Grief and Rage
I’ve covered news for a very long time and seen a lot of really graphic, violent, unedited video over my career. While many of those images still haunt my brain today, I have a pretty steel stomach, thanks to ten years plus of experience. Yet, the murder of Alex Pretti by ICE agents over the weekend nearly made me sick and brought me to my knees.
I’ve struggled with disillusionment and crushing grief since Trump came to office a second time, but the tremendous rage I feel about what is happening in our country is overwhelming. I’ve been working out like a fiend and falling back on my own yoga practices and community, but I’ve been struggling to process these emotions.
I assume it's overwhelming for many of you, too, who are struggling like me, to figure out how we can contribute our skills and our voices to stop the fascist regime from continuing to destroy our democracy, and murder and disappear people from the streets.
And yes, while this is a jobs newsletter, it’s important to understand that where we decide to apply our skills, our work ethics, and our limited time on this planet is also a political choice. Work is how power is exercised and reinforced in society. Every organization has its own values, reflected in what it funds, what it ignores, and the outcomes it rewards.
By choosing who we work for, we sustain and perpetuate those priorities and those politics.
So, to that end, today’s newsletter is focused on offering tips for those of you struggling with how to help, beyond continuing to do the difficult work of reporting the truth in the face of power, and using your voice to amplify accurate, first-hand stories of what is happening in our country.
Remember, everything is political, even if you “don’t do politics,” “don’t cover politics,” or “don’t talk about politics.” It’s time to speak up and get on the right side of history.
Here’s what you can do as journalists to help protect democracy and process your own feelings about what’s happening in our country.
Verify Everything: I made an Instagram video following the first Trump assassination attempt, about getting your facts right on social, and it’s still relevant now. But I want to underscore one key point: journalists like you have the absolute ability and responsibility to verify that what you see on social media is true. Do not repost anything that you have not verified with multiple sources. Need help? The Journalist's Toolbox is a fantastic resource for fact-checking. Trust is very fragile, and its vital that you do everything to maintain it.
Document, Document, Document: We are in a war for truth, fact, and accuracy, and as journalists, we’re pretty used to using recording tools so that we can fact-check things later. Now more than ever its vital to use your own documenting skills to create accountability. That’s what Alex Pretti was doing. Now more than ever, it's vital that we document any ICE activity we observe in our cities and towns. These are great guidelines from the New York ACLU.
Know that this will happen in your town or city: Don’t think it can happen where you live? You’re wrong. As an example, ICE is currently running a large-scale operation in the whitest state in the country: Maine. Why? There are multiple reasons, but the state currently has a Democratic governor (Janet Mills) who stood up to Trump in the past, and the senior Republican Senator (Susan Collins), who is the head of the Senate Banking Committee, is up for re-election this year. So far, her chances of winning don't look good, but there’s big money being thrown behind the campaign, and ICE actions are geared toward intimidating voters, as Maine has stood up against federal demands for voter rolls (just like the voter rolls that Bondi demanded from Minnesota in exchange for reducing ICE’s presence in the city).
Support your communities online and off. I’m fortunate to have many friends and connections both online and off, and we regularly support each other. Whether you’re in a goofy Discord channel with some colleagues (you know who you are) or you have a Signal group chat with your family (which, btw, I highly recommend for security reasons), it's important to talk to each other. I have been cutting back my social media scrolling and working on finding books to read, new knitting patterns to try, and new local groups to join to support my own community. I’m texting friends and family to make sure they’re safe, but to also process this grief and rage. It’s ok to be scared, sad, hugely angry, and/or just plain burnt out, but rely on your communities to get through this very difficult period in American history.
This Week in Six-Figure Media (and Media Adjacent) Jobs
I’ve got a huge list of jobs this week, including nearly 50 new jobs and opportunities, all of which pay more than $100k per year and are either remote or hybrid.
💨 Fast Co is open to pitches
🧓 Ageist is looking for an Editorial Lead and paying VERY well
📰 The New York Times has some hybrid contract work
💵 Vogue Business is open to pitches
These call pitches include direct email addresses for editors to contact, as well as pay rate details where available.
Full-Time Jobs that are Remote or Hybrid that pay up to $255,000 per year
🎩 Forbes is looking for a Senior Home & Kitchen Editor
🔥 WatchDuty is looking for a Senior Digital Content Manager
📱Vox is looking for an Executive Editor
Of course, the Dishonorable List and the Passion Projects are solid this week as well.
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