Pitches wanted (incarceration, abolition) | $300-$800 per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: SCALAWAG

Deadline: 24 May 2022

Are you a systems-impacted writer or a journalist with experience co-reporting with incarcerated folks? We're accepting pitches for our third annual Abolition Week, happening June 20-24. We'd love to hear from folks by May 24.

PITCH A PIECE FOR OUR THIRD ANNUAL ABOLITION WEEK

Every year, we take one week in June to exclusively publish pieces by or with systems-impacted writers and artists.

This year, we're going full Mythbusters and exposing the myriad ways modern media upholds lies about policing in America. We're looking for writers to report or co-report the following pieces. Have a question? Check out our FAQ: bit.ly/3s8OFle

1. Houston bail reform: A fall 2021 report from TCEJ (bit.ly/3MwV950) showed how antagonistic media coverage of bail reform amplifies the myth that bail reform is a threat to public safety. We're looking for a reporter who can place the lived realities of bail reform stigma in the context of advocates' work in Harris County to pass bail reform for felony cases similar to recent changes made for misdemeanors. We expect this piece to be about 1,500 words. Pay rate: $800.

2. Behind The Music: Yes, *that* Behind The Music! We're seeking creative content that engages with the role music plays in shaping our understanding of crime, policing, and abolition. Channel your best Mary J Blige (bit.ly/3OSjeVT) and tell us a nuanced story in audio or video format about a song or artist that deserves a deeper dive to reveal insights about policing and crime or abolition. We expect these pieces to be 2-3 minutes long. Pay rate: $500.

3. Reviews of harmful media: Copaganda is rampant on TV. COPS, Snapped, Orange is the New Black, Women Who Kill — the list goes on. We're seeking short reviews, in written, audio, or video form, that critique how true crime shows proliferate false narratives about policing in our country. We expect these pieces to be about 500 words. Pay rate: $300.

4. General pitch: Do you have a different story to tell about the ways American media inaccurately portrays the police state? Or are you a systems-impacted person that wants to touch on a very specific aspect of incarceration, policing or re-entry? Tell us about it.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

• Submissions: Via the webform
• Website: https://scalawagmagazine.org

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Scalawag aims to spark critical conversations about the many Souths where we live, love, and struggle. It amplifies voices of activists, artists, and writers to reckon with Southern realities as they are, rather than as they seem to be. Grief and Other Loves is Scalawag's series that aims to memorialize our collective losses.
• Read through a selection of recent grief-related stories on its website.
• Review the submission guidelines here. Note that these are the publication's general guidelines to help you refine your pitch. You must still follow the editor's specific instructions above.
• Check out our collection of pitch excerpts on this page and find more sample pitches at The Open Notebook Database and at SuccessfulPitches.com.
• Do not forget to end your pitch with (1) a short introduction about yourself; (2) a paragraph highlighting your writing experience, relevant credentials and publication credits; and (3) links to your strongest work or portfolio, and online profile.

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