By Sigourney Bell<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the 2026 National Association of Black Journalists Convention, journalists gathered at the career fair to network with recruiters; however, journalists are facing a difficult job market as news organizations continue to eliminate jobs across the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel like the landscape of journalism has changed a lot,\u201d said NABJ member Isaiah Maldonado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2023, Pew Research Center reported that Black journalists only make up 6% of newsroom employees nationwide. Concerns over the lack of diversity in reporting have only grown amid mass company layoffs earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An example is the Washington Post that eliminated 30% of its newsroom according to The New York Times. The Washington Post Guild says 45% of those fired were Black employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJournalism is under attack. People are losing jobs\u201d said NABJ member Avery Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an industry where consistent development and updated material is crucial, layoffs can cause major career setbacks for journalists<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt’s difficult to see your colleagues although they are competitors they\u2019re still friends and we\u2019re all in this industry together. So it’s really difficult to see them going through this hard time\u201d said NABJ attendee Paris Rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to these layoffs NABJ has expanded initiatives like NABJ CARES to further support members experiencing layoffs or career transitions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ben\u00e9t Wilson, NABJ CARES Committee chair, said layoffs are unfortunately the reality for many journalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou’re going to be laid off in your journalism career, that\u2019s just a given,\u201d she said. \u201cSo that\u2019s what we’re focusing on, and we’re just sharing our experiences and how we overcame our layoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For NABJ Members the initiative will help them navigate their new career search through programs like layoff recovery webinars, a career transition hub and a job seeking directory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wilson says the program is continuing to expand with even more resources especially during the fall season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additional information about NABJ CARES and how to access the resources can be found on the official NABJ website <\/a>and NABJ Headquarters youtube. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"