+ Pitch to Publish: Expert Strategies from Top Editors

Want to successfully pitch your ideas to editors? Join us for a hands-on, inside conversation about what they’re looking for. Award-winning journalist Mary C. Curtis will interview Zeba Khan, Deputy Editorial Page Editor at The San Francisco Chronicle, and Luis Carrasco, Pulitzer Prize-winning Deputy Opinion Editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer. They’ll share advice on crafting compelling pitches, the best practices for getting your op-ed published, and take questions. These three journalists and experts are also longtime OpEd Project leaders, with a track record of lifting up new and diverse voices.

+ Speech, Power, Consequences

Many of you have asked for support and guidance navigating the risks of public speech. Three of our OpEd Project Fellows–Anika Collier Navaroli, Madelyn Rose Sanfilippo, and Samuel Mendez—are experts: Anika played a role in Twitter's decision to ban Trump, Madelyn researches online abuse and privacy, and Samuel created the Digital Safety Kit for Public Health. Join us for a hands-on discussion of strategies for speaking up at the individual, institutional, and community levels.

+ The Next Big Thing: Turning Op-Eds, Essays and Ideas into Books

Op-eds and essays are big ideas in-and-of themselves; but sometimes, those ideas need bigger packages--more words, more space, more room to grow. Drawing on their prolific experience as columnists, essayists, editors, and authors, Michele Weldon and Megan Stielstra--OpEd Project leaders and good friends--will discuss the path, process, and strategies of expanding short-form pieces into long-form manuscripts. Using Michele's forthcoming collection The Time We Have: Essays on Pandemic Living (NUP 2024) as a jumping-off point, they'll dig deep into the developmental process of creating a book from multiple op-eds and essays, tackling both research-based journalistic work and personal narrative storytelling.

+ Happily Ever After: Writing Romance to Change the World

Romance writing is the most reliably profitable genre in the publishing industry, and its profits, politics, fantasies, scandals, identities and authors have a lot to teach other writers–especially women and writers of color–about writing a compelling vision of a better world. Join us and three experts in the field: Chris Larson studies the economics of romance writing, Carole Bell reviews romance novels, Chloe Angyal writes them.

+ COMMUNITY FREE WRITE

Many of you have asked for opportunities to reconnect with each other and The OpEd Project, so we are hosting our first-ever Community Free Write: a 60-minute experiment in community. We’ll meet and greet, do a short free write (solo writing from the gut), come together in small groups to share and support each other and close out together. Want a dose of community and inspiration?

+ Writing Across Difference

Join us with Neil Young, a historian, prolific writer, and podcaster. This talk explores the challenges – and opportunities – of writing about those who are different from us and what unique skills and methodologies such a project requires, from the initial moment of conceptualizing through the research or reporting stage to the final act of writing itself. We’ll discuss the qualities of curiosity, respect, and empathy, and also integrity, dignity, and self-preservation.

+ Urgency and the Personal Essay

Join us with author and essayist Megan Stielstra for a lightning-bolt session that begins with the gut. What you need to tell; the memories, fascinations, and questions that live not in your head but in your bones. Then: craft—how to tell personal stories in ways that are equally urgent to an audience. Pulling from both literary and oral storytelling traditions, we’ll engage in activities (adapted for Zoom!) to get our experiences out of the body and onto the page, encouraging risk and discovery and examining literary craft in new ways.

+ Transcending Imposter syndrome

The extraordinary Gemma Bulos, an award-winning global entrepreneur and an expert on Imposter Syndrome—the condition of not experiencing success internally, despite a track record of high performance in external, objective ways. Gemma will unpack this debilitating dynamic and lead us in strategies to conquer it. This talk is open to people of all identities and positions, and is especially designed for diverse leaders looking to lead their teams and industries, and shape public discourse.

+ How Do You Tell The Story Of Your Business?

Tiffany Dufu (founder of The Cru) and Catherine Baxter (founder and CEO of Nettie), two powerful women entrepreneurs who understand the intersection between mission, community, dollars and the story we tell. From growth moments and seed funding to crisis management, these two effective storytellers will share their ideas, challenges, inspiration and advice.

+ Race, Health AND the Public Good: How to Infuse Big Systems with New Ideas

Dr. Uché Blackstock, a physician and passionate advocate for healthcare justice, took our public Write To Change The World workshop in New York City in late 2019. Just a few months later, she became one of the first to publish about COVID-19’s toll on Black and brown communities. By shining a light on what she witnessed as a clinician during the pandemic’s early days, she influenced legislators to create more equitable pandemic policy, and became an increasingly sought-after health equity expert, going on-air first at Yahoo News and then MSNBC. Her first book, LEGACY, on racism in medicine, is forthcoming in January 2024.

Dr. Amanda Calhoun became a Public Voices Fellow while a resident psychiatrist at Yale in 2021. She published 20 op-eds during her fellowship and appeared on CBS News. Since then, she has continued to publish widely on mental health and anti-Black racism. Amanda now has literary representation for two books with Janklow & Nesbit, and has become an OpEd Project facilitator and coach.

