SEJ Is Here for You, Navigating What’s Ahead

SEJ President’s Report: SEJ Is Here for You, Navigating What’s Ahead

 

Halle Parker, our new Board President, the moment after her unanimous election. Photo: Aparna Mukherjee.

Hello from your newly elected president, following last month’s board officer elections! I’m relatively new to SEJ, so I wanted to introduce myself. I’m Halle Parker, an environment reporter for New Orleans Public Radio. I got to know SEJ in 2021 as a part of the first class of National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowships, hosted in partnership with the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. (Shoutout to my fellow SHERF-ies!)

Now, having served on the board — most recently as chair of the Programming Committee (aka ProComm) — I’m excited to give back to an organization that has already given me so much in just a few short years.

As you know, we are entering a time that will likely bring more tumult to our industry. I want you to know that SEJ plans to raise its voice to protect and support our members — loudly and often.

Already, our executive director Aparna Mukherjee, alongside our board of directors and veteran SEJ members, have spoken out against the impending threats to journalism posed by the new Trump administration. The Freedom of Information (FOI) Task Force has also called on Congress to pass stronger protections for reporters under the proposed PRESS Act.

Under the leadership of Tim Wheeler, the FOI Task Force will continue to advocate on behalf of SEJ’s members to uphold press freedom and urge government transparency. Consider joining the task force if you want to help shape our organization’s response to attacks on reporters.

In addition, the crew at SEJournal has launched a new watchdog publication, EJ TransitionWatch. The weekly report will track the incoming Trump administration’s moves up until Inauguration Day 2025.

We’re taking these threats against the press seriously. That’s why we’re also hunting for more First Amendment resources and partners to support the organization and our members. Our board is committed as well to ensuring SEJ is nimble enough to protect the organization from attacks or other threats that don’t fit neatly in the box of press freedom. For example, House Republicans are attempting to push through a broad bill that would authorize the Treasury Department to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits deemed to support terrorism.

SEJ’s strength always lies in its members, so we want to make sure we’re meeting your needs. Starting in the New Year, Aparna and I will kick off monthly, virtual office hours. I will host the first session on Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. ET. Change is in the air; tell us how we can support you — and nothing’s off the table. Bring your big ideas, I want to hear them. Especially as the board develops SEJ’s next strategic plan over the coming year.

After the first session, these office hours may look a little different each month, likely touching on a variety of themes and topics that affect our members. Outside of office hours and #SEJ2025, we’ll also look for opportunities to hold smaller, regional SEJ gatherings and other virtual events as we navigate the next year together.

Thanks to the work of Aparna, SEJ is ending 2024 on a strong financial footing. This includes a half-million dollar commitment from the MacArthur Foundation in a substantive round of climate journalism grants to build on our ongoing work. The funding and related resources give us the security and stability to stand up for our members. In these uncertain times, SEJ will be right here for you.

For the board, the next year will focus on engaging more deeply with members, developing a forward-looking strategic plan to navigate whatever lies ahead, and — hopefully — launching a new, user-friendly website and member community to better meet your needs and amplify your work.

I’m excited to see you all at the #SEJ2025 conference in Arizona — don’t forget to mark your calendars for April 23 to 26 and look for early, discounted registration to open in mid-January! If you’re looking for ways to get involved or have suggestions, reach out to our new conference editorial director, Lisa Palmer, at lisapalmer@sej.org.

Finally, in this season of gratitude and giving, I wanted to offer a gentle reminder to help support SEJ as we work to support you. Every dollar counts! Not sure what to put on your holiday gift list? Ask your friends or family to donate to SEJ in your name. We can’t exist without you.

Happy Holidays!

Halle Parker
President, SEJ Board of Directors