Some tools for staying safe and well, from our partners
A chemical irritant canister remains at the scene where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot a man while trying to apprehend him on Jan. 15 in north Minneapolis. Protests erupted after the shooting and federal agents deployed chemical irritants as crowd dispersal. Ellen Schmidt | MinnPost | CatchLight Local | Report for America
By Meg Martin Minnesota Journalism Center
In the days after a federal agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, immigration enforcement actions have escalated in the city and across the state.
The actions have brought more community members to the streets, and more tense interactions between federal agents and protesters, legal observers and neighbors. Journalists covering the story are regularly caught up in the fray.
The Minnesota Journalism Center will continue to build out our safety and resilience resources for local and national journalists covering the story — here's a collection of some of the most useful resources from our programming and training partners around the world.
Staying Safe, Staying Well: Use these checklists on your next assignment
Minnesota Journalists: Hotlines to call for immediate help
Physical safety resources from the International Women’s Media Foundation
IWMF is among the world's leading safety organizations for journalists. They offer consultations, training and funding to help support journalist safety in the field.
- 1:1 Consultation with IWMF safety experts (physical or digital): Request a consultation — from the field or from your newsroom — with IWMF safety experts
- U.S. Emergency Funds: Request grants for mental health support, replacement of equipment and PPE
- IWMF Safety Resources: Browse all of the IWMF's safety resources, including guides, webinars and self-paced courses
- IWMF onesheet: Journalist safety during immigration enforcement operations and protest coverage
Risk assessment resources from the ACOS Alliance and Committee to Protect Journalists
ACOS Alliance is a collaborative effort among some of the world’s most prominent journalist safety experts. They’ve developed excellent tools, many of which are built specifically for freelancers.
Additionally, the James Foley Foundation has developed helpful modules if you’re looking for training refreshers or other risk assessment tools.
- Assignment safety checklists: Designed to help freelance journalists and the editors you work with ensure you have considered all the relevant safety concerns before a story commission or assignment
- Risk assessment template: Available in multiple languages; use this template to document the risks of any given assignment, assess how to mitigate those risks and develop a contingency plan
- PPE guide and glossary: Use this tool to determine which types of PPE are most relevant to the needs of your assignment
- Safety management resources: Protocol templates for assignments, safety self-assessment for your news organization and more
- Resources for journalists covering protests: CPJ has compiled a set of resources to help journalists anticipate and plan for some of the risks involved with covering protests, civil unrest, and other unpredictable crowds.
Legal resources from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
The RCFP's invaluable legal hotline is staffed 24/7 for journalists in need. You will reach an attorney almost immediately, when you call or submit a request through their online form.
- RCFP Legal Hotline: Journalists and news organizations seeking assistance with specific legal questions or issues can contact the free Legal Hotline via the online form at rcfp.org/hotline, or in an emergency by calling 1-800-336-4243.
- Immigration Reporting Legal Guide: Updated resource for best practices, public records and a guide to immigration proceedings in the U.S.
- Police, Protesters, & the Press: Full guide and tipsheet
Mental health resources from the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma
The Global Center for Journalism and Trauma (formerly the Dart Center) offers training, best practices and tools for building and maintaining resilience in challenging times, for news leaders and staffers alike.
- Taking care of yourself: How to stay healthy and resilient in the midst of intense coverage
- Trauma-aware leadership: Guiding coverage and taking care of your colleagues
- Peer support: Strategies for taking care of your colleagues — during intense coverage and every day
- Journalist Trauma Support Network: Find a Minnesota-licensed trauma psychotherapist who’s been trained to treat journalists with occupation-related stress and trauma.
Digital safety resources from the Committee to Protect Journalists and PEN America
- Digital Safety Kit for Journalists: A step-by-step starting point for journalists who want to increase their digital safety
- Online Harassment Field Manual: An excellent guide for preparing — and responding to — online abuse, with additional resources for self-care, legal considerations and finding support
- What To Do If You’ve Been Doxed Or Placed On A Watchlist: A step-by-step guide for affected journalists and their support systems
- DIY guides for better protecting yourself from online abuse: A refined compilation of tools and resources from digital safety experts around the world
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