Live Conference

the institute for independent journalists presents the

2026 Freelance Journalism Conference

Solo Together: A conference for independent journalists and creators to find community and build thriving businesses

Registration is now open for the IIJ’s 2026 online conference on March 5 and 6! Level up your freelance career with our first-ever pitch fest, sessions on fellowships and grants, earning income as a solo creator, self-care and much more!
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Key Takeaways

  • What 20+ editors want in a pitch, and how to win assignments
  • New strategies for financially and emotionally sustainable freelancing
  • Ideas for building community and new networking contacts

Enrolled Users Get Access To 

A wealth of resources designed to supercharge your freelance business! Get tipsheets for pitching more than 25 media outlets, including the New York Times, National Geographic, Slate, Bloomberg, PCMag, and Runner’s World. You’ll also receive insider guides to applying for fellowships with the Pulitzer Center, UC Berkeley, and other programs that fund independent journalists. On top of that, you’ll receive access to hours of recorded interviews and panel discussions with 25 editors who are accepting freelance pitches! That’s not all–you’ll also receive other freelance tools, including sample budgets, contracts and more!

About the Conference:

The Institute for Independent Journalists invites you to the 2026 Freelance Conference, live online March 5 and 6! Take advantage of dozens of opportunities to connect with commissioning editors, as well as sessions on funding your reporting, earning revenue through newsletters or social media, using AI to streamline your business, and much more! Register today for only $89 and gain immediate access to a bundle of freelance resources, including tip sheets for pitching more than 20 media outlets, sample contracts, budgets and more.

Day 1

Session 1:
AI for Freelancers

Thursday March 5, 10:00 am - 11:15 am ET

Frank Bi, director of tools and technology, the Minnesota Star Tribune

Frank Bi is a journalist, technologist, educator and nonprofit leader committed to building business models for digital media. He focuses on the intersection of journalism, technology and media business strategy. He is a Product Manager and the director of tools and technology at the Minnesota Star Tribune where he leads the strategy and execution of the Star Tribune's most important products with the goal of delivering impactful journalism and driving audience growth. Frank is currently an Executive MBA candidate at New York University's Stern School of Business.

Martina Guzmán, founder of VERDAD

Martina Guzmán founded VERDAD, an AI tool that monitors Spanish and ethnic-language radio for disinformation. A 2023 Stanford JSK Fellow, she directs the Race & Justice Reporting Initiative at Wayne State’s Damon J. Keith Center. She’s an award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker covering race, justice, and systemic inequality, and a former Detroit correspondent for The Takeaway. She is a Columbia Journalism School graduate.

Jeremy Caplan, director of teaching and learning, the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Jeremy Caplan is Director of Teaching and Learning at CUNY's Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. In 2010 he helped launch the school's Entrepreneurial Journalism program, which has since helped hundreds of journalists around the world develop their own niche journalism ventures. A graduate of Princeton and Columbia's Journalism and Business Schools, Caplan was a violinist before working at Time Magazine covering business, tech, and culture. He now writes Wonder Tools, a weekly newsletter helping 80,000+ subscribers discover the most useful tools for creative productivity. He lives in New York City with his wife and two daughters.

Benét J. Wilson, training director for IRE (Moderator)

Benét J. Wilson is the owner/editor-in-chief of Aviation Queen LLC. She was previously lead credit cards writer for Bankrate and director of the Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship for early-career journalists. Before that, she was a senior editor and writer for The Points Guy. She serves on the boards of Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism and the Institute for Independent Journalism. She has served on the Online News Association and the National Association of Black Journalists boards. She graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., with a B.A. in broadcast journalism and resides in Baltimore, MD.
Learn how to enhance your reporting and streamline your freelance business through the use of AI. This panel will include expert insights into the most cost-effective AI tools for freelancers, from data scrapers to chatbots and more. When it comes to running your business, learn what kinds of tools you can use to improve your systems and manage time more efficiently. This discussion will also contend with the ethical responsibilities of independent journalists who choose to deploy AI in their reporting workflows.
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Keynote Conversation: Karen Attiah with Ryan Kellett

Thursday March 5, 11:30 am - 12:45 pm ET

Karen Attiah, Ex-Washington Post columnist and founder of the Resistance Studies Series 