Join us with Dr. Blackstock and Dr. Calhoun as they discuss their roles in changing narratives of health, both of the body and the body politic.

+ Lights, Camera, Inclusion: Diversifying Hollywood’s Stories

A thought-provoking discussion on the stakes of onscreen storytelling by and for underrepresented voices. Kamala Avila-Salmon, a trailblazing advocate for diversity in entertainment, who has helped creators from Janelle Monae to Jada Pinkett Smith share their stories with the world, will be in conversation with Helen Estabrook, an Oscar-nominated producer who currently produces film and TV projects from the nation’s leading writers at Condé Nast.

Sharing their experiences, insights, and visions for a more equitable Hollywood, Avila-Salmon and Estabrook will delve into the challenges faced by marginalized communities in the industry, discuss strategies for fostering inclusive storytelling as well as diverse talent both in front of and behind the camera, and explore what it means for the rest of us to bring new stories to the forefront of mainstream attention.

+ Thought Leadership in the Age of Contagious Technologies

We are living in a contagious world where ideas can spread farther and faster than ever before. The pandemic has shown us how the impact of contagion can be devastating. We also now have access to solutions that were never before possible. As a global thought leadership project, we understand that it's important to look at how ideas spread through the media—including social media, where there are complicated tensions, and unevenly distributed risks.

In this Expert Talk, we aim to explore the evolving nature of how ideas come to change the world. We will interrogate the shifts in idea, flow, and scale, the mechanisms that drive them, and the potential around us. Because like it or not, the contagious world is already upon us, and those who understand it best will shape the future.

Award-winning journalist Teresa Puente and digital communications expert and leading commentator Sree Sreenivasan will discuss the platforms and tools that are driving public narrative, the risks of participation, the risk of not participating, and the evolving nature of thought leadership in the age of contagious technology.

+ Preach Beyond the Choir

Farai Chideya, one of the most courageous thought leaders we know, traversed the nation to interview people across vast differences of belief and background, and “let them speak until they reveal who they are.” A veteran journalist, novelist, and radio host, Farai is also the creator and host of the podcast Our Body Politic. If you are committed to speaking across differences—racial, political, geographical, and more—and if you want to learn to do so with more courage and empathy, and impact, join us with Farai and hear from one of the best.

+ Public impact Thought Leadership

Leading political commentator Dr. Christina Greer has had an outsized impact on her university, on the city of New York, and on the nation. In this follow-up to her extremely popular 2022 talk on Multi-Platform Thought Leadership, Dr. Greer will share practical steps and tactics for getting speaking gigs from opinion writing–from talks and news appearances to podcasts and television–and how to leverage these key opportunities into public impact. She’ll provide both overarching principles and specific, firsthand examples of public impact thought leadership.

+ How do you use your story to tell a bigger story?

Three award-winning journalists with far-ranging stories and wildly varied experiences share insights and inside knowledge that have helped them make the personal universal. Maria Hinojosa, author of Once I Was You: A Memoir Of Love and Hate In A Torn America, and Michele Weldon, author of Act Like You’re Having A Good Time, will be in conversation with Teresa Puente, an award-winning journalist and senior leader with The OpEd Project.

+ Where We Belong: Writing About Race & Place

Award-winning journalist and OpEd Project leader Deborah Douglas will join Michele Weldon to share insights, strategies, and lessons on writing about the intersection of race and place. Douglas will draw on her decades-long experience as a journalist, professor, thought-leader, and author. Her most recent book, “U.S. Civil Rights Trail: A Traveler’s Guide to the People, Places and Events That Made the Movement,” was published by Moon Travel in 2021.

+ Book Publishing for Thought Leaders

In this hands-on talk, veteran book editor and literary agent Laura Mazer will walk us through everything you need to know to get a book deal. She’ll explain the mechanics of the publishing industry, the roles of literary agents and acquisition editors, the function of book proposals, the secrets to crafting a strong query letter, and the pros and cons of mainstream publishing vs. self-publishing. If you are contemplating a book project, and need advice from an expert who’s rooting for you, this is for you.

As a founding board member of The OpEd Project, Laura is deeply invested in our mission to change who writes history, and we are proud to partner with her to elevate diverse new voices, including women of all backgrounds, in the book industry. 

+ Multi-Platform Thought Leadership

Dr. Christina Greer’s scholarship and ideas have shaped politics and public discourse across many platforms - from books to op-eds to TV and podcasts, live public events and more. Dr. Greer is also one of The OpEd Project’s first Public Voices Fellows - from our pilot fellowship year in 2012, where many of her current projects were taking root. Dr. Greer will share what she has learned in the decade since, how her ideas and scholarship have risen in influence, and also the ins and outs of how multi-platform thought leadership works: from op-eds to books to TV, and tips on dealing with bookers, contracts and going on air.

+ Who has the right to tell another person’s story?

Veteran journalist, bestselling author, and longtime OpEd Project fellowship leader Lauren Sandler is the author of THIS IS ALL I GOT: A NEW MOTHER’S SEARCH FOR HOME. It tells the story of an extraordinary young mother, and the constellation of factors that keeps her homeless. It has been recognized as an instant classic about poverty in America, and one of the New York Times Notable Books of 2021.

