JHR is thrilled to recognize the 2024 cohort of fellows in the BIPOC Youth Journalism Training Fellowship Program, funded by the Government of Canada and the RBC Foundation in support of RBC Future Launch.
The initiative focuses on addressing the lack of diversity in the Canadian media landscape through paid work placements and training opportunities. The fellowship aims to platform voices that have historically been marginalized, and to promote a more inclusive and diverse media environment. Through networking, skill-building, and exposure, youth in this program will leave better equipped to pursue careers in journalism.
This year, we’re happy to partner with The Rover, a locally-owned Montreal news site that reads like a magazine and always tells stories from the ground up; Ku’ku’kwes News, the only independently owned news website that covers Indigenous news in Atlantic Canada; and The Local, a non-profit online magazine covering urban health and social issues in Toronto.
JHR is grateful for the support from our partners, without whom this important work would not be possible.
Meet some of the fellows:
Neha Chollangi, The Rover
Neha Chollangi is a journalist based in Montreal where she covers grassroots activism, climate adaptation, and immigrant issues. She previously worked as a local journalist in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and reported on social impact and philanthropy for Future of Good.
Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre, Ku’ku’kwes News
Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre is a journalist, reporting for Ku’ku’kwes News. He uses his investigation, photography, and data visualization skills to highlight the value of local and underserved communities in Canada. Based in Toronto, his coverage includes politics, health, diaspora, and social issues.
Natalia Rivero Gómez, The Rover
Natalia Rivero Gómez is a journalist from Bogotá, Colombia. She’s passionate about cultural journalism and covering social issues. She loves learning new ways to approach stories fairly and accurately.
Aswin Nair, Ku’ku’kwes News
Aswin Nair is a writer, photographer and storyteller who focuses on social justice reporting. As someone who has lived in different parts of the world, he is always on the lookout for new experiences, styles, and topics to cover and photograph. He is an advocate for creating spaces for discussion around mental health and is also a newsletter editor at the Asian Mental Health Project.
Mzwandile Poncana, The Local
Mzwandile Poncana is a Toronto-based journalist, writer, and graduate of Concordia University’s graduate journalism program. His work primarily covers social justice issues such as migrant and labour rights, decarceration, and the intersection between marginalized identities and health. He’s passionate about using both investigative journalism and solutions reporting to tell these stories. His work has appeared in the Toronto Star, Ricochet, Xtra Magazine, and Broadview Magazine, among other places. He was the 2023 recipient of the Canadian Journalism Foundation and the Investigative Journalism Bureau’s Black Journalism Fellowship.
Matthew Molinaro, The Local
Matthew Molinaro is a journalist, cultural worker, and incoming graduate student at the University of Toronto. He holds a BA in English (First-Class Honours) from McGill University. There, he served as editor-in-chief of The Tribune—a student-run, anti-oppressive newspaper—and organized in the Black Students’ Network political portfolio. Matthew writes and reports on social movements, racial justice, and culture.