Karen Attiah is a journalist and former columnist for The Washington Post, known for herinsightful work on race, gender, human rights, and international affairs. She is also Founder andLead Instructor for the Resistance Studies Series. A native of Dallas, Texas, Karen is a formerFulbright Scholar to Ghana, and has a masters degree in international affairs from ColumbiaUniversity, School of International and Public Affairs. She has reported from countries includingNigeria, Curacao, Ghana, and Germany. Her work has appeared in various global outletsincluding Associated Press. In 2016, she became The Washington Post’s founding GlobalOpinions editor, commissioning op-eds on global issues, and was named an Opinions columnistin 2021. Karen has received numerous awards, including the 2019 George Polk Special Awardand NABJ’s Journalist of the Year, and Washingtonian Magazine’s “Star to Watch” Award. Shewas an adjunct lecturer at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Sheis currently working on a book, Say Your Word, Then Leave, a book about the murderedjournalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Ryan Kellett, co-founder, the Independent Journalism Atlas

Ryan Y. Kellett is a journalism strategist and ecosystem builder focused on independent and creator-driven news. As co-founder of the Independent Journalism Atlas, he studies emerging news models and advises on audience growth and creator strategy. He previously held leadership roles at Axios and The Washington Post, helping shape modern audience, SEO, and newsletter strategy. His work focuses on helping journalists adapt to platform change, shifting audience expectations, and AI-driven disruption.
Keynote speaker Karen Attiah will share insights from her career at the forefront of global opinion journalism, reflecting on reporting across continents, confronting power, and shaping conversations on race, gender, human rights, and democracy. She will be in conversation with Ryan Y. Kellett, a journalism strategist and ecosystem builder focused on independent and creator-driven news.

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Session 3: Pitch Fest

Thursday March 5, 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm ET
A first for the IIJ: We’re taking the pitching live! Submit your pitches in the run-up to the 2026 IIJ Freelance Conference, and we’ll select a handful of lucky winners who will have the chance to pitch their story on camera to a panel of editors. The audience will learn by example what works to pique the interest of editors – and sell your next story.
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Session 4:
Decoding the Editor Relationship

Thursday March 5, 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm ET

Daniel Jones, Modern Love editor, the New York Times

Daniel Jones has edited the Modern Love column in the New York Times since it began in 2004 and now works on the various parts of the global franchise it has become: two weekly columns, three books (“Modern Love,” “Tiny Love Stories” and “Love Illuminated”), a weekly podcast with hundreds of millions of downloads, and a streaming series on Prime Video with productions in the United States, India, The Netherlands and Japan. He lives in New York City and the Hudson Valley.

Sahar Fatima, news editor, Prism

Sahar Fatima is the news editor at Prism, a nonprofit news website led by journalists of color, focused on the intersections of injustice. Sahar was previously an editor at The Boston Globe and has reported in Canada for Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail.

Paige DiFiore, deputy editor of lifestyle and entertainment, Business Insider

Paige DiFiore-Wohr was born and raised in New York City and now lives with her husband and two cats outside of Philadelphia. She’s spent the past decade working with hundreds of writers around the globe to tell thousands of stories.

Ann Marie Awad, editorial director, The IIJ

Ann Marie Awad is an independent journalist with 15 years of experience in the news business. As a host and reporter in public radio newsrooms across three different states, their work has also aired nationally on NPR and Here & Now. Ann Marie has produced, edited and consulted on podcast projects with clients including Audible, SONOS and WAMU.
Strong editor relationships are often the key to consistent freelance work. This session unpacks what editors look for, how to communicate effectively, and how to turn first assignments into ongoing opportunities. Panelists will share practical guidance on pitching, follow-ups, feedback, and boundaries, plus common mistakes to avoid, so freelancers can build authentic, professional relationships with confidence.
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Sponsor

The O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism

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Session 5:
Bringing Your Journalism Skills to Fiction

Thursday March 5, 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm ET

Vanessa Hua, journalist and best-selling author, "A River of Stars" and "Forbidden City"

Vanessa Hua is the author of the national bestsellers "A River of Stars" and "Forbidden City," as well as "Deceit and Other Possibilities," a New York Times Editors Pick. A National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow, she has also received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, California Arts Council Fellowship, and a Steinbeck Fellowship, among others. Previously, she was an award-winning columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Atlantic. She teaches at the Warren Wilson MFA Program and elsewhere. Her novel, "Coyoteland," and her memoir, "Uprooted," are forthcoming.

