Sept. 25, 2026 at 12 pm ET

Food journalists rarely limit their interests to what’s for dinner. Covering food invariably includes culture, communities, history, and even science. Food freelancers cover industry shakeups as well as recipes, building careers that span book publishing and media leadership. Join this panel of accomplished editors and independent journalists to learn how they’ve built unique and rewarding careers following food–and how you too can become a contributor to the Guardian, COYOTE, the Food Section, Ravenous, and others.

Speakers:

• Cynthia Greenlee, deputy editor for special projects, The Guardian

• Jaya Saxena, worker-owner, Ravenous

• Soleil Ho, worker-owner, COYOTE Media Collective

• Hanna Raskin, founder, the Food Section

Moderator: Alicia Kennedy, publisher of Tomato, Tomato

Oct. 16, 2026 at 12 pm ET

Have laptop, will travel! Are you thinking of leaving your home office for greener pastures? Learn the nuts and bolts of thriving as a freelancer abroad with this panel of frequent fliers: journalists Tiara Darnell, Zerline Hughes Spruill, Russell Nichols, and Saul O., founder of RemoteQueer. Travel journalist Meena Thiruvengadam will lead this discussion covering business basics, tax tips, finding clients, and how to build community in your new locale.

Speakers:

• Zerline Hughes Spruill, independent journalist

• Tiara Darnell, journalist, chef and founder, Blaxicocina

• Russel Nichols, independent journalist

• Saul O., writer and co-founder, RemoteQueer

Moderator: Meena Thiruvengadam, travel writer

Nov. 20, 2026 at 12 pm ET

Grab your share of the money funding freelance journalism! Join this panel of program directors from leading fellowship and grant programs to discover new avenues for funding your reporting from the Education Writers Association, Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Ida B. Wells Society, and Trans Journalists Association. Get an inside look at the application process, gain insights on what reviewers look for, and learn the secrets of successfully funded projects.

Speakers:

• CD Davidson-Hiers, program director, Trans Journalists Association

• Emily Richmond, public editor, Education Writers Association

• Laird Townsend, Founder and director, Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors (FIRE)

• Robbie Morganfield, executive director, the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Journalism

Moderator: IIJ leader Erika Hayasaki

Dec. 11, 2026 at 12 pm ET

Travel and culture editors want freelance pitches that engage and intrigue, and compelling stories that widen our world. Editors from Aeon, Condé Nast Traveler, and Travel + Leisure will share rates, terms, ingredients for successful pitches and examples of freelance stories that made the cut.

Speakers:

• Lale Arikoglu, articles director, Condé Nast Traveler

• Maya Kachroo-Levine, senior editor, Travel + Leisure

• Pamela Weintraub, senior editor for psychology, neuroscience, health and biomedicine at the crossroads of culture, Aeon Magazine
  

Moderator: IIJ leader Erika Hayasaki

Jan. 22, 2027 at 12 pm ET

Independent journalists who publish directly on social media or in a newsletter are earning solid income from their own platforms. Join us on Jan. 22 for a webinar led by journalist Kirsten Garriss featuring a crew of creator journalists who will offer an inside look at their business strategies: Monique Madan of Two Can Be True; Garnet Henderson, co-founder of Autonomy News; and Serena Maria Daniels of Midwest Mexican. Learn how to leverage partnerships, subscriptions, sponsorship and more to sustain your reporting.

Speakers:

• Monique O. Madan, founder, Two Can Be True

• Garnet Henderson, co-founder, Autonomy News

• Serena Maria Daniels, Midwest Mexican

• Yashica Dutt, Featuring Dalits
  

Moderator: Kirstin Garriss, communications director, URL Collective

Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET 

Level up your content creation skills with freelance journalist Victoria Lim, and discover a wide array of apps, gear, and strategies for shooting high quality photo and video using a smartphone. In this hands-on demonstration, Lim will also discuss how these skills have helped her to raise her earning potential with existing clients, and also helped her to attract new ones.

Speakers:
- Victoria Lim, Freelance Journalist

Moderator: Jennifer Chowdhury, Independent Journalist & Founder, Port of Entry

Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET

Dream big about your next story pitch, and join us for this free webinar featuring section editors for top outlets including Rolling Stone and New York Magazine! These editors are looking for impactful stories and sharp reporting from all over the country, and this is your chance to learn how to wow them. Get inside information about rates and contract terms, and make a connection.

Speakers:
- Julia Edelstein, features editor for New York Magazine 

- Kytja Weir, national editor for KFF Health News

- Maddie Oatman, senior editor, Mother Jones

Moderator: Jamila Bey, Freelancer

Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET

It’s important to remember that as journalists, we possess a wealth of transferable skills that are in demand outside of the news world. In this webinar, meet a panel of professionals working in communications and content marketing, who can provide practical guidance on finding clients in these spaces. Learn how to break in, determine your rates and protect yourself from conflicts of interest. Leave with fresh contacts for flexing your freelancing in new directions.

