Kate Gannon, the former regional captain of the Borderland JAWS group, I attended my first CAMP conference, a gathering that combines professional development, productive training, networking and invigorating speakers.  

For 35 years, JAWS has been a unique sisterhood, fostering connections between women journalists and supporting them in the profession. It has served as a source of information and inspiration, a place for women to share, care and dare to be themselves.

As we celebrate this milestone, look for special events on jaws.org  that celebrate our history of supporting the professional empowerment and personal growth of women and people who identify as women, along with our dedication to diversity and inclusion. Here is a sneak peek at what is coming up …

This is what I know about the first JAWS gathering, 35 years ago this month at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado: As organizer Tad Bartimus led our troop of 15 up to a mountain cabin to hear Jean Gaddy Wilson report on the number of women in newsrooms and editor’s offices (bleak); as we sat around a campfire introducing ourselves (what an eclectic group!); as we laughed and grimaced and told stories of knowing joy in our profession despite the rotten ways we were often treated….I knew I was home.

Women journalists are facing unprecedented levels of hate and harassment online. Abusive trolls are joining forces to disproportionately target, intimidate, discredit, and silence women and those who also identify as LGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Black or other journalists of color. Building on PEN America’s Online Harassment Field Manual, this training session equips journalists, as well as their allies and employers, with practical tools and strategies to defend against online abuse.

The past few months have been challenging for all of us. COVID-19 has been particularly dangerous for women and women who identify as journalists, the UN reports, as incidences of violence have increased and more reporters experience online bullying and threats. In the face of these difficult times, the JAWS Board of Directors and Committees have been pushing on and making strides. 

The International Women's Media Foundation, in partnership with the Journalism & Women Symposium, is offering a virtual safety training on hostile environments in the U.S. Given the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming election and ongoing protests across the country, we know that this is a critical moment for the safety of journalists and we are excited to be able to offer journalists the resources and the skills to report safely.

CAMP 2020 is on! It will take place from Dec. 4-6. #CAMPOnDemand -- The Future of Journalism: Forging the Path Together will be virtual and on-demand, bringing us together to share, discuss, laugh, listen and learn. We believe going virtual is the safest and most cost-effective way for our members and supporters to gather during this pandemic.

Navigating journalism as a full or part-time freelancer is tough enough. Whether you’re new to freelance writing or other independent contracting, or simply need a refresher for the COVID-19 economy, join Journalism & Women Symposium for a webinar with Stacie Brew on August 12 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. 

Join the Journalism & Women Symposium’s next webinar July 20 from 7-8:30 p.m. Eastern Time / 4-5:30 p.m. Pacific Time to learn how to manage the stressors and demands of being a journalist during these unpredictable times of COVID-19, industry insecurity and social and political unrest.

A pandemic of misinformation has broken out alongside the coronavirus. Communities across the world are dealing with competing information sources that are undermining life-saving advice from public health officials, not to mention rumors about protests and the 2020 elections. In this JAWS webinar, you will learn how to identify and correct the misinformation that you find.

The nation’s leading journalism and press freedom organizations today called on law enforcement, mayors and governors across the country to halt the unprecedented assault against journalists in the field covering the protests for social justice. The following open letter to police nationwide was signed by 18 organizations.

"Journalists, media crews and news organizations are a critical connection between people at home and the protests in the streets. Those who target journalists with rubber bullets take aim at the First Amendment," said Mira Lowe, JAWS president.

Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) condemns the continued acts of violence against journalists who are covering protests over police brutality across the country. We urge our members – and all journalists – to know their rights and to stay safe. Here is a list of resources …

The Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) stands in solidarity with CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and all journalists working on the front lines to bear witness to the facts about people, places and events in a democratic society. JAWS also stands with NABJ, NAHJ, AAJA and other journalism organizations in their condemnation of Minnesota State Patrol’s arrest of Jimenez. 

The JAWS (Journalism and Women Symposium) board hopes that you and everyone you care for are staying strong and safe. As journalism adjusts to the new normal, we are adapting, too, adding new ways to support the empowerment and personal growth of women in journalism as we work toward a more accurate portrayal of the whole society.

I drove through a car wash last week. It was exciting because it was something I hadn’t done the week before. I did it because my mom’s red Prius was dirty and I know how much she likes to keep a clean car. This is a big thing because there are few things I’m terrified of and going through car washes is one of them.