KJ Dell'Antonia, best-selling journalist and author, "the Chicken Sisters," and "In Her Boots"

KJ Dell’Antonia is the New York Times best-selling author of the novels "the Chicken Sisters," "Playing the Witch Card," "In Her Boots," and the non-fiction book "How to Be a Happier Parent." She is also the former editor of the New York Times’ parenting section, then called Motherlode, the co-host of the #AmWriting podcast, the creator of #AmReading on Substack and an enthusiastic bookstagrammer (@kjda). She lives in Lyme, New Hampshire with her husband and an ever-evolving cast of children, dogs, cats, chickens, horses and houseguests.

Sekou Campbell, partner, Pierson Ferdinand

Sekou Campbell concentrates his practice on intellectual property, technology, and corporate matters, drawing on a unique pre-law background as both an actor and an educator. He routinely counsels clients across four principal sectors—film and television, publishing, arts-related technology, and advertising—and his roster ranges from award-winning individual artists and independent publishers to start-ups, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies.

Blanca Torres, reporter and producer, KQED (Moderator)

Blanca Torres is a producer and reporter for KQED in San Francisco. She mostly works on Forum, a live, daily, news and analysis call in show. Before joining KQED in 2020, she spent 16 years as a reporter and columnist for newspapers including the San Francisco Business Times, The Seattle Times, Contra Costa Times and the Baltimore Sun. In 2022, she was selected for the USC Center for Health Journalism’s California Fellowship and produced a series of written and broadcast stories about kids and mental health. She is a lifetime member and former board member for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
If you’ve ever wondered how nonfiction writers succeed in making the transition to fiction writing, this group of storytellers will share their secrets. Learn how journalists appeal to fiction agents, TV showrunners, and producers, whether for novels, streaming services, or the big screen. Panelists will share different perspectives on how to navigate the world of fiction manuscripts, options, and intellectual property rights.
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Session 6:
Find Your Community (Not Recorded)

Thursday March 5, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET
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Benét Wilson, longtime aviation and personal finance journalist

Benét J. Wilson is the owner/editor-in-chief of Aviation Queen LLC. She was previously lead credit cards writer for Bankrate and director of the Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship for early-career journalists. Before that, she was a senior editor and writer for The Points Guy. She serves on the boards of Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism and the Institute for Independent Journalism. She has served on the Online News Association and the National Association of Black Journalists boards. She graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., with a B.A. in broadcast journalism and resides in Baltimore, MD.

Ellen Kuwana, award-winning science writer and editor


Marquita Brown, education editor and independent journalist

Marquita Brown is an editor and independent journalist with about 20 years of experience in journalism and communications, including work as a reporter at daily newspapers in Mississippi, Virginia and North Caroline. She is also the education editor for Mississippi Today.

Lex Roman, publisher, Revenue Rulebreaker

Writer and publisher of Revenue Rulebreaker and the Paid Newsletter Playbook. I write about how solopreneurs make money and I host events for creative entrepreneurs around growth and monetization.

Meena Thiruvengadam, freelance journalist and author covering travel, art and culture

Meena is an editorial Swiss army knife embracing media entrepreneurship. She’s a freelance writer covering travel and business for publications including Travel+Leisure and Fortune and an audience development consultant specializing in helping publishers build high value audiences.

Mónica Ortiz Uribe, freelance reporter

Mónica Ortiz Uribe is an independent reporter born and raised in El Paso who writes about the U.S./Mexico border and the American Southwest. Her work has appeared on National Public Radio and the El Paso Times. In 2020, she co-hosted the podcast Forgotten: The Women of Juárez about the disappearance and murder of women in El Paso’s Mexican sister city. The production was listed among the top ten podcasts of 2020 by the Atlantic.

Shernay Williams, freelance video journalist covering entrepreneurship and health

Shernay spent more than a decade as a journalist for television, radio, and print outlets throughout the South and East Coast before serving as a business coach, running a content firm, and in 2020, launching The ​Black Mompreneur. Recently Shernay became host and producer of a digital series for TheGrio called "A Taste of Chocolate," where she visits notable Black-owned restaurants to learn the stories behind their food.

Valeria Fernández, executive director, Altavoz Lab


Katherine Reynolds Lewis, founder and CEO, The IIJ

Katherine is a science journalist and author based in the Washington, D.C. area who writes about education, equity, mental health, parenting, journalism, and social justice for publications including The Atlantic, The New York Times, Nieman Reports, Parents, and The Washington Post. Her 2018 book The Good News About Bad Behavior grew out of Mother Jones’ most-read article. A biracial woman (Asian American and White), she previously worked as a national correspondent for Newhouse News Service and Bloomberg News.

