I had to take a moment to spotlight a big win for Black Canadian media. The Canadian Journalism Foundation just announced this year’s recipients of their Black Journalism Fellowship Program, and the 2025 cohort is stacked with talent. 🔥

This program isn’t just about placements—it’s about investing in Black voices, improving how our communities are covered in the news, and supporting the next generation of storytellers.

🙌🏾 Meet the 2025 Fellows:

• Myrialine Catule – Concordia University graduate and recipient of the CJF-IJB Black Journalism Fellowship.
• Amal Mohamud – Somali-Canadian journalist and producer in Edmonton, recipient of the CJF-CBC/Radio-Canada Black Women’s Journalism Fellowship.
• Adriel Smiley – Toronto-based journalist and creator of the Album Mode podcast, recipient of the CJF-CBC/Radio-Canada Black Journalism Fellowship.
• Bianca Thompson – Freelance multimedia journalist based in Toronto, recipient of the CJF-Globe and Mail Black Business Journalism Fellowship.
• Kayla Thompson – Journalist at Caribbean Vibrations TV, recipient of the CJF-CTV News Black Journalism Fellowship.

Each person will spend six months inside a major newsroom—learning everything from writing and research to investigative reporting and digital production. And yes, it’s a paid opportunity with mentorship included. That’s how you grow legacy.

Representation in journalism doesn’t just impact who tells the story—it shapes how the story is told. These kinds of fellowships are how we shift the narrative and bring more equity into the media space.

Shout out to the partners making this possible: CBC/Radio-Canada, CTV News, The Globe and Mail, IJB, and sponsors like Aritzia, BMO, and Canada Life. Your dollars in the right places = impact.

As Desmond Brown, puts it:

“This year’s cohort brings great energy and journalistic potential. They are an impressive group with powerful ideas.”

Desmond Brown is the Chair of the 2025 CJF Black Journalism Fellowship Jury.

Save the Date: The recipients will be honoured at the CJF Awards Ceremony on June 12, 2025, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. For More Info: Visit cjf-fjc.ca