Feet in 2 Worlds is looking for stories for its online series, “Immigrants in a Divided Country,” exploring the current political landscape from the perspective of immigrants (including citizens, legal residents and undocumented people). We are interested in pitches that illustrate how some of the big issues dominating and polarizing the national dialogue play out in immigrant communities, stories about civic engagement and activism beyond election cycles, flash points in the culture wars, and efforts to bring together people from diverse communities and perspectives.
Specifically we are looking for stories on the following topics:
1) Immigrants in the abortion/reproductive health world. What is the experience of immigrant reproductive health care providers (from OBGYNs, nurses, counselors, sex educators, etc) in a post-Roe world? How do immigrant activists in the anti-abortion rights and pro-choice movement view the new restriction around access in their communities? We are looking for stories that tie the work, advocacy and/or personal experience of immigrants around the issue of abortion to the aspirations they have for their life in the U.S. How does the overturn of Roe change or reaffirm their perspective on why they came to America, and the promise of this country?
2) Latinos and Guns: One of the legacies of the pandemic is an increase in gun ownership in the U.S., including among Latinos. We are looking for stories that explore the perspectives of Latinos on gun ownership, gun rights and gun control. In particular, we are interested in stories based in the South, and/or that explore the cultural divide between rural and urban settings.
3) Muslim Americans women in the political sphere: In this year’s midterm elections, a record number of Muslim Americans were elected to public office in local, state, and federal elections. Many of them are women. We are interested in stories about Muslim women stepping into political roles and gaining visibility in the public and political sphere (as candidates, advocates and public servants). We are particularly interested in the role social media has played in increasing the visibility of Muslim women in politics to Muslim and non-Muslim constituents.
4) Naturalization and Becoming American: How do immigrants make the decision to become U.S. citizens? For some who are eligible to naturalize, it’s a practical decision. For others, an emotional one. How does the current political climate, differing ideas about patriotism, and fears of more restrictive immigration laws, impact these decisions one way or another? What does it mean to become American? What is gained and what is lost in the process?
5) Political Identity: We are looking for stories that explore the development of political views and identities of immigrants in the U.S. How does the immigrant experience transform or solidify existing political views and values? How does being “liberal” or “conservative” in the home country translate to this new American context? Is there something about the immigrant experience that makes someone more or less receptive to engaging with ideas from “the other side”? We are looking for stories that take us on a journey of how people got to where they are today.
Pitches should include:
- Human-centered stories and clear narrative arcs.
- Compelling characters (immigrants whose story will illustrate the larger themes explored in your piece, as well as experts, community leaders to help frame the stories with context and information that deepens our reporting).
- A focus on immigrant communities from different regions, backgrounds, and economic circumstances across the country.
- Story pitches can include a variety of formats, including podcast, audio, text, images and video.
Compensation:
Compensation for accepted stories will depend on factors including the experience level of the producer, the length of the story, and the complexity of the story. Payment for stories ranges from $250 to $1000.
Deadline:
The deadline for submissions has been extended. The new deadline is Sunday, December 11 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
How to Submit/Questions:
Please send submissions by completing this form.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact our editorial fellow, Virginia at: virginia@feetin2worlds.org