Ann Marie Awad, editorial director, The IIJ

Ann Marie Awad is an independent journalist with 15 years of experience in the news business. As a host and reporter in public radio newsrooms across three different states, their work has also aired nationally on NPR and Here & Now. Ann Marie has produced, edited and consulted on podcast projects with clients including Audible, SONOS and WAMU.

Taylor Harris, operations coordinator, The IIJ

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris is an investigative journalist, producer, communications consultant and media diversity advocate. Her journalistic approach draws on both legal analysis and on-the-ground reporting, centering the lived experiences of marginalized communities and those most affected by government policy. Taylor is a former Local Investigations Fellow for The New York Times, and has reported for local and national newsrooms in Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Dallas, New York and New Jersey. In addition to newsroom roles, she consults with community organizations on media strategy and equity storytelling, and is a proud graduate of Howard University.

Laura Gonzalez, editorial content manager, The IIJ

Laura Gonzalez is a journalist, program strategist, and educator working at the intersection of storytelling, community development, business innovation and emerging technology. She began her career as a visual journalist at the Imperial Valley Press and later served as web and multimedia editor at La Opinión. She has led youth media programs at Las Fotos Project, managed equity and cleantech initiatives at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), and serves as a digital editor with the Next Gen Radio Project. Laura also teaches journalism and public relations at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
She has supported policy and economic development projects, such as LA’s Sidewalk Vending Pilot Program, and advises mission-driven organizations on the ethical and creative use of AI for storytelling and strategy. Laura holds a master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship from the USC Marshall School of Business and is passionate about bridging gaps between communities, industries, and systems to drive lasting change.

Lisa Armstrong, professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and Dart Center trainer

Lisa Armstrong is an award-winning journalist with credits in The Texas Tribune, The New Yorker, The Intercept, Rolling Stone and other outlets. She is currently reporting on incarceration and has written about the spread of COVID19 in correctional facilities and young people who were sentenced to life without parole as minors. She also produced a documentary for CBS News about how subpar mental health care provided by for-profit companies led to in an increase in suicides in state prisons, and directed a documentary about a young man who was incarcerated in an adult prison when he was 16. The film, “Little Boy Lost,” was featured in the Social Impact track at SXSW. She is a professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

Jordan Gass-Pooré, podcast producer and investigative journalist

Jordan Gass-Pooré (she/her) is an award-winning independent podcast producer and investigative journalist with more than a decade of journalism experience. She's the creator of the “Hazard” series of podcasts: “Hazard NJ” examined serious pollution issues for two seasons as a production of NJ Spotlight News, the news division of NJ PBS, and was the outlet’s first podcast; “Hazard NYC” was a limited-run series with THE CITY about the impacts of climate change on Superfund sites in New York City. 

“Hazard NJ” has won numerous awards, including the Murrow, PMJA, Association of Health Care Journalists, and The Webby Awards, among others. 
After a full day of learning, join your freelance colleagues for an interactive networking session. Connect with IIJ leaders and other independent journalists in the main room and breakout groups organized by subject area and topics you‘d like to explore. This popular IIJ session has led to accountability buddies and writing groups, and we guarantee camaraderie!

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Day 2

Session 7:
Revenue Secrets of Creator Journalists

Friday March 6, 10:00 am - 11:15 am ET

Alicia Kennedy, publisher of From the Desk

Alicia Kennedy is a writer from Long Island. She is the author of No Meat Required: The Cultural History and Culinary Future of Plant-Based Eating and On Eating: The Making and Unmaking of My Appetites. She publishes From the Desk and is launching a literary journal of food writing in 2026.

Marisa Kabas, independent journalist and publisher, the Handbasket

Bio

Matt Kiser, publisher, WTF Just Happened Today?

