Next City seeks two talented journalists of color for a one-year freelance reporting fellowship. Ideal candidates for the Equitable Cities Fellowship will have a demonstrated interest in urban development, as well as journalistic experience covering economic development, economic policy and social mobility. The Equitable Cities Fellowship is funded by the Surdna Foundation’s Strong Local Economies Program. The fellowships will begin in August.

Next City has chosen to limit the fellowship to people of color in an effort to bring underrepresented voices to the forefront of the conversation about cities and their future. Although minorities represent more than half the population of the 10 largest U.S. cities, they are vastly underrepresented in the media and in many conversations about urban trends and growth.

“When you’re reporting on issues related to job quality, equitable economic development and sustainability — all of which have an important impact on communities of color — it’s critical that you have a diversity of perspectives in the newsroom,” says Shawn Escoffery, director of the Surdna Foundation’s Strong Local Economies program. “How a publication covers an issue — and even if it covers an issue — is often determined by who is doing the reporting. Next City is committed to diversifying its newsroom and thus creating an environment in which different views lead to even better journalism.”

The Equitable Cities Fellowship is an opportunity for expressive, engaging writers who can weave together human interest stories with data and reporting. Fellows should be motivated to uncover promising strategies for building economic mobility and investigate those that are contributing to inequality. They will be expected to report on topics ranging from innovative programs for building wealth in marginalized communities, to ineffective subsidies for development, to wage law reform. Our fellows will be writing two to three articles a week, covering some of the most pressing economic issues affecting urban communities. There will be opportunities for funded travel and participation in all Next City events, including our annual Vanguard urban leadership conference.

Qualifications include:

— Bachelor’s degree

— Previous journalism experience

— Strong and demonstrated interest in cities, economic development and related public policy

— Outstanding research, writing and fact-checking skills

— Ability to independently develop story ideas and sources on a weekly basis

— Efficient and deadline-oriented approach to tasks

— Knowledge of CMS publishing and basic HTML

The fellowship is for one year, and there’s strong potential for the right candidates to continue a freelancer relationship with Next City after that period.

To apply, go to our Submittable link. Deadline for applications is Monday, July 6, 2015.