Get Involved

three people with their backs to the camera in front of a bunch of big post its organized as a conference schedule

Like selecting which session to attend during a conference, there are so many ways to get involved! (photo/Henry Kenyon)

Get Involved

When a community of peers works together and learns from each other, journalism becomes more resilient and representative. No matter where you are in your career, we have programs to help you connect with peers, find support where you need it and offer support to others, and take part in collective action that's changing our industry from within.

Source: Our website where community members write about projects and case studies, post new job openings, walk through the ways we tell data stories, and share honest reflections about our work in journalism and how we can make it better. Tell us about something you’d like to write!
Communty Calls: These open calls every other Thursday are a chance for community members to talk about recent work we can learn from, share upcoming events, announce job openings, and find collaborators for new projects. You can think of these calls like a live podcast, with community members as guests each episode. Every call has a community agenda where you can share your ideas and celebrate your peers!

Build something together

SRCCON events: SRCCON events are for people who want to transform the ways journalism and tech work in their organizations and communities. Our highly participatory and inclusive conferences are organized around hands-on sessions, conversations, and workshops that put participants first, helping our community develop new skills and stronger relationships.
Peer Data Review: Our data-review program connects people in local newsrooms with fellow journalists who can help them think through a data story and double-check their work. If you could use help on a data project, tell us about it and we’ll work to pair you up with a peer coach. If you’d like to volunteer as a coach, we’d love to hear from you too!
Scholarships+: We offer $250 stipends toward events and program expenses that help you develop your work at the intersection of journalism and tech. You know best what you need, and if cost is a hardship, we want to help. Also, if you run a conference, training, or event, and would be willing to make our event more accessible for our scholarship recipients, let us know.

Collectively work for change

DEI Coalition: We worked with more than 100 members of the journalism community in co-creating a space to share knowledge and take action in service of a more anti-racist, equitable, and just journalism industry. Apply to join this Slack community to join us in tackling challenging conversations, creating new resources, becoming better allies and advocates, and changing newsroom policies, systems, and culture for the better.
Vision25: Building Racial Equity in Newsrooms: In collaboration with the Online News Association and the Maynard Institute, OpenNews seeks to build journalistic institutions where newsrooms are actively anti-racist and collaborative, and journalists of color feel like they truly belong. We also know that this is work we need to do as an industry. If you’re interested in joining us, sign up here.
Speaker Rider for Meaningfully Inclusive Events: Together with The Pudding, we created this to help speakers and event organizers create and maintain inclusive space for historically marginalized communities. If you run an event or conference, show how you meet these criteria or pledge to do so within a specific timeframe. If you’re a speaker, adapt our e-mail template and send the rider to organizers before accepting an invitation to speak.

Help support our work

Become a Sustainer: As a nonprofit, OpenNews receives funding support from individuals, foundations, and sponsors in order to support our entire slate of events and programs. Community members contribute recurring donations as OpenNews sustainers.
Hire Us!: Part of how we sustain our organization is by consulting with other organization to share the expertise we’ve developed in running inclusive programs. Reach out if you would like any information about what we may be able to bring to your event or organization, or if you have a suggestion of an org you think we should work with.