California Health Equity Fellowship

chj@usc.edu

The California Health Equity Fellowship is a professional development and stipend opportunity for reporters in California to pursue projects on overlooked health and health equity issues and tell stories designed to improve health outcomes.

Broad themes supported by the fellowship include:

• Systemic racism and root causes of health inequities
• How food insecurity, economic stability, and meeting basic needs influence health and well-being
• Housing insecurity in California
• Accountability journalism on whether healthcare and social welfare systems are serving populations in need
• Whether the justice system, schools, and health systems serve all Californians, and who is left out or disproportionately harmed?

Eligible applicants are California-based professional journalists, including freelancers and national correspondents with California-focused projects. Past fellows have worked on all levels, from the smallest rural newspapers to national outlets.

Preference will be given to applicants who:

• Have a minimum of 3 years of professional journalism experience
• Are pursuing collaborative projects between mainstream and ethnic news outlets

Fellows will receive:

• A $2,000-$10,000 stipend to defray reporting costs
• In-person intensive training
• 5 months of professional mentorship

Fellows are also eligible to apply for 5 months of professional mentorship in engaged journalism and $1,000-$2,000 to support those creative efforts.

A link to application guidance is available on the program website.