Write Jobs PLUS+
patreon
Journalism Cohorts wanted (faith, justice) | ~$300 per article
🕑 Added 2025-11-13 05:09:54 +0000 UTCCOMPANY/PUBLICATION: SOJOURNERS
Deadline: 15 November 2025
The Sojourners Journalism Cohort is a part-time, five-month, remote training program that offers hands-on, paid training as freelance journalists to writers from historically marginalized communities. The cohort will accept three news reporters and three opinion writers who will each write 3-5 faith and justice articles for sojo.net over the program.
With mentorship from senior associate news editor Mitchell Atencio and senior associate opinion editor Josiah R. Daniels, participants will learn how to develop pitches, write, and revise their work. Cohort members will have the flexibility to do much of their writing on their own time and attend required monthly training sessions. Members of the cohort will have an initial 1:1 meeting with their editor, ongoing communication in a shared Slack station, and schedule additional meetings with their editor as needed throughout the program. At the end of the program participants will complete a program evaluation which helps them reflect on the experience and provide valuable feedback to our organization as we continue to develop this program.
We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 cohort, and we invite interested writers to apply by the end of November 2025.
REPRESENTATIVE JOURNALISM
At Sojourners, we believe journalists help articulate the truth about the kind of world we live in and the kind of world we want to see. Yet journalism has been closely intertwined with this nation’s history of race, religion, and democracy; the people reporting the news and the people whose viewpoints the news amplifies do not often reflect the full and diverse promise of the world we inhabit or envision. To help address this critical gap, Sojourners has created the Sojourners Journalism Cohort.
This program provides AAPI, Black, Indigenous, Latine, and/or persons of color the experience they need to build their work writing about issues of religion and social justice. This project will uplift the perspectives of under-represented communities by offering young writers and journalists from these communities mentorship and writing opportunities.
NEWS REPORTING COHORT
Cohort members focused on news reporting will work with senior associate news editor Mitchell Atencio to report on news stories about and affecting faith communities and social justice movements. During the program, cohort members will receive guidance on interview strategies, pitching and research, news writing, and journalism ethics. People who might be ideally suited for the news reporting cohort could include students in journalism school, recent graduates of journalism programs, people with other writing backgrounds interested in transitioning to news reporting, and early-career journalists wishing to broaden their writing on faith and justice.
OPINION WRITING COHORT
Cohort members focused on opinion and commentary writing will work with senior associate opinion editor Josiah R. Daniels to write insightful commentaries on contemporary topics and news. Training for opinion columnists will include developing a writing voice, building an argument, and writing compelling pitches. People who might be ideally suited for this program include divinity school students or recent graduates; justice advocates and organizers; or folks who work in ministry contexts who are looking to gain experience writing for a general audience.
SOJOURNERS EDITORIAL MISSION AND VALUES
Excellence: Striving to achieve the highest quality of journalism, social analysis, and spiritual writing.
Life and Dignity: Promoting respect and honor for all members of the human family and the sacredness of creation.
Social Justice: The economically poor, politically marginalized, and socially vulnerable have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the church and the nation. We put to the moral test public and ecclesial policy decisions in terms of how they address these moral claims.
Global Community: Recognizing we are part of a global family that seeks peace and justice in all places, we work to center the witness of diverse voices across the globe.
Sojourners is an independent, award-winning print and online magazine of faith, culture, and politics. Our mission is to inspire hope and action by articulating the biblical call to racial and social justice, life and peace, and environmental stewardship.
Our call to prophetic interrogation means we seek the truth as informed by our biblical roots, uncover and explore injustices, and offer solutions consistent with our Christian values. We draw on a long and diverse tradition of Christians following Jesus and seeking justice, across different traditions, cultures, and times in history.
Our journalistic mission includes “comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.” In our print and online news, analysis, and spiritual reflection, as well as our multimedia stories, we seek to be fair in our coverage, while not advancing false equivalencies. Our writers have a point of view, and we insist that they be accurate in their reporting and analysis; rigorous, comprehensive, and ethical in their methods; and transparent with readers about how they have arrived at their conclusions.