But it is not Lauren’s lived story. In fact, it is closer in some ways to Dan-el Padilla Peralta’s. An immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Dan-el experienced poverty and homelessness before he eventually became one of the leading classicists of his generation. Lauren and Dan-el will be in conversation about the story of home and homelessness and who has the right to tell it, and along the way they will discuss the complicated intersection of truth, power and who has the right to tell another’s story. This 60-minute live event + Q&A is part of The OpEd Project’s 2021 series of virtual Expert Talks exploring aspects of voice, identity, and how ideas come to change the world.

+ Reclaiming Narratives of Power and Justice

Until 2019, Jesse Vasquez was editor-in-chief of the San Quentin News, the only completely prisoner-managed newspaper in the nation, where he worked to tell the stories of inmates convicted of terrible crimes, from the inside. Yukari Kane, an OpEd Project mentor-editor, founded The Prison Journalism Project to do the same, from the outside. Join Jesse and Yukari as they explore how to invert the hierarchies of perceived expertise in the pursuit of radical change - both personal and institutional.

+ What Does Anti-Racist Media Look Like?

There’s an ongoing debate in our community about whether underrepresented communities should work to reinvent existing media, or invest in creating our own media—reflecting a more inclusive vision & ownership. What does a more powerful, anti-racist media look like?

Join us on Tuesday, February 1 at 7PM ET, with Deborah Douglas (co-editor in chief of The Emancipator) and Zeba Khan (opinion editor at San Fran Chronicle) to hear how they are changing the shape of voice, and future of media.

Under Deborah's leadership, The Emancipator, founded by Ibram X. Kendi and The Boston Globe, is reimagining 19th-century antislavery newspapers for today's national conversation on racial justice. Under Zeba's leadership, the SF Chronicle is diversifying its opinion pages and elevating a new kind of voice. Both Deb and Zeba are veteran journalists and editors, as well as longtime partners of The OpEd Project.

+ Facing Opposition, Tackling Trolls & Navigating Naysayers

As a working journalist with a strong voice and aptitude for building real connection with readers, Dr. Michelle Ferrier faced abuse online that led her to quit her job. In 2015 she began TrollBusters, an organization to combat trolls and provide women facing cyber harassment with much-need resources and support. From positive messaging and emotional support to digital safeguards and reputation management, TrollBusters offers what Columbia Journalism Review has called an “invaluable service.”

This conversation will explore the challenges facing so many, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, who experience trolling and will unpack what you can do to safeguard yourself and build community.

Join us for a lively conversation on Tuesday March 15 at 7 PM ET with the indomitable Michelle about her journey and her powerful tactics to counter hate with love. Michelle will be interviewed by OpEd Project senior leader Neil J. Young.

+ Starting New Platforms to Tell New Stories

We’re all here because we want to tell our stories, not only with our words but with our lives. The old platforms for telling stories were limiting and often exclusionary. Now there are new opportunities, but where do we start? Join OpEd Project Founder & CEO Katie Orenstein in conversation with Emily Ramshaw, Founder & CEO of nonprofit newsroom The 19th*, and Stephanie Drenka, Founder of VISIBLE Magazine, as they share what is happening in the shifting landscape of storytelling and news, what it takes to start a new platform, and strategies for being heard.

+ The Dilemmas of Taking Up Space: White Antiracist Thought Leadership

It’s beyond time for White people to take their role in ending racism seriously, and yet, when this quest happens in public, complications arise. How should White authors, newsletter writers and organizers think about the space they take up in the public dialogue around race? There does seem to be a real strategic advantage to having relatable White people inviting other White people along, and yet, it’s frustrating when White audiences respond to “trusted messengers” saying the same thing people of color have been saying for years. What creative, responsible and radical ways exist for White authors to be truly accountable? What ways can White authors share opportunities with leaders of color who are writing about racial justice that don’t feel tokenizing but genuinely collaborative? And how should White writers be thinking about the money they earn from writing about racism? These are just a few of the complex dynamics we hope to address.

Courtney Martin is the bestselling author of “Learning in Public: Lessons for a Racially Divided America from My Daughter’s School,” which describes her decision to enroll her daughter in a majority-Black local public school. While writing and promoting the book, Martin found herself tackling critical questions about the role of white thought leaders with anti-racist messages. Courtney will explore questions around messengers, accountability, opportunity, and money with two of the nation’s most prominent white thinkers and organizers on racial justice: Kate Schatz, author most recently of Do the Work with W. Kamau Bell, and Garrett Bucks, founder of the Barnraiser Project and author of The White Pages on Substack.

+ The Changing Landscape of Book Publishing for Thought Leaders

Join us and Jamia Wilson, Executive Editor of Random House, with veteran book editor and literary agent Laura Mazer in conversation on the changing landscape of book publishing and the evolving relationships between authors, editors, agents and audiences. They will share the mechanics of the publishing industry, the roles of literary agents and acquisition editors, the function of book proposals and the secrets of a good query letter, and the importance of representation up and down the pipeline—everything you need to know to get a book deal that counts.