Has your career been affected by COVID-19?

At a time when the global pandemic seems to have turned the world upside down, journalism is more important than ever – and so is the representation of women.

In this historic moment, we must stand together to fulfill JAWS’ mission of supporting women in journalism and working toward a more accurate portrayal of the whole society. Women, underrepresented in U.S. newsrooms even before COVID-19, are already suffering higher unemployment than men during this crisis – and the numbers are even worse for women of color. 

We need each other more than ever to collectively buck this trend. We are stronger together! But we know the tangible problems facing our memebrs, and journalists all over the country. Right now, we're offering hardship waivers for current members. You can extend your membership for 2, 4 or 6 months, delaying your renewal and continuing to be part of the JAWS coomunity.

Journalism and Women Symposium is here to help you grow your network and learn new skills to succeed professionally with virtual networking, webinars, online training discounts and regional programming. We support each other personally and professionally, sharing job opportunities, contacts, knowledge and lived experiences to help each other succeed, and work relentlessly to grow equity and inclusion in the industry. 

But we can only continue to do all this with your membership and involvement. Women journalists around the globe need you in these unprecedented times. 

If you're at risk of losing your memebrship because of a loss of work, furlough, or other conisderations, please act now to request a waiver on your membership. Stay with JAWS today to strengthen the sisterhood and help more women journalists succeed together.

At a time when the global pandemic seems to have turned the world upside down, journalism is more important than ever – and so is the representation of women.
 

Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS) brings together working journalists and journalism educators and researchers from across the country to share resources, support, training and information about issues that affect women in our field. We meet in person and online in an atmosphere of mutual support and allow each other a chance to exercise the tongue instead of biting it.

We characterize our mission this way: “JAWS supports the professional empowerment and personal growth of women in journalism and works toward a more accurate portrayal of the whole society.” 

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Five reasons to renew! You get:

1. A growing network of JAWS women who can offer motivation, support and ideas, not to mention the all-important comic relief and camaraderie; we have regional groups and captains hosting events in different hubs across the country.
2. The JAWS directory with your name and contact information as well as those of hundreds of other JAWS members.
3. Access to the JAWS private Facebook group, allowing you to communicate with JAWS members around the country and share ideas, experiences, and news affecting women that you may not see reported elsewhere.
4. Free members-only webinars and discount registration to our annual Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP).
5. Other valuable member-only benefits and discounts offered by strategic partners.

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Who Can Be a JAWS Member

There are two categories of membership: voting and associate. All memberships are subject to board approval. If your work or education circumstances have changed, you're welcome to renew under a more accurate category. JAWS operations may contact you in the event of such changes (for example, to confirm enrollment in a journalism degree program or a career change that makes a member eligible for voting memebrship). The membership criteria are as follows:

Voting membership (including Emerging Professional and Lifetime membership) is open to:

• Journalists who are employed in digital news; broadcast, cable or online TV; radio or podcasts; newspapers; news services or syndicates; magazines; and social platforms that disseminate news and information.
• Journalists whose primary occupation is freelancing in the fields listed above.
• Journalism educators and administrators.
• People whose primary occupation is research or publishing in the field of journalism.
• People employed by organizations dedicated to serving journalists.

Associate members (including Student members) are entitled to all the privileges of membership except voting and pay the same dues and fees. The following people may join:

• Students* of journalism and those active in campus media at the college level or above
• Former journalists with at least three years of experience and who embrace or further the mission of Journalism and Women Symposium
• Freelance journalists who meet all of the following criteria:
  • Currently spend less than 50 percent of their time working for independent news organizations 
  • Who do not pitch stories on behalf of clients to other journalists
  • Have no media relations role
  • Who embrace or further the mission of Journalism and Women Symposium.

*For purposes of this membership category, a student is defined as someone currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program.

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How to Join or Renew

To join or give a gift by check, please make your check payable to Journalism & Women Symposium and mail to:

Journalism and Women Symposium
2885 Sanford Ave. SW, #29226,
Grandville, MI 49418-1342

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Partnerships

JAWS currently offers an exchange memebrship rate for existing memebrs of the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR).  JAWS actively seeks collaborative partnerships with other journalism groups to promote cross-membership and attendance at events such as regional gatherings and our annual Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP).