The Chicago Headline Club and the Chicago Headline Club Foundation announced today (June 6) that Injustice Watch and AirGo are recipients of the 2022 Intern Grant awards.
The Chicago Headline Club Foundation annually awards two $5,000 grants to fund internships at non-for-profit media organizations. The funds are designated to support the direct costs of internships from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.
The foundation board selected this year’s grantees from a diverse group of applicants representing non-profit print, broadcast, online and alternative news media organizations in the Chicago metropolitan area. Grant recipients were selected based on their commitment to providing hands-on, impactful experiences and stipends for journalism interns.
“The Chicago Headline Club Foundation is thrilled to support the work of these inspiring organizations, devoted to telling, sharing and amplifying stories of those too often underrepresented in our region,” said Foundation President Molly McDonough. “We are especially grateful that these nonprofit organizations have a commitment to training the next generation of journalists.”
Injustice Watch is a Chicago-based nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism organization that conducts in-depth research exposing institutional failures that obstruct justice and equality. Injustice Watch seeks to listen to and center people affected by institutional injustices and provide them with the perspectives, information, and resources to hold powerful people and oppressive systems accountable.
“Mentoring the next generation of investigative journalists is a key component of Injustice Watch’s mission,” said Injustice Watch Executive Director Juliet Sorensen. “The grant from the Chicago Headline Club Foundation helps to make it possible. We are deeply grateful.”
AirGo is a weekly podcast and movement media hub in Chicago that aims to use long-form audio to reshape the culture of the city and create a living dialogue-based archive of creative communities. AirGo produces podcasts featuring Chicago’s reimaginers: movement workers, artists, rappers, poets, musicians, organizers and changemakers.
“AirGo is proud to create pathways into media-making and journalism through this support from the Chicago Headline Club,” said Daniel Kisslinger, AirGo’s cohost and executive producer. “As participant documentarians, journalists, and storytellers, we know that resources like these make it possible for those working to reshape our city for the more liberatory to build the necessary skills to make the media that serves their movements.
“We are excited to bring this opportunity to our partners in Altgeld Gardens as we work with them to celebrate the vibrant environmental justice and social movements that have been born from their struggles for a vibrant, resourced community,” Kisslinger added.
As McDonough and Internship Grant Committee Chair Laura Washington noted, selecting grant recipients is a difficult task, given the number of high-quality applicants, demonstrated need, and commitment to supporting rising journalists in our community. The Headline Club Foundation is grateful to the donors and supporters who continue to make these grants possible.
Applications for next year’s grants will open in December 2022.