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, 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 Undark, Scientific American 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

- Megha Satyanarayana , chief opinion editor, Scientific American

Moderator: TBD

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, 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:
- David Shergalis, Blue Heron Research Partners

- Kim Howard, EMDR International Association

Moderator: TBD

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. 12, 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, Dec. 8, 2024 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. 15, 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, Feb. 16, 2023 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, 2023 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