Bio

Yashica Dutt, independent journalist and publisher, Featuring Dalits (Moderator)

Yashica Dutt is a Dalit journalist and author of the award-winning book on the Indian caste system, Coming Out as Dalit. Most recently, she covered New York's mayoral election from a South Asian lens and was the first journalist to break the story on the South Asian engagement around Zohran Mamdani's campaign. Coming Out as Dalit, Yashica's nonfiction debut memoir is considered among the most significant modern books on India's caste system and was the first English language book by a Dalit author to win India's national young writers award. It was published by Beacon Press in the US in February 2024, and is currently part of curriculum in over 50 colleges, including Harvard, Columbia and Brown. Yashica has written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Al-Jazeera, New Lines Magazine and Foreign Policy Magazine. She publishes reported pieces, essays and videos on her popular Substack, Featuring Dalits and the Instagram account: @FeaturingDalitsbyYashicaDutt. She is currently working on her second book on caste in the US and lives in Brooklyn.
There are more platforms than ever where journalists can build a paying audience, and plenty of success stories to prove that doing so is a real possibility. Whether it’s podcasts, TikTok or YouTube channels, or newsletters, these creators have spun sustainable businesses on their own terms by cultivating a mixture of revenue streams. Learn how you can get started carving out your own unique niche as an independent creator with guidance from experienced pros across different platforms.
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Session 8:
Maximize Your Money

Friday March 6, 11:30 am - 12:45 pm ET

Karen Ladley, senior associate director, the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism and Media

Dr. Karen Ladley is a published author, researcher, and program director of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Before joining The Carter Center in 2023, Karen was a broadcast journalist for 16 years. During that time, she produced newscasts, reported on mental health and other topics, and anchored weekend and morning newscasts for stations including WWAY in Wilmington, NC, and WSAV in Savannah, Georgia. After becoming a mom, Karen pursued her master's in education and directed higher education programs focused on student success and retention. She taught student success courses, mentored journalism students, and served as a dean overseeing access and academic interventions. Karen oversees the RCJF fellowship and the Parity Newsroom Collaborative for The Carter Center and collaborated to create an open and free mental health curriculum with the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation and the Poynter Institute.

Jackie Stenson, manager of projects, USC Center for Health Journalism

Jacqueline Stenson is the manager of projects at the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, where she collaborates with reporters nationwide on major investigative and explanatory projects. She has worked on staff as a reporter and editor with multiple media outlets, including NBC News/MSNBC, The New York Times Syndicate and Condé Nast Publications. Her freelance work has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Reuters, NBC News, TODAY, Health, Self and more. She taught journalism and creative nonfiction writing classes for more than two decades at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.

Alberto Mendoza, managing director, John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford

Alberto B. Mendoza is managing director of the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships. He leads the fellowship recruitment process, working to ensure the pool of candidates reflects the diversity needed in journalism. He also designs programming and coaches fellows in career strategy as well as nonprofit fundraising.
Alberto joined JSK in 2021 from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, where he was executive director for five years. During that time, he increased membership by 200% and diversified the nonprofit’s revenue sources. He oversaw the creation of the Hispanic Cultural Competency Handbook, a guide for newsrooms. He also founded palabra, a multimedia publication that gives freelance journalists the opportunity to tell stories about the Latino community.
Alberto serves on the advisory boards of The Pivot Fund and Trans Latina Coalition. He is an alum of the Poynter Institute’s Media Transformation Challenge Executive Fellowship Program and a graduate of California Polytechnic University in Pomona.

Monica Williams, Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellow (Moderator)

Monica Williams is a veteran journalist with editing experience on staff at publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, National Geographic and The Detroit News, among others. After raising money for news outlets and journalists, she built Grants for Journalists, tools to help the news industry more easily find money. She was a 2025-26 fellow at Reynolds Journalism Institute.
Making freelancing sustainable often depends on accessing additional funds to supplement an outlet’s standard pay rate – especially for long-form and investigative stories. This group of journalism fellowship and grant directors will outline how to write a winning proposal for major projects on health, mental health and contemporary American society – and how these opportunities can transform your freelance career.
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Session 9:
Pitching Stories That Make an Impact

Friday March 6, 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm ET

Cara Reedy, executive director, Disabled Journalists Association

Cara Reedy is the Founder and Director of the Disabled Journalists Association (a member organization of Storyline Partners). She's a journalist who spent ten years at CNN producing documentaries as well as writing for various verticals. In 2019, she produced her most recent doc for The Guardian entitled Dwarfism and Me, an exploration of the treatment of Dwarfs in American society. She has spent the last three years studying disability and its coverage in the media. 

Christina Samuels, deputy managing editor, the Hechinger Report

Christina Samuels oversees coverage of early childhood education, as well as K-12 education in the South for The Hechinger Report, a news organization covering education innovation and equity. She started covering education in 2000 at The Washington Post, writing about a fast-growing school district in the D.C. suburbs. After that, she worked at Education Week from 2004 to 2021, when she joined The Hechinger Report in 2021 as an editor.