Read more about our editorial policies and procedures.
TO APPLY
We invite you to apply to the Spring 2026 cohort here. The deadline for applications is November 29, 2025.
Statement of purpose
A statement of no more than 300 words explaining why you are interested in this program, what you most hope to learn, and how you see your work aligning with Sojourners’ editorial mission. Be sure to specify whether you are most interested in the news reporting or opinion writing cohort.
Sample pitches (2)
Following instructions in the application, applicants will be asked to submit two sample pitches that highlight the kind of work they would like to complete through the program.
Resume
A copy of your resume
FAQ
Who qualifies for the program?
AAPI, Black, Indigenous, Latine, and/or persons of color who are early in their careers or trying to develop a career as a writer. This can include college students, recent graduates, or people looking to break into opinion journalism or news reporting. Candidates should have less than 3 years of professional experience as a journalist.
How much will I be paid?
Cohort members will be paid up to $2500, disbursed in increments as follows: $500 upon successful completion of the first training session and $500 after successful completion of the final training session and program evaluation form. Cohort members will additionally be paid $300 per piece for each of the 3-5 pieces they publish during the cohort. Failure to complete the program requirements may result in forfeited payment.
What is the duration of the cohort?
Five months, beginning January 2026 through May 2026. (See the meeting dates below.)
Where is the cohort based?
The program is fully remote; Sojourners is based in Washington, D.C. All sessions will be conducted over Zoom.
How much will I write?
Cohort members will write approximately 3-5 pieces at 1,000 words each, with flexibility to write more concise pieces, or fewer lengthy pieces, at their editor’s discretion.
What are the meeting requirements?
Cohort members will attend a minimum of five total meetings at the dates listed below: an introduction and closing meeting, and three training sessions. Each of these sessions will last 45 minutes. Other meetings will be at the discretion of cohort members, in consultation with their editor.
Friday, Jan. 9 at 4:00pm ET
Friday, Feb. 6 at 4:00pm ET
Friday, March 6 at 4:00pm ET
Friday, April 10 at 4:00pm ET
Friday, May 15 at 4:00pm ET
What if I miss a meeting?
Cohort members are expected to attend all five meeting sessions, though an absence from one session will be permitted. Missing more than one session will need to be approved by Sojourners.
What will I write about?
Cohort members will broadly write about faith and justice, aligning their work with Sojourners’ editorial mission. Possible topics might include things like racism and Christian nationalism, poverty, or war and nonviolence. Please check out the stories published on sojo.net to get a sense of what we cover.
Do I have to be a Christian to be part of this cohort? Do I have to be religious or believe in God?
No. Sojourners is an ecumenical Christian organization, but we have always welcomed writers who were people of other faiths — or no faith at all. We do require that all cohort members align their work with Sojourners’ editorial mission and be enthusiastic about covering topics related to both faith and justice.
Will I have to pitch my own stories?
Yes. You will pitch at least one story a week. You will develop your own ideas for what you wish to write about, pitch that idea to your editor, and then work with your editor to refine that pitch as needed. Reporting cohort members may also be assigned stories.
Will I have to interview people?
Reporters will be required to conduct approximately three interviews for each piece. Columnists will consult their editor.
Will I be able to receive college credit or internship school credit through this program?
No.
My question isn’t answered here.
Email us at journalismcohort@sojo.net
--------------------
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Applications: Via the webform
Website: https://sojo.net
--------------------
LOOKING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES? Find additional jobs on Extra. Check out the upcoming deadlines on our PLUS+ Calendar. Filter the listings by category (worldwide opportunities, high-paying leads, paying publications, and non-pitching jobs). Use the search form on the homepage to find opportunities relevant to your interests.
WANT OUR DIGEST delivered to your inbox? Go to your email settings and make sure the notifications for Write Jobs PLUS+ are turned on. Want more tips? Read the welcome notes here.
