Midwest Correspondent wanted (workers' rights) | ~$2,000 per month (1 story per week)

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: PRISM

Deadline (applications): 22 August 2021

As a nonprofit, independent news outlet led by people of color and anchored in communities of color, Prism reports truth to power. Our coverage informs and animates the fight for justice at every point where power is built—from grassroots movements, to policy change, to lasting shifts in our culture. Activists, thought leaders, decision-makers, and all those who believe in justice for all come to Prism for deep reporting and honest insights on the most pressing injustices of our time—delivered through the lens of those who are most impacted.

While we are headquartered in California, we are a fully-remote team—with staff member locations ranging from the Bay Area, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and the US South.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Prism is hiring a freelance Midwest Workers’ Rights Correspondent, on a six-month contract basis, to regularly contribute to our coverage of workers’ rights with a special focus on Minnesota and the midwestern United States. (To note! This is not a full-time position; this freelance, contract role contributes one reported news story per week at roughly 1,000 words per piece.)

The Midwest Workers’ Rights Correspondent will cover issues like economic justice, workplace discrimination and inequity, and the fight for fair and living wages and paid leave. The correspondent will write about workers’ rights with an eye toward its intersections with Prism’s other major areas of coverage: racial justice, immigration, criminal justice, gender justice, and electoral justice. The correspondent’s work will center the voices and perspectives of BIPOC most impacted by the issues Prism covers, producing stories that highlight the agency of the people at the center of the issues, serve readers by making them aware of innovative ways to exercise and organize for their rights, and spark new ways of thinking.

The Midwest Workers’ Rights Correspondent will publish one reported news story per week at roughly 1,000 words per piece, with a mix of articles assigned by Prism editors and those proactively pitched by the writer. We are seeking a reporter who is fluent in a number of different modes of reporting and writing, including feature-style stories, Q&As, profiles, shorter news briefs, explainers, and news analysis. The correspondent should possess a deep well of story ideas, and must excel at working independently in a deadline-driven environment.

Applicants should have at least three years of news reporting experience and a strong command of the major workers’ rights issues and organizing currently unfolding in the midwest. If you don’t fit perfectly into this criteria but have a strong writing background and want to tell us about the interest and unique skills and experience you would bring to this coverage area, we encourage you to apply. Your application should reflect what you’ve done, what you can do, and what you would—or would want to—do as a Midwest Workers’ Rights Correspondent at Prism, including your vision for how you would shape your reporting beat.

This is a temporary, six-month freelance contract position and pays $2,083.33 per month for a total of $12,500. The position is remote; preference will be given to candidates located in the midwestern United States.
Our approach

From everyday readers to movement leaders, we help people to see the full story of injustice, and to better understand what is broken, how to fix it, and who’s leading the way.

Our coverage deeply explores issues of racial justice, mass incarceration and policing, workers’ rights, gender justice, immigration, electoral justice, and the climate emergency. We report fully and accurately on the most pressing matters of our time by listening to and amplifying the experiences of people impacted by these issues. We’re led by and written for people of color, with a shared commitment to widen the lens on injustice. Prism’s approach to reporting is grounded in trust and relationships, centering the people and communities who experience injustices firsthand. We’re investing in this model by providing a platform for the next generation of journalists, storytellers, and thought leaders of color.

TO APPLY

To apply for the Midwest Workers’ Rights Correspondent (freelance, part-time) position, please create a single-document file that includes the following, in this order:

• A cover letter that outlines how you would approach this position and why your experience and skills make you best suited
• Your resume—one to two pages—including a link to your LinkedIn profile and portfolio of work, if you have one
• Links to no fewer than three published pieces you’re proud of

Email join@prismreports.org with your single-document file containing what’s outlined above, along with the subject line Midwest Workers’ Rights Correspondent by the conclusion of Sunday, August 22. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Consistent with our mission, we believe the experiences of BIPOC, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and other invisibilized groups should be centered in our work and we encourage people from these identities to apply to join us.

Prism is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, ancestry, religion, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, whistleblower status, or any other personal characteristics protected by state or federal law. Prism’s policies and practices are to reflect our commitment to nondiscrimination in all areas of employment.

JOB SUMMARY:

• Looking for: Midwest Workers' Rights Correspondent
• Location: The position is remote; preference will be given to candidates located in the midwestern United States.
• Compensation: $2,083.33 per month (one reported news story per week)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Questions / applications: join@prismreports.org

Website: https://prismreports.org