Nichole Christian, managing editor, Outlier Media

Bio

Samia Madwar, senior editor, the Walrus

Samia Madwar is a senior editor at The Walrus and has previously held editorial roles at Up Here and Canadian Geographic magazines. Over the past decade, she has judged a number of journalism awards, including the National Magazine Awards, the American Society of Magazine Editors, and the Online News Association. She has served as a mentor for the National Media Awards Foundation and the Canadian Association for Journalists, and guest edited for the Review of Journalism. 

Valeria Fernández, executive director, Altavoz Lab

Bio
Mission driven, nonprofit newsrooms are increasingly filling information gaps. In some places, they are helping to mitigate news deserts. Others are focusing their coverage deeply on one beat – like gun violence, or reproductive rights – and many of them look to freelancers for coverage. Join this group of nonprofit newsroom editors to learn about their audiences, and how to craft a pitch that gets noticed.
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Sponsor

Democracy Fund

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Session 10: Reporting With Care

Friday March 6, 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm ET

Michelle Cyca, bureau chief of conservation and fellowships, the Narwhal 

Michelle Cyca is a journalist from Vancouver. She is the bureau chief of conservation and fellowships at The Narwhal, a contributing writer to The Walrus, and the incoming Asper Visiting Professor at the UBC School of Journalism, Writing and Media, where she is teaching a new class on freelancing. Michelle is a member of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6, Saskatchewan.

Luisa Ortiz Pérez, executive director, Vita-Activa.org, lead MDRNet.org

Dr. Luisa Ortiz Pérez Leads the Media Resilience Network MDrnet.org and is the Executive Director of Vita-Activa.Org, a helpline for journalists and freedom of expression defenders. A creative strategist with over 20 years of experience in mental health, digital rights, and care in media. Author of "A Human Condition, a play about journalism" and a JSK Journalism Fellow at Stanford University. She blossoms when working in inclusive, high-impact global initiatives at the intersection of media, design, and the arts.

Lewis Raven Wallace, author and abolition journalism fellow, Interrupting Criminalization

Lewis Raven Wallace (they/ze/he) is the Abolition Journalism Fellow at Interrupting Criminalization and the author of The View from Somewhere: Undoing the Myth of Journalistic Objectivity and Radical Unlearning: The Art and Science of Making Change from Within. He previously worked in public radio, and is a long-time activist engaged in prison abolition, racial justice, and queer and trans liberation. Lewis, a student of family history, environmental history, and social justice, is white and transgender, and was born and raised in the Midwest with deep roots in the South.

Lygia Navarro, independent journalist (Moderator)

Lygia Navarro (she/her) is an award-winning bilingual journalist working in long-form narrative print and audio. Lygia has reported on Latine stories from across Latin America, North America and Europe, for outlets including Afar, Al Jazeera magazine, The Associated Press, Business Insider, the CBC, The American Prospect, FRONTLINE/World, Marketplace, The World, Latino USA, The Pulse, Virginia Quarterly Review, Switchyard, Today.com, and the Christian Science Monitor, among many others. 

Lygia is also an essayist and has produced podcasts for Spotify and The Conversation Canada. Her work has received national prizes and awards, and has been supported by multiple grants and fellowships. She holds both a BA and a Master’s (in journalism) from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to reporting, Lygia is also an editor at palabra, the multimedia outlet of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and a mentor for the Uproot Project’s Environmental Justice Fellows. Together with Rux Guidi, Lygia co-founded Narrative Gigs, now a project of the IIJ. Lygia is a proudly queer, disabled and neurodiverse advocate for inclusion and equity.
Journalists bear a unique responsibility to their sources, especially when reporting on sensitive topics. These days, that’s almost every journalist. This panel of editors and freelancers will share how reporters can practice journalism that looks honestly at injustice and abuses of power, while taking care to do no harm to sources and to themselves. 
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Session 11: The Scoop on Sustainable Lifestyle Freelancing

Friday March 6, 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm ET

Soleil Ho, worker-owner at COYOTE Media Collective

Soleil Ho is an award-winning food and culture writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Taylor Crumpton, TIME columnist and The Barbed Wire contributor

Taylor Crumpton is a dynamic music, pop culture, and politics writer from Dallas. Her work, which is known for its sharp cultural critique can be found in the nation’s most revered publications like TIME, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian, and NPR, among others. Crumpton writes about a range of topics from Black Queer advocacy to the underrepresented hip-hop scenes in the southern United States to pop analysis on releases like “Cowboy Carter”, “WAP”, and “Black Is King”. She frequently appears as a guest commentator, panelist, and speaker in the media and entertainment industries.

