Planet Detroit

Call for pitches: Black, indigenous or person of color (BiPOC) journalists

We are thrilled to announce that the Detroit Equity Action Lab Race and Justice Media Collaboration at Wayne State University is partnering with Planet Detroit to support freelance journalists from marginalized communities. 

We seek pitches from Black, indigenous, or people of color (BiPOC) journalists for reporting centered around environmental health issues facing Detroit’s communities of color.

We’re looking for stories that go beyond the surface and disrupt common narratives about Detroit’s marginalized communities. We’re especially interested in human stories that help us understand how environment and health challenges impact Detroiters’ lives, now and over generations, and how community knowledge can lead to solutions at the grassroots.

Pitches can take the form of a written feature, reported essay, explainer, or short documentary film. All work must be based in fact and include original reporting.

Journalists will be offered competitive rates, resources, and mentorship. Our hope is to contribute to the cultivation of a strong stable of local journalists of color.

Send short pitches, writing samples, and resume to Nina Ignaczak nina@planetdetroit.org with the subject line: “PITCH: DEAL”

Please send pitches by July 9 EXTENDED TO MONDAY JULY 12.

Nina Misuraca Ignaczak

Nina Misuraca Ignaczak is a contributing editor for Detour Detroit. She is the founder and executive editor of Planet Detroit, a digital media startup that tells Detroit’s environmental stories while building a community of engaged readers who are informed and empowered to act personally and publicly. She is an award-winning freelance journalist who writes, edits and produces stories about the environment, place and identity. Her recent work has been published by Detour Detroit, Belt Magazine, HuffPost, Detroit Free Press, WDET, Crains Detroit Business, Business Insider, Curbed Detroit and Model D. Prior to her career in journalism, she worked in urban planning in the local government and nonprofit sectors. She has a Master of Science in Natural Resource Ecology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Michigan. Follow her on Twitter: @ninaignaczak

Recent Posts

Detour Detroit joining with Outlier Media to grow the future of independent local journalism in Detroit

Detour Detroit has officially joined forces with Outlier Media to help grow the future of…

3 years ago

How can Detroit’s community gardeners avoid losing their investment when they don’t own the land?

Detroit’s community gardeners have reactivated vacant lots across the city. Some emerging ownership models would…

3 years ago

Auburn Hills votes to opt out of SMART bus service

Auburn Hills City Council voted to opt out of SMART bus service in 2023, even…

3 years ago

The Detroit Development Tracker is now live – explore the map to see what’s being built in our city

Detour is thrilled to announce the launch of the Detroit Development Tracker, a tool to…

3 years ago

‘Take a deep breath’ before using Detroit’s new parking app, says city parking director

The new Detroit parking app promised lots of new features, but it's causing plenty of…

3 years ago

How a group of Detroit neighbors took on an asphalt plant

Residents in and around North Rosedale Park scored a rare victory when Detroit denied an…

3 years ago