Speakers:

- Kim Howard, Director of Communications and Marketing at EMDR International Association

- David Rynecki, Founder of Blue Heron Research Partners

- Candace White, Deputy Director of Communications and Digital Strategy at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University

Moderator: Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Founder, IIJ

Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET 

Freelancers who work on a project basis have an enemy, and that enemy is scope creep. When a project balloons out of control, we can burn out and client relationships turn sour. Learn how to avoid this fate from a panel of veteran audio freelancers, sharing guidance that will come in handy for those working in any kind of medium. This discussion will cover how to negotiate a strong contract, how to manage shifting responsibilities on a project, and when to walk away.

Speakers:
- Dennis Funk, founder and editorial director of Written in Air

- Isis Madrid, co-founder, Pizza Shark

- Lushik Lotus-Lee, Atlanta-based freelance producer and editor

Moderator: John Asante, LA-based independent producer

Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET 

Find a home for your opinion pieces with this panel of editors who are eager to hear what you have to say! Join us for this FREE webinar on Oct 17, featuring opinion editors from Bloomberg, Undark, and more! Learn insider tips for crafting your pitch and strategies for making it stand out in a crowded inbox.

Speakers:
- Corinna Wu, senior editor for opinion & features, Undark

- Jhodie Williams, Bloomberg opinion editor

- Louie Villalobos, deputy opinion editor for USA Today

Moderator: Stephanie Griffith, freelance journalist

In partnership with the Trans Journalists Association
Friday, Sept. 19, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET

When personal identity and professional beat intersect, journalism gains powerful depth. This webinar features journalists who report on issues that directly impact communities they belong to, such as reporters who are trans covering trans rights or reporters who are immigrants reporting on immigration. Join the Trans Journalists Association and the Institute for Independent Journalists in an honest conversation with reporters and editors who will share best practices for navigating these dual roles with integrity, empathy, and rigor. Learn how lived experience can inform reporting while upholding the highest standards of journalistic ethics and impact.

Speakers:
- Drew Costley, New Orleans-based freelance journalist and editor

- Denny Agassi, freelance journalist focused on LGBTQ+ rights

- Annabel Rocha, Chicago-based freelance journalist covering reproductive rights

- Ruxandra Guidi, Arizona-based independent journalist, creator of the podcast Happy Forgetting

Moderator: Adam Rhodes, IRE training director, freelance journalist, TJA board member emeritus

Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET

Join us for a free pop up webinar with the Institute for Independent Journalists founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis. 

Bring your burning freelance industry questions, curiosity about the conference sessions, insights on the direction of our industry, and more. Katherine and other IIJ leaders will fill your cup with encouragement, insider secrets, and the resolve you need to thrive this year and beyond. 

Speakers:

- Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Founder, The IIJ

- Erika Hayasaki, Journalist, Author, and Professor at the University of California, Irvine

- Sa’iyda Shabazz, Freelance Writer and Editor

Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET

Join the Institute for Independent Journalists and the National Writers Union's Freelance Solidarity Project for a collaborative discussion of rate negotiation, a vital skill freelancers should leverage both individually and collectively. A panel of experienced freelance journalists from across the industry will discuss strategies for gauging fair rates, setting a ground floor, and pushing for higher pay, better contract terms, and other points of negotiation. Then, attendees and speakers will share success stories, tips, and tricks in facilitated small groups to build our collective wisdom.

Speakers:
- Joseph Lee, Freelance Journalist

- Mónica Ortiz Uribe, Freelance Journalist

- Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Founder, the IIJ

- Erin McGregor, Association of Independents in Radio

Moderator: Lily Meyer, Freelance Solidarity Project

Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET

Learn how to find work in content marketing, branding, communications and other fields that are adjacent to journalism, and how to adjust to the different demands of this work. Panelists will discuss how to network to good clients, handling yourself ethically.

Speakers:
- Ricardo Baca, founder and CEO of Grasslands

- Mary Melton, Editor-at-Large, Alta Journal

- Stacy Brooks Whatley, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, American Counseling Association

Moderator:

Friday, Nov. 19, 2024

Please join this critical discussion on the state of journalism jobs at a time of political and industry uncertainty. More than 8,400 journalists have been laid off nationwide since January 2022 — about 9% of the journalism workforce. More than 30 organizations helped circulate this IIJ survey of laid off journalists, funded by The Field Foundation of Illinois to assess the state of the industry. Let's shine a light on journalism jobs disappearing when the Fourth Estate is needed more than ever.

