Black Mental Health Matters Inc
Volunteer Mental Health Journalist
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THE BMHM REPORT
Mental Health Journalism Fellowship Program
Black Mental Health Matters Inc. (BMHM)
The News. The Voices. The Healing.
About the Fellowship
The BMHM Report Mental Health Journalism Fellowship is a practical journalism program designed to develop emerging journalists who want to report on mental health through a culturally competent Black-community lens.
The fellowship is the news and analysis arm of the Black Mental Health Matters Show, giving fellows an opportunity to research, report, interview, and produce stories examining the issues, policies, research, cultural moments, and lived experiences shaping mental health and emotional wellbeing in Black communities.
Fellows will work with BMHM's editorial team and subject-matter professionals to develop accurate, compassionate, and community-centered journalism.
Fellowship Objectives
The program aims to:
- Develop the next generation of Black mental health journalists.
- Strengthen culturally competent health and mental health reporting.
- Increase public understanding of mental health issues affecting Black communities.
- Bridge the gap between mental health research, news, policy, and lived experience.
- Challenge stigma and misinformation through responsible journalism.
- Highlight solutions, resources, organizations, and people working to improve mental health.
- Give emerging journalists opportunities to build published portfolios.
What Fellows Will Report On
Fellows may investigate and report on topics including:
- Black youth and adolescent mental health
- Black women's mental health
- Black men's mental health
- Racial trauma and intergenerational trauma
- Workplace stress, burnout, and discrimination
- Mental health and healthcare access
- Mental health policy and legislation
- Criminal justice and mental health
- Addiction and recovery
- Suicide prevention
- Maternal and family mental health
- LGBTQ+ mental health within Black communities
- Mental health and poverty
- Immigration and displacement
- Mental health representation in media and popular culture
- Emerging mental health research
- Technology and AI in mental healthcare
- Community-based approaches to healing
Fellowship Responsibilities
Fellows will:
- Research and develop original mental health stories.
- Pitch story ideas to the BMHM editorial team.
- Conduct interviews with mental health professionals, researchers, advocates, policymakers, community leaders, and people with lived experience.
- Cover relevant news, research, policy developments, and cultural events.
- Translate complex research and mental health information into accessible public-facing journalism.
- Fact-check information and responsibly source clinical, scientific, and statistical claims.
- Practice ethical and trauma-informed interviewing.
- Identify culturally relevant perspectives often missing from mainstream coverage.
- Produce written articles, interviews, news segments, or companion content for The BMHM Report and the BMHM Show.
- Identify resources and solutions alongside reporting on problems.
- Collaborate with editors and subject-matter experts before publication.
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Fellowship Training
Fellows will receive practical training and mentorship in:
- Mental Health Journalism
- Understanding how to report accurately and responsibly on mental health.
- Journalistic Ethics
- Sourcing, attribution, verification, fact-checking, conflicts of interest, and responsible reporting.
- Trauma-Informed Journalism
- Interviewing people experiencing trauma, grief, mental illness, or other sensitive circumstances with care and dignity.
- Culturally Competent Reporting
- Understanding how race, culture, history, socioeconomic conditions, and structural inequities influence mental health.
- Research & Data Journalism
- Finding, evaluating, interpreting, and communicating mental health research and statistics.
- Interviewing
- Developing effective questions and conducting interviews with professionals and people with lived experience.
- Story Development
- Turning research, news events, and community concerns into compelling stories.
- Solutions Journalism
- Moving beyond simply identifying problems to examining responses, resources, innovations, and community-led solutions.
- Mentorship
- Each fellow will receive editorial mentorship and subject-matter guidance to strengthen their reporting on mental health topics specific to Black communities, including racial trauma, healthcare equity, policy analysis, and culturally responsive storytelling.
Fellowship Deliverables
Each fellow is expected to complete a portfolio of published work during the fellowship, which may include:
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- Original reported articles
- Investigative or explanatory pieces
- Expert interviews
- Community profiles
- Research-based stories
- News analysis
- BMHM Report video segments
- BMHM Show companion articles
- Special reports
Selected work will be published through The BMHM Report and/or featured through BMHM media platforms.
Time Commitment
10–15 hours per week
The fellowship is remote and flexible, with scheduled editorial meetings, training sessions, mentorship, and reporting deadlines.
Who Should Apply?
The fellowship is open to:
- Journalism students and emerging journalists
- Psychology and behavioral-health students
- Public health students
- Communications and media students
- Social science students
- Recent graduates
- Community storytellers
- Content creators interested in health journalism
- Individuals with strong research, writing, interviewing, and storytelling skills
Journalism experience is preferred but not required. A demonstrated commitment to learning and reporting on Black mental health is essential.
What Fellows Gain
Fellows will receive:
- Practical mental health journalism experience
- Editorial mentorship
- Subject-matter guidance
- Published bylines and/or media credits
- A professional journalism portfolio
- Experience interviewing mental health professionals and community leaders
- Exposure to researchers, advocates, and public health professionals
- Networking opportunities
- Experience in culturally competent and trauma-informed reporting
- BMHM Mental Health Journalism Fellowship Certificate upon successful completion
- Letter of recommendation/reference upon request, based on performance
Fellowship Philosophy
The BMHM Report doesn't just name the problems; it surfaces the solutions, resources, and movements already underway. Fellows are expected to approach mental health journalism with curiosity, accuracy, empathy, cultural awareness, and a commitment to serving the community.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should submit:
- A brief statement explaining their interest in mental health journalism and Black mental health.
- A résumé or CV.
- A writing sample, published article, journalism clip, or relevant academic/research work.
- A brief description of one mental health story they would like to investigate.
Applications: news@bmhm.org
Website: bmhm.org
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