Meet the Project C ONA25 Creator Cohort!

Back in late June, in partnership with The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the Online News Association, we put out a call for independent journalists to apply for the first-ever Project C Creator Cohort at ONA25 — and the response blew us away.

We heard from journalists across the U.S. and around the world, reaching audiences on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, podcasts, newsletters, and their own websites. The applications were smart, moving, and offered a vivid snapshot of the incredible range of creator-model journalism happening right now — across every topic imaginable, and in communities both big and small.

In the end, we could only select 10 U.S.-based journalists to join us this September in New Orleans. I’m thrilled to introduce you to them and spotlight the important work they’re doing:

⭐️ James Cave | The Jiffy - Website/newsletter/podcast
“The Jiffy is an independent media project that explores the culture, history, and everyday life of upstate New York. It’s part documentary, part personal experiment in what a one-person newsroom can look like. I produce short films, a podcast, a biweekly newsletter, and photo essays that combine curiosity with a commitment to careful, place-based storytelling. The Jiffy is built on the idea that small, specific stories (about regional food traditions, overlooked architecture, or the histories that shape our towns) can illuminate larger questions about identity, community, and what it means to belong somewhere.”

 ⭐️ Jonece Starr Dunigan | Black Joy Behind the Scenes - Newsletter
“I dedicate myself to creating content and journalism that centers the birthright of our joy. Blackness is not monolithic. Thus, the brand’s audience is anyone within the African Diaspora. We honor church folk and astrologists, history and afrofuturism, the elders and youngins. The vastness of Black joy gives me the space to connect the community with our content in multiple ways so no one is left alone.”

⭐️ Rivan Dwiastono | rivanupdates - TikTok
“My Indonesian-language project consists of two types of content: News and explainer videos on U.S. politics and foreign policy, Indonesia–U.S. relations, and international affairs – and a weekend video series titled "Tinggal di Amerika" (“Living in America” in English), which explores and explains aspects of American life.”

⭐️ Hannah Gaber | Jew-ish - Podcast
 “Jew-ish started it in the wake of the Kanye West and Kyrie Irving controversy to demystify Judaism for people of all backgrounds, provide a venue for people to ask ‘stupid questions’ rather than sit in ignorance, and showcase all we have in common.”

⭐️ Rey Katz | Amplify Respect - Newsletter
“Amplify Respect shares relatable LGBTQ+ stories to build empathy and understanding, rooted in respect for people, culture, and ecosystems. My work is for LGBTQ+ folks and allies. My goals are to provide useful, shareable, relatable content to help people practice inclusivity in their everyday lives and to build supportive community.”

⭐️ Henok Mengistu | Ethiopique - Website
"Ethiopique is a local news platform that covers local news and happenings in the DMV area to the Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrant community. I publish news and explainers in Amharic, which is the primary language of my audience. Almost all of my readers are working class immigrants whose mother tongue is Amharic, and do not see themselves reflected in mainstream media."

⭐️ Hanna Raskin | The Food Section - Newsletter
“The Food Section is a daily newsletter for readers who want to better understand the American South and its people through food and drink. We serve intellectually curious eaters in the region and beyond who've been shortchanged by legacy media outsourcing its restaurant coverage to PR firms and ceding control of culinary conversations to influencers beholden to similarly monied interests.”

⭐️ Paul Rivera | paulriveranews - TikTok
“I highlight people and organizations trying to better the environment. I also report on the weather, climate, and the environment. I want to build something that changes lives and makes people care about this beautiful planet that we all live on. It’s my calling. I don’t believe there’s any other reason I’m here than to make this my mission.”

⭐️ Amber Sherman | The Law According to Amber - Instagram/Podcast
“The folks who see me at city council meetings and tell me they came because I explained an ordinance to them and they had to pull a public comment to speak against it. Or that I see at concerts or events who said they wouldn’t even understand what’s happening in local government if I wasn’t explaining it. Knowing that I’m actually making an impact and helping folks really motivates me to keep going and do more.”

⭐️ Laura Weffer Cifuentes | Esta es la Cosa - Website/Youtube/social/events
“Esta es la Cosa is a Spanish-language journalism channel that informs Hispanic communities in Georgia – and across the U.S. South – about local, state, and national politics, with a focus on immigration, civil rights, and the issues shaping their daily lives. We produce YouTube videos, social media content, and in-person events using clear, accessible, and culturally grounded language.”

Follow and support their work

We hope you’ll take a moment to explore and support the work of these incredible journalists. Each one is building something bold, smart, and deeply rooted in community — and we’re thrilled to have them in the Project C Creator Cohort. Give them a follow, subscribe to their newsletters, watch their videos, and share their work. This is what the future of journalism looks like — and it’s happening now.

Cohort members receive:

• Complimentary ONA25 registration + one-year ONA membership, courtesy ONA

• A $1,000 travel/lodging stipend, courtesy The Lenfest Institute

• Membership in the Project C Creator Journalist Bundle, including the private Slack community

• A complimentary 1:1 coaching session with a Going Solo instructor

• A great chance to connect with each other and the wider journalism ecosystem at ONA and beyond

🙏 Huge thanks to The Lenfest Institute and the Online News Association for making this cohort possible.