We’re thrilled to announce our inaugural Local Journalism Fellows. The fellowship is a 10-week, paid opportunity for aspiring and emerging journalists from communities underrepresented in journalism. After receiving nearly one hundred applications from journalists, writers, and multimedia storytellers from across all of Toronto, we narrowed the pool of applicants down to just four talented individuals. We’re proud to welcome Brannavy Jeyasundaram, Furqan Mohamed, Yader Guzman, and Inori Roy as our 2020 Local Journalism Fellows!

Brannavy Jeyasundaram is an Eelam Tamil writer with an interest in exploring diasporic memory and place-making in Toronto. Presently, she works as the Operations Officer at People For Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) and a Researcher and Curator at the Toronto Ward Museum. Her writing can be found in NOW Toronto, The Jacobin, The Dance Current and Tamil Guardian.

Furqan Mohamed is a writer from Toronto, whose work centres around culture and social justice. Her writing is often inspired by her diaspora, community, and the stories that can stem from the shared human experience. She is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto.

Yader Guzman is a documentary photographer based in Toronto, and he is a member of Diversify Photo. He has worked with publications such as The Globe and Mail, Macleans Magazine, and The San Francisco Chronicle, among others. Yader’s personal work has focused on issues of human rights, culture, and the exploration of his roots in his home country of Nicaragua.

Inori Roy is a journalist and recent graduate of City, University of London’s MA Investigative Journalism program. She is interested in stories that bring together complex data analysis and compelling individual experiences to illustrate social inequality. Her work has previously appeared in Unearthed, the Toronto Star, and the CBC.

The Local Journalism Fellowship is supported by the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund and Toronto Foundation.