Dear IJA Members,
It was just a few weeks after the Indigenous Media Conference when I sat down at my desk, ready to start the first board meeting with our 2025-2026 board of directors. I shifted in my chair with a sense of excitement, eager to see how this new board would respond to my vision for the organization that means so much to all of us.
Just before I logged into Zoom, I wrote down a few notes for a message I planned to deliver to them. As the newly elected president, I kicked off that meeting by sharing how I wanted to center the focus of our work on you, our members. How I hoped to earn back some of your trust that I believe we may have lost over the years. And how I wanted to make this organization one that truly belongs to its members.
Thankfully, the rest of the board and staff had similar ambitions, and so we went to work. It’s been about three months since that meeting, and I am proud to say that we have made much progress. Much of the work that the board and staff do happens through our committees, so in an effort to be more transparent with you about your organization, I have decided to share some of the work our board, with the help of staff and members, has done so far through our IJA committees.
Ethics and Press Freedom (chair – Angel Ellis)
In November, the committee participated in a fundraiser event in collaboration with the Oklahoma Media Center and Local Media Association to bring awareness to press freedom issues faced by Indigenous journalists. The committee is also working to engage partners to support IJA journalists who face adversities. To date, the committee has successfully supported three members who were subjected to censorship. Our next steps include engaging membership to determine how to best support them in their work.
Finance and Fundraising Committee (chair – Joseph Lee)
The committee has been working closely with the executive director and fund development director to improve IJA’s fundraising infrastructure and capacity. This includes creating a new Gift Acceptance Policy and updating the website with information for prospective and current donors. They are also developing fundraising leads and strategies that we will pursue throughout 2026, including conference sponsorships and more. We have ambitious fundraising and development goals that will allow IJA to continue to grow, support its members and advocate for Indigenous journalism. Lastly, the committee launched our end-of-year fundraiser, with a goal of raising $2500 to support IJA programs.
Membership Committee (chair – Joseph Lee)
The committee is focused on updating and improving the Indigenous Media Awards. We are reviewing member feedback from our membership surveys (shoutout to all who filled them out!) to make the awards a smoother and more rewarding experience — including clarifying categories, improving judging and increasing acknowledgment of winners at the Indigenous Media Conference and beyond. The committee also recently launched the Freelancer Database — a free resource for IJA members.
Governance and Election Committee (chair – Sunnie Clahchischiligi)
This committee has prioritized finalizing the bylaws and worked closely with a lawyer to ensure that all suggested changes are made. The committee is happy to share that we are just a few steps away from getting the bylaws to you for review and to cast your votes. Early this month, the final set of notes from the board was sent to the lawyer for review and revision. After the new year, we expect to receive a finalized draft that we can then prepare to get to members.
Education Committee (chair – Melissa Greene-Blye)
This committee has a new chair and is undergoing some changes. The committee had its first meeting in December, and in that meeting, the committee discussed how to approach the IJA fellowship program. There was also some discussion about member feedback (also from the membership survey results) that helped set priorities and initial goals for the committee. The committee will be working toward building more programming and opportunities for students and early-career members.
Strategic Planning (chair – Sunnie Clahchischiligi)
The committee worked closely with staff to plan and carry out the strategic planning meeting that took place in October. Strategic planning goals were revised and will be shared with you in a separate newsletter. Following the new year, the committee plans to meet to discuss effective ways to ensure the goals are being met and remain at the forefront of the board’s work.
Conference Committee (co-chair Alyssa London & co-chair Graham Lee Brewer)
The committee is in the foundational planning stage for the 2026 Indigenous Media Conference. Reviewing submitted proposals will make up a significant portion of the work in the coming months. They have also begun identifying potential keynote speakers. Staff will conduct a site visit in January to support program development and logistics. Committee members are excited about the conference location being more accessible to the city for exploration, while also drawing on the strong feedback received from the Albuquerque conference, which was reviewed at the last meeting.
Global Committee (chair – Angel Moore)
The committee created the Indigenous Identity reporting guide that was released ahead of the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, held in November. The committee continues to explore creating more opportunities for collaborations on the global stage and establishing connections with Indigenous journalists outside of the U.S. and Canada.
I invite you to connect with your fellow IJA members to join a committee or two (or more!), so that you can help shape the services and programs that are there to serve you as you continue to do the important work in your respective communities.
In an effort to make it easier to reach out and/or get information about the committees, we have created a single email address for members to use: committees@indigenousjournalists.org. Members can email the provided address to reach any of the committee chairs. We simply ask that you note which committee you are interested in or have questions about when you send your email.
As the year comes to an end, I would like to thank you for being a member of the Indigenous Journalists Association and for trusting this board to serve as your leadership. I also invite you to reach out to me directly should you have questions, concerns, or to simply connect. You may email me at sunnie@indigenousjournalists.org.
While closing out this letter to you, my cat Chub Chub is staring at me from her tree, eager for me to shut down my computer and give her some much-deserved attention.
Like her, I too am eager and anxious to see what more this board and this organization as a whole can do, and to see what the future has in store for us. As we wrap up the year, my wish is that you all have a joyful holiday season and that the new year brings you renewed hope, peace and resilience.
May you continue to walk in beauty,
Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi
IJA Board President
Upcoming Committee Meetings
- Jan. 5 – Governance/Elections committee meeting
- Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. – Ethics and Free Press committee meeting
- Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. – Board of Directors meeting
- Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. – Membership and Awards committee meeting
- Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. – Education committee meeting
- Jan. 15 at 5 p.m. – Finance and Fundraising committee meeting
- Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. – Strategic Plan committee meeting
- Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. – Global committee meeting
*All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.