Speakers:
- Tim Franklin, Senior Associate Dean, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University

- Dr. Meredith D. Clark, Associate Professor, UNC, Chapel Hill

- Alyssa Edes, Chicago-based Producer, Formerly with WNYC Studios

- Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Founder, The IIJ

Moderator: Deborah D. Douglas, Director, Medill Midwest Solutions Journalism Hub

Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET

Be the first to hear the findings of the IIJ's survey of laid off journalists, and learn strategies from layoff survivors on weathering this now-common part of the industry.

Speakers:
- Janice Llamoca, Freelance Senior Producer, Former VICE Audio

- Katherine Lewis, Founder, The IIJ

- Maudlyne Ihejirika, the Field Foundation

- Yowei Shaw, Creator and Host, Proxy

Friday, Oct. 18, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET

Learn how to use Google’s Pinpoint software to collect and sort through large volumes of data and documents. with Mary Nahorniak from the Google News Initiative, as well as other tools for generating story ideas and boosting your freelance business.

Speaker:
- Mary Nahorniak, Teaching Fellow, Google News Initiative

Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET

Learn how to pitch your business, technology and science stories to outlets like Marketplace, MIT Technology Review, PCMag, Salon, and the Wirecutter. Connect with editors and learn how to win assignments from them!

Speakers:
- Alan Henry, Editor, PCMag

- Amanda Peacher, Senior Acquisitions Editor, Marketplace

- Rachel Courtland, Editor, MIT Technology Review

- Troy Farah, Science & Health Editor, Salon

Moderator: Ellen Lee, Senior Staff Writer, Wirecutter

Friday, Mar. 15, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET

Speakers:
- Rafael Espinal, Executive Director, Freelancers Union

- Cheryl Davis, General Counsel, Authors Guild

- Mythili Sampathkumar, Freelance Writer and Editor

Moderator: Katherine Lewis, Founder, The IIJ

Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET

Speakers:
- Cesar Melgoza, Founder, ePluribus LLC

- Damon Brown, Founder, Bring Your Worth

- Neida Sandoval, Independent Journalist

Moderator: Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Founder, The IIJ

Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET

Speakers:
- Monique LeBrun, Associate Health and Fitness Editor, Runner’s World & Bicycling

- Alisa Hrustic, Executive Editor, SELF

- Greg Lee, Senior Editor, Front Office Sports

Moderator: Christine Yu, Author and Journalist

Friday, Dec. 8, 2023 at 12:00 pm ET

Speakers:
- Starlight Williams, Travel Editor, National Geographic

- Tacey Rychter, 36 Hours Editor, New York Times Travel

- Amanda Finnegan, By the Way Editor, Washington Post

- Katherine LaGrave, Deputy Editor, Afar Magazine

Moderator: Meena Thiruvengadam, Freelance Journalist

Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 at 12:00 pm ET

Speakers:
- Manseen Logan, Editor of Freelancers, Business Insider

- Mike Dang, Personal Finance Editor, The New York Times

- Reyhan Harmanci, Senior Editor, Bloomberg Businessweek

Moderator: Shernay Williams, Independent Video Journalist

Friday, Oct. 27, 2023 at 12:00 pm ET

Speakers:
- Cerise Castle, Journalist

- Fernanda Santos, Editor and Leader in digital and audio

- Sarah Carr, Independent Journalist

Moderator: Jaeah Jonae Lee, Independent Journalist

Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 at 12:00 pm ET

Speakers:
- Lori Leibovich, Editor, New York Times Well

- Kyung Song, Managing Editor, WebMD

- Shraddha Chakradhar, Deputy News Editor for Diversity, Science

Moderator: Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Founder, The IIJ

Friday, May 19, 2023 at 12 pm ET

Speakers:
- Damaso Reyes, Investigative Editor, NY Amsterdam News

- Josh Rivera, Travel Editor, US Today

- Imani Bashir, Freelance Travel Writer

- Itika Sharma Punit, Deputy Editor, Rest of World

Moderator: Michelle No, Freelance Journalist

Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at 12 pm ET

Speakers:
- Amrita Doshi, co-founder and executive director of South Asian SOAR

- Lisa Armstrong, UC Berkeley professor and DART trainer

- Naseem Miller, senior health editor at The Journalist's Resource

Moderator: Leslie Rangel, founder of The News Yogi

Friday, Jan. 20, 2023 at 12 pm ET

Speakers:
- Ayesha Pande, founder of Pande Literary Agency

- Jade Wong-Baxter of Frances Golden Literary Agency

- Vanessa Hua, author of Forbidden City and A River of Starts

- Sylvia A. Harvey, author of Shadow System

Moderator: Blanca Torres, producer and reporter for KQED Forum