Every year, Carleton’s School of Journalism awards its students numerous scholarships and awards. Graduating students in particular are recognized for their dedication to issues such as business and politics, the environment, community and investigative journalism.

Yet dedicated support from the school for Indigenous, Black and Racialized undergraduate students, and support for critical reporting on race and racial inequality, has historically been lacking. Moreover, not every student has the ability to participate in unpaid internships, which is still a reality of the Journalism industry.

Journalists of colour have written essays and calls to action to increase diversity within the industry. This change can and should begin within schools of journalism, where journalists are taught key skills for life in the newsroom.

The Journalism chapter of the Carleton Alumni Association, in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Black Journalists (CABJ) and Canadian Journalists of Colour (CJOC), committed to fundraising, through a grass-roots approach, an award for a graduating student who has demonstrated a deep understanding of these diversity and race-related issues. This award is meant to support upper-year Indigenous, Black and Racialized undergraduate students as they seek to gain professional experience.

The award’s objective is to support graduating students with a funded opportunity to pursue reporting of their choice and to encourage students to shine light on the systemic injustices that exist within Canadian society today. Applicants will have the freedom to pursue any story they feel passionately about including diversity, inclusion, race, and racial justice issues.