Lale Arikoglu, articles director, Condé Nast Traveler

Lale Arikoglu is the Articles Director of Condé Nast Traveler and host of the award-winning Women Who Travel podcast. Her reporting has taken her all over the world, from Patagonia to Tokyo to the Amazon Rainforest, and she is fascinated by the ways that travel intersects with style, food, music, nightlife, identity, and politics. She has participated in live events at Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, SXSW in Austin, and Feast Portland, is a frequent guest on WNYC and Cheddar, and has been featured in Glamour, The Daily Beast, The Strategist, and more. Her writing has also appeared in New York Magazine, Architectural Digest, and The New York Observer, among other places. She is most at home in an airport departure lounge and only occasionally misses her couch. Find her on Instagram at @lalehannah.

Meena Thiruvengadam, freelance journalist and author covering travel, art and culture (Moderator)

Meena Thiruvengadam is a Chicago-based travel writer, Lonely Planet guidebook author and the creator-journalist founder of TravelWithMeena.com. Meena has written about topics including travel and personal finance for a range of publications, including Architectural Digest, Travel+Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Fodor’s Travel, The Washington Post and Teen Vogue. Her background is in business journalism, and she previously worked on staff as a reporter, editor, and audience development strategist for Business Insider, Yahoo, Bloomberg, and Dow Jones/The Wall Street Journal.
Yes, it is still possible to make a living as a freelance lifestyle journalist in 2026! Unlock the puzzle in this panel of writers and editors focused on food, wellness, style, culture, and travel. You’ll hear tips on how to structure your personal beat and how to snag lifestyle anchor clients. Editors will share successful topics, time pegs, and some favorite collaborations with freelancers.
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Session 12: Networking and Takeaways (Not Recorded)

Friday March 6, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET 

Benét J. Wilson, longtime aviation and personal finance journalist

Benét J. Wilson is the owner/editor-in-chief of Aviation Queen LLC. She was previously lead credit cards writer for Bankrate and director of the Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship for early-career journalists. Before that, she was a senior editor and writer for The Points Guy. She serves on the boards of Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism and the Institute for Independent Journalism. She has served on the Online News Association and the National Association of Black Journalists boards. She graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., with a B.A. in broadcast journalism and resides in Baltimore, MD.

Ellen Kuwana, award-winning science writer and editor


Marquita Brown, education editor and independent journalist

Marquita Brown is an editor and independent journalist with about 20 years of experience in journalism and communications, including work as a reporter at daily newspapers in Mississippi, Virginia and North Caroline. She is also the education editor for Mississippi Today.

Lex Roman, publisher, Revenue Rulebreaker

Writer and publisher of Revenue Rulebreaker and the Paid Newsletter Playbook. I write about how solopreneurs make money and I host events for creative entrepreneurs around growth and monetization.

Mónica Ortiz Uribe, freelance reporter

Mónica Ortiz Uribe is an independent reporter born and raised in El Paso who writes about the U.S./Mexico border and the American Southwest. Her work has appeared on National Public Radio and the El Paso Times. In 2020, she co-hosted the podcast Forgotten: The Women of Juárez about the disappearance and murder of women in El Paso’s Mexican sister city. The production was listed among the top ten podcasts of 2020 by the Atlantic.

Rhysea Agrawal, founder and creative director of What The Earth

Rhysea Agrawal is a multimedia storyteller and environmental communicator. She works as the engagement coordinator for the USC Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication, and founder and creative director of What The Earth. She was formerly the managing editor of The Xylom, an award-winning nonprofit science publication, and currently serves on its advisory board.Her work has been published in several outlets, including Los Angeles Times, CalMatters, Sojourners and one5c, and she has appeared on radio stations such as CapRadio, LAist, KCBS and KQED to talk about her reporting. Rhysea graduated from USC with bachelor’s degrees in Geological Sciences and English and a master’s degree in Journalism.Accordion Description

Sheena Roetman-Wynn, director of membership,  Indigenous Journalists Association

Sheena Roetman-Wynn, Lakota, is the education manager for the Indigenous Journalists Association.
Previously, Roetman-Wynn spent six years as director of membership and programs at the Atlanta Press Club, where she also ran APC's annual internship program and assisted in producing debates for local, state and federal races in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting and Public Broadcasting Atlanta. She has also spent more than 15 years as a freelance journalist, editor and researcher.
Roetman-Wynn holds a degree in Journalism with a research specialty in American Indian Media from Georgia State University. She is currently based outside Atlanta, Ga. where she enjoys cooking, gardening, yoga and hiking with her husband and their wiener dog.

