By TJA Editor in organizational news —

Meet the TJA x IRE Fellows

We're excited to announce the TJA x IRE Fellows who will be attending the upcoming Investigative Reporters and Editors conference this month! Thanks to support from TransLash Media and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, we're sending 11 reporters and editors to Anaheim for valuable training in investigative journalism, data reporting, and trans-specific coverage.

Get to know more about these TJA members and learn more about what they're up to.

TransLash Fellows

A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Lil Kalish), their current position (LGBTQ+ Rights Reporter at HuffPost), a photo, and bio (Lil Kalish (they/them) is an LGBTQ+ rights reporter at HuffPost where they cover legislative and political attacks on LGBTQ+ people and the ways communities engage in mutual aid. Their work appears in Mother Jones, The Los Angeles Times, and The Guardian. They are based in Los Angeles.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Nasir Anthony Montalvo), their current position (Managing Editor at The Kansas City Defender), a photo, and bio (Nasir Anthony Montalvo (they/them) is an award-winning transdisciplinary artist; and founder of Kansas City’s abolitionist, Black-queer community archive, {B/qKC}. Originally from Kissimmee, Florida, Montalvo now resides in Missouri as part-time Managing Editor for The Kansas City Defender. They can be found at @1800nasi.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (B. 'Toastie' Oaster), their current position (Staff Writer at High Country News), a photo, and bio (B. ‘Toastie’ Oaster (they/them) is an award-winning Indigenous affairs reporter writing from the Pacific Northwest. They’re a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

MacArthur Fellows

A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Margo Anderson), their current position (senior associated editor at IEEE Spectrum), a photo, and bio (Margo Anderson (she/her) is an editor and beat reporter for IEEE Spectrum, a global technology publication that covers the industry for engineers, technologists, researchers, and tech enthusiasts. She is developing a fellowship for disability rights and assistive tech journalism. Margo's main beat is telecommunications.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Tat Bellamy-Walker), their current position (communities reporter at The Seattle Times), a photo, and bio (Tat Bellamy-Walker (they/them) is a communities reporter at the Seattle Times. Their work focuses on social justice, race, economics, and LGBTQIA+ issues in the Pacific Northwest. Tat also serves on the National Association of Hispanic Journalists LGBTQIA+ Task Force, as a member of the Seattle Times Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Drew Xolaya Costley), their current position (Assistant Managing Editor at Verite News), a photo, and bio (Veteran journalist Drew Costley (they/them) is an assistant managing editor at Verite News, a Black-led nonprofit newsroom that covers Greater New Orleans. They cover science, environment, climate, health and the LGBTQIA+ community. Before Verite, they worked for the Associated Press, SFGate, USA Today and ESPN the Magazine.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Jireh Deng), their current position (Fellow at the Los Angeles Times at Los Angeles Times, co-director of AAJA's LGBTQ affinity group.), a photo, and bio (Jireh Deng (they/them) is a queer Asian American writer and filmmaker born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley. They are in a year-long fellowship at The Los Angeles Times. They co-founded the Asian American Journalists Association LGBTQIA+ affinity group. You can follow them on social media at @bokchoy_baobei.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Luca Evans), their current position (Freelance at ITN Productions), a photo, and bio (Luca Evans (they/them) is an award-winning audio producer, journalist, filmmaker and drag king based in Brooklyn. Their highlights include working at The Guardian and the BBC, creating an award-winning podcast by and for young people around the climate crisis, and producing two audio docs for BBC R4 centering trans voices. Luca is currently working for ITN production on an investigative podcast.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Izz Scott LaMagdeleine), their current position (Web Producer/Production Editor at Snopes), a photo, and bio (Izz Scott LaMagdeleine (they/them) is the web producer/production editor for Snopes. They were first hired as a fact-checker, and previously worked in audience engagement at publications like CalMatters, The Texas Tribune and PolitiFact. They love Studio Ghibli movies, Carly Rae Jepsen bops and massaman curry.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Vivian McCall), their current position (Staff Writer at The Stranger), a photo, and bio (Vivian McCall (she/her) is a staff writer for The Stranger covering queer culture and politics in Washington State.
A purple and white graphic with the author's name (Riley Roliff), their current position (Freelance at Has freelanced for The Nation, In These Times, The Buckeye Flame, and more.), a photo, and bio (Riley Roliff (she/her) is a freelance journalist and researcher. She has written about the intersections between LGBTQ+ rights, the labor movement, and the U.S. prison system for The Nation and The Buckeye Flame. She recently contributed data analysis for an In These Times cover story about AIPAC’s targeting of progressive legislators.

About our fellowship sponsors

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's support is sending eight trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive journalists to receive skills and job training in investigative reporting techniques.

About MacArthur

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. More information at macfound.org.
TransLash Media's support is sending three trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive journalists to receive skills and job training in investigative reporting techniques.

About TransLash

TransLash Media produces award-winning content which uses the power of journalism and nonfiction storytelling to center the humanity of trans people in order to end violence and protect democracy. More information about TransLash Media can be found at www.translash.org.

Want to support programs like this?

The Trans Journalists Association is building a community of supporters who care about creating more opportunities for trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive journalists to become reporters, editors, and thought leaders in news and media industries.

A recurring donation helps underwrite fellowships like these.

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