Share your TJA testimonials. Plus, cover letter workshop takeaways

• Share your TJA testimonials
• Member spotlight
• 10 ways to ramp up your journalism cover letters
• Upcoming events
• Journalism opportunities & resources
• Job listings
• Work from our network

Share your TJA testimonials

We want to hear from you!

As a valued member or supporter of the TJA, your story can inspire others to join our mission and strengthen our impact. We’re collecting short testimonials about why you’re a part of this community — what drew you to our work, what keeps you connected, what it means to you, and why you feel others should support us.

We may share some of these submissions in upcoming fundraising events.

Fill out this form to let us know. Anonymous submissions are welcome. 

Member spotlight

TJA member Soleil Ho is part of the founding editorial team of Chrysalis Magazine, a literary magazine that will publish work from trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive youth.

Soleil Ho on the importance of trans youth voices

I’m so thrilled to support Chrysalis Magazine as its news editor as we embark on our mission to publish the writing and artwork of trans youth, who are too often talked about rather than given a chance to speak for themselves.

Chrysalis is currently accepting submissions from trans youth for their first issue, “Strength.”

10 ways to ramp up your journalism cover letters

Benét J. Wilson led a cover letter workshop for TJA members. Be sure to check out the recording on our members-only training page. Below are ten takeaways from the session.

10 do’s and don’ts for cover letters

1. Don’t use AI to write it. We can tell.
2. Do address it to a human being (if possible).
3. Don’t send the same cover letter everywhere you apply.
4. Do tell a story in your cover letter.
5. Don’t gush about wanting to always work for the outlet.
6. Do point out good stories you’ve seen on the outlet.
7. Do have an extra pair of eyes look at your letter before you hit send.
8. Don’t use crazy fonts in your cover letter.
9. Do keep it to one page.
10. Don’t repeat what’s on your resume.

Upcoming events

Demystifying Digital Security: Practical Guidance for Journalists

Journalists today face a wide range of digital security threats from doxxing to legal data requests. Knowing how to protect yourself — and your sources — is more important than ever.

In this members-only session, Ela Stapley of the International Women’s Media Foundation will guide participants through assessing their own digital risk and taking concrete steps to safeguard personal data and online accounts. You'll walk away with practical tips you can implement immediately to strengthen your digital security.

A short survey will be sent to all registrants ahead of the session to tailor the content to your needs.

Date & Time: May 12th at 10:00 AM ET / 7:00 AM PT

Register on our members' site.

May Book Club: "Morally Straight" by Mike De Socio

Join us for our May book club on Wednesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET. We will be meeting to discuss Morally Straight by Mike De Socio. Register with NLGJA. Meetings will last between 60-90 minutes and will be held on Zoom. 

Can't attend every meeting? No worries! Keep up with the book club in our TJA+Allies Slack by joining the #tja-x-nlgja-book-club channel. Looking ahead, our upcoming read is:

• Wednesday, June 25: The Hours by Michael Cunningham

Journalism opportunities & resources

The National Writers Union’s Freelance Solidarity Project is wrapping up a yearlong rate-sharing campaign. The campaign, called the Freelance Solidarity Challenge, has encouraged freelancers to share as many rates as possible in a rate-sharing database. The group will use the data to organize for improved rates. You can still enter all or some — or just one — of your freelancer rates since May 2024 into the rates database.

Job listings

• TransLash seeks an Executive Manager to the CEO

Check out our jobs listserv for additional opportunities. If you're an active TJA member, you can find a link to the listserv on your member dashboard.

Work from our network

• "It was dehumanizing" - Inside A Transgender Immigrant's Illegal Detention in Guantanamo Bay from The Free Radical
• Amid Growing Health Threats, Nurses Are Still Fighting for Basic Protections from Truthout
• Celebrating 'fur-ever': Couple adopts dog, gets married at Animal Care Society from WHAS11
• They Served Their Time. But They May Still Die in State Custody from The Appeal
• Advocates Say RFK Jr.’s Health Cuts Put Goal Of Ending HIV Out Of Reach from HuffPost
• “We’re Going to Do Whatever It Takes to Keep Her Safe”: How families are fighting to survive Trump’s war on transgender kids from Mother Jones

Stay in touch

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