Valeria Fernández, executive director, Altavoz Lab


Katherine Reynolds Lewis, founder and CEO, The IIJ

Katherine is a science journalist and author based in the Washington, D.C. area who writes about education, equity, mental health, parenting, journalism, and social justice for publications including The Atlantic, The New York Times, Nieman Reports, Parents, and The Washington Post. Her 2018 book The Good News About Bad Behavior grew out of Mother Jones’ most-read article. A biracial woman (Asian American and White), she previously worked as a national correspondent for Newhouse News Service and Bloomberg News.

Ann Marie Awad, editorial director, The IIJ

Ann Marie Awad is an independent journalist with 15 years of experience in the news business. As a host and reporter in public radio newsrooms across three different states, their work has also aired nationally on NPR and Here & Now. Ann Marie has produced, edited and consulted on podcast projects with clients including Audible, SONOS and WAMU.

Taylor Harris, operations coordinator, The IIJ

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris is an investigative journalist, producer, communications consultant and media diversity advocate. Her journalistic approach draws on both legal analysis and on-the-ground reporting, centering the lived experiences of marginalized communities and those most affected by government policy. Taylor is a former Local Investigations Fellow for The New York Times, and has reported for local and national newsrooms in Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Dallas, New York and New Jersey. In addition to newsroom roles, she consults with community organizations on media strategy and equity storytelling, and is a proud graduate of Howard University.

Laura Gonzalez, editorial content manager, The IIJ

Laura Gonzalez is a journalist, program strategist, and educator working at the intersection of storytelling, community development, business innovation and emerging technology. She began her career as a visual journalist at the Imperial Valley Press and later served as web and multimedia editor at La Opinión. She has led youth media programs at Las Fotos Project, managed equity and cleantech initiatives at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), and serves as a digital editor with the Next Gen Radio Project. Laura also teaches journalism and public relations at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
She has supported policy and economic development projects, such as LA’s Sidewalk Vending Pilot Program, and advises mission-driven organizations on the ethical and creative use of AI for storytelling and strategy. Laura holds a master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship from the USC Marshall School of Business and is passionate about bridging gaps between communities, industries, and systems to drive lasting change.

Jordan Gass-Pooré, podcast producer and investigative journalist

Jordan Gass-Pooré (she/her) is an award-winning independent podcast producer and investigative journalist with more than a decade of journalism experience. She's the creator of the “Hazard” series of podcasts: “Hazard NJ” examined serious pollution issues for two seasons as a production of NJ Spotlight News, the news division of NJ PBS, and was the outlet’s first podcast; “Hazard NYC” was a limited-run series with THE CITY about the impacts of climate change on Superfund sites in New York City. “Hazard NJ” has won numerous awards, including the Murrow, PMJA, Association of Health Care Journalists, and The Webby Awards, among others. Accordion Description

Judy Echavez

Judy Echavez is a seasoned government communications and public affairs professional with extensive experience spanning federal service, legal research, and broadcast journalism. She served as a national spokesperson and media liaison for the U.S. CPSC. Ms. Echavez built a distinguished career, working as a reporter, anchor, correspondent, and host for outlets including CNN and Fox News. She covered major national and international events, high-profile court cases, and investigative stories, bringing complex issues to the public with clarity and integrity. The Emmy Award-winning broadcaster holds a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws in Intercultural Human Rights from St. Thomas University College of Law.

Candace Montague

Accordion Description
Keep the energy of the conference going in a networking session with IIJ leaders, speakers and other independent journalists. Share your favorite learnings, ask a follow-up question or maybe meet an accountability buddy to help you with conference-inspired freelance goals. This is a live session that will not be recorded. Even if you're an introvert -- you won’t want to miss it.
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Thank you to our Sponsors

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The Institute for Independent Journalists

The Institute for Independent Journalists is an education, professional development, and mutual support organization for independent journalists, focusing on Black, Indigenous and people of color. Our mission is financial and emotional sustainability for independent journalists of color, through community learning, innovation and advocacy.
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