Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA) board members will attend the Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Nov. 20-24.
IJA and the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) have been bringing Indigenous journalists together for three consecutive GIJN conferences. Over 1,500 attendees, including Indigenous journalists from around the world, are expected to attend the conference this year. IJA and GIJN are creating space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous journalists to gain the necessary skills and opportunity to investigate undercovered Indigenous stories.
Several IJA board members will attend the conference and participate in a range of activities, including training sessions, panels, and other events to promote Indigenous journalism. Board President Sunnie Clahchischiligi (Diné), Board Treasurer Joseph Lee (Aquinnah Wampanoag), Board Member Eden Fineday (Cree, Sweetgrass First Nation), Board Member Angel Moore (Cree, Peguis First Nation) and Board Member and INA co-founder Bryan Pollard (Cherokee Nation) will all be in attendance. Additionally, Tristan Ahtone, former IJA President, INA co-founder and Grist editor-at-large, is a featured speaker, appearing on two panels.
The Indigenous News Alliance (INA), a cross‑border network of Indigenous newsrooms from Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia, will host a launch event at the GIJC, aimed at sparking conversation and exploring opportunities for joint reporting, story‑sharing and investigative work.
IJA and INA representatives will come together to present a panel discussion on how to report stories that involve questions about Indigenous identity. Panelists will share examples of Indigenous identity fraud from around the world, tips on how to investigate these stories, and ways for reporters to evaluate sources who claim to be Indigenous.For questions about the GIJC or IJA’s global initiatives, contact Francine Compton fcompton@